Col. Daniel L. Thomas
After serving for three years as the commander of Fort Meade, Army Col. Daniel Thomas will transition to a new command in July.
Thomas said he has had a positive experience at Fort Meade, and has dealt with a broad range of issues, including law enforcement, public safety and infrastructure improvements, as well as military justice, and community and family support.
“It has made every day exhilarating, challenging and fulfilling, and has certainly allowed me to grow as a person,” he said, while praising the local community alliances, which he described as “tremendously and broadly inclusive.”
At the helm during a time of tremendous growth at Fort Meade, Thomas said the growing pains were decreased through effective communication and genuine input.
“Our close working relationships with governmental, corporate and mission activities … ensured that the frictions associated with the extensive growth at Fort Meade were handled as a team.”
Thomas’s next assignment has not yet been announced, nor has his successor on post. Should he remain in the area, Thomas said he will continue to stay actively involved with his community.
“I am not sure exactly what the future holds for me, but if I am fortunate enough to land in the local area, I certainly desire to continue active involvement [locally],” he said. “This is a great place in our country, and I can say that [from] the background of living in 11 states and visiting many others over the past two decades. The people here are wonderful.”
Much Accomplished, Much to Do
When Thomas took command of Fort Meade in the summer of 2008, the Base Realignment and Closure construction was about to begin; today, three new buildings on post house the Defense Media Activity, Defense Adjudications and the Defense Information Systems Agency. The three new sites alone are home to some 5,400 jobs, most of them civilian.
By this fall, the official worker population of Fort Meade will have grown to more than 48,000 — which 13,000 more personnel than the post had three years ago.
“I have been very lucky that the Army entrusted me with such a wonderful experience, and the scope will be tough to duplicate in the future,” said Thomas, who foresees many challenges ahead, including the stress on the area’s electrical grid and roads.
Wounded Warriors Expands
Rosemary Budd, president of the Fort Meade Alliance (FMA), spoke of how Col. Thomas supported her organization’s partnership with the installation to outfit the Wounded Warriors Transition Unit’s Soldier & Family Assistance Center.
“We worked closely with Col. Thomas to ensure that the facility had everything that it needed to support the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Budd. The alliance helped raise more than $135,000 to outfit the facility.
The FMA’s membership includes 265 member companies and individuals, representing an estimated 60,000 employees in the region, and has experienced more than a 22% growth during the past year, she said.
“This is a testament to the great regional work our organization has done,” with the post and Col. Thomas, “in the areas of education, workforce, cyber awareness, transportation, business development and more.”
