The dozens of framed photographs in Col. Edward C. Rothstein's office provide a literal snapshot of his two-year tenure as garrison commander.
Reflecting on his accomplishments before he relinquishes command on Aug. 8 to Col. Brian P. Foley, Rothstein proudly points to the photos that are a visual diary of his service on Fort Meade:
Formal poses with political, business and education leaders; grinning alongside sports figures at military appreciation events; and standing beside his father Harold Rothstein, a Korean War veteran who spoke at Fort Meade's Veterans Day observance on Nov. 8.
On a corner wall overlooking his desk, however, are Rothstein's most treasured photographs.
They include shots of Rothstein reading to pajama-clad youngsters at Manor View Elementary School; a boy performing a trick for the colonel at "Fort Meade's Got Talent" show; young girls in orange tutus surrounding the colonel at the 2012 Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony; and Rothstein throwing out the first pitch simultaneously with three veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 14 for the Army birthday.
"Out of all the photos, these are my favorites," he said.
That Rothstein values the time he spends with children and vets comes as no surprise.
An intelligence officer who is a veteran of both Afghanistan and Iraq, Rothstein initially pursued a career in special education.
And now, after 30 years of military service including three years in the Reserve, Rothstein will officially retire Feb. 28, 2014.
But he is not slowing down.
"When I walked in [as commander], I was given advice that this is a marathon, not a sprint," said Rothstein, who was born in 1963 outside Wayne, N.J. "But I've personally taken this as a sprint and made every day a day and a half, and will do that until the end."
That energy and commitment have yielded a long list of achievements, despite extensive budget cuts, furloughs, an earthquake, hurricane and derecho.
"I think we accomplished a lot," Rothstein said. "It's not for me to say what went well, but I will reflect on such a great opportunity every day."
It's a position he continues to relish.
"The job has been so wonderful," said Rothstein, who resides in Carroll County with his wife, Audrey, and their teenage children, Emily and Sam. "Audrey, the kids and I have been truly blessed to be part of this community."
In a written statement to Soundoff! Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski praised Rothstein's efforts as commander.
"The men and women of Fort Meade serve our nation every day in every way, working to keep us safe," Mikulski said. "Colonel Rothstein has been a tremendous partner in supporting the men and women of Fort Meade. He has served the Fort Meade community with real devotion to duty, attention to detail and outreach that has helped fortify the support of this wonderful base. He has truly been the mayor of Fort Meade."
A farewell ceremony is being held today from 3 to 6 p.m. at Heritage Park for garrison personnel.
"Leaving is very bittersweet," Audrey Rothstein said. "We have so many wonderful friends on Fort Meade. It's really a unique feeling being on Fort Meade."
She attributes her husband's success to his efforts at reaching out to the community.
"He got out, tried to meet people, see what's going on," she said. "Leaders outside the community said they felt welcome on Fort Meade, felt a part of our community as well."
Since assuming command in July 2011, Rothstein's focus has been all about community.
Whether it's overseeing continued expansion post-BRAC, strengthening ties with political, business and education leaders, or responding to concerns in town halls and on Facebook, Rothstein has immersed himself in the well-being of Fort Meade.
"I truly believe the success of an installation is reliant on community -- the people inside and outside the fence line -- Team Meade," he said.
Rothstein's priorities have been in three key areas: continuing the growth of the installation, ensuring effective services and promoting the Team Meade community.
"You can see it from the Exchange to the apartment complex for single Soldiers," he said of the community growth. "It's one big construction zone. Safety, security and the infrastructure have been the focus of that priority."
Part of these efforts, he said, is tapping into the larger community for assistance.
"I don't have the funds and resources to do that, so I'm relying on the community," Rothstein said. "The community inside and outside are interdependent. That goes from local, state and federal government to businesses to the colleges and universities in the region. ... If Team Meade is a catalyst, then the area is becoming a vibrant region. Therefore, we're not just an installation in the middle of the state. We're now a vibrant Team Meade in the region."
Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter, who has served with Rothstein since last September, attributed the inroads with the community to the colonel's leadership style.
"Colonel Rothstein's open and approachable leadership and his gregarious personality are key factors in Team Meade's success in partnering with the community," Latter said. "His attention to underlying impacts on the people who live and work on Fort Meade is a reflection of his caring leadership."
While strengthening ties with the outside community, Rothstein zeroed in on such challenging issues as alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and banning the synthetic drug Spice.
"So communicating these challenges and providing resources to minimize them across the community inside and outside the fence line is a must, and that's what I've done," he said. "When I speak about Fort Meade, there are challenges that stem across the communities and the fence line. So if a Soldier is suffering from alcoholism, it's not just about the installation, it's about the region. So we have to all be accountable for supporting a healthy society."
Rothstein also oversaw the development of the Fort Meade Community Covenant, which is mandated to identify the needs of the military community, fill those needs and mobilize resources.
To get a handle on the issues and to forge relationships within and outside the fence, Rothstein was at the forefront of events, from leading ceremonies and the annual Fort Meade Run Series to participating in school programs and Military Appreciation Day at major sporting events off post.
"What I enjoy most is that the entire installation is my office," he said. "Where else can I talk to the community than being out in the community?"
As Fort Meade's most visible representative, Rothstein credits the town halls, open door policy and Fort Meade Facebook page for helping him to communicate with the community -- "all of them together, to get a pulse of this installation," he said.
Rothstein articulated community concerns to Maryland's congressional delegation that includes Mikulski and Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin.
"Senators Mikulski and Cardin, you can't get any stronger as advocates of the installation," he said. "The Maryland delegation has embraced this installation. If I was any part of that, then I have succeeded."
As commander, all his efforts are geared toward doing the "right thing," said Rothstein, focusing on health, safety and infrastructure as well as participation -- the listening and partnership.
Another aspect of doing what's right, said Rothstein, is on wellness -- "making good decisions -- good diet, fitness. And on resiliency -- when you don't make good decisions, it's what you do to pick yourself up."
Rothstein said he has been "absolutely committed" to the development of the new Army Wellness Center, which will offer free, holistic health services to help Soldiers, retirees, their family members and Army civilians build and sustain a healthy lifestyle and prevent chronic diseases.
"My focus has been on the well-being of the community," Rothstein said. "So if health and wellness are strong, then the community is strong."
But hampered by budget constraints, Rothstein was forced to choose which projects to green light.
"I came during a downsizing and had to reduce the workforce, and the budget was severely trimmed," he said. "I had to prioritize the work we had to do, so some of the opportunities had to be sidelined."
But Rothstein is grateful to the larger community for offering resources to develop programs such as the resiliency campus.
"The outside community said, 'We want to do it with you.' That's huge," he said.
As he prepares to leave, Rothstein offers straight-forward advice to his successor.
"My advice is to embrace every moment and recognize this is a diverse environment," he said. "Take advantage of every opportunity, and recognize the diversity and impact of your duties and responsibilities."
Just months shy of retirement, Rothstein pinpointed what he will miss most about the Army.
"The camaraderie and esprit, because values of the Army are instilled in me," he said. "Whether I wear the uniform today and take it off tomorrow, I will still be a Soldier for life."
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