Please see below for FAQs regarding opening, reduction, or closure of services and offices on Fort Meade, and general information regarding the government shutdown. Formal Guidance is provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

In the event of a government shutdown, the following offices will remain open: 

The following offices will remain open: 

  • Army Emergency Relief Office 

  • Child Development Centers/CYS/CD Home 

  • Commissary 

  • Directorate of Emergency Services 

  • Exchange 

  • Maintenance Shop 

  • Network Enterprise Center 

  • Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Office 

  • Victim Advocacy 

  • Murphy Field House 

  • Gaffney Fitness Center 

  • Outdoor Recreation 

  • Post Library

  • Directorate of Emergency Services, including police, fire, visitor control center and gates 

  • Religious Services, including chapels 

  • OSJA Military Justice 

The following offices will remain open. However, if an extended furlough impacts business, there may be a reduction in services: 

  • Arts and Crafts Center 

  • Auto Skills Center 

  • Bowling Center 

  • Club Meade 

  • Family Pet Care Facility 

  • Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center

  • Freedom Inn Warrior Restaurant

The following offices will remain open with reduced hours and/or reduced services, so call ahead to see what services are available: 

  • Army Continuing Education 

  • Army Community Service

  • Directorate of Human Resources, including casualty assistance, ID card office and ACES 

  • Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security 

  • Directorate of Public Works 

  • Installation Safety Office 

  • Logistics Readiness Center 

  • Religious Services Office 

  • Resource Management Office 

  • Staff Judge Advocate Office  

  • Visitor Control Center 

  • Family Advocacy Center 

  • Garrison Safety Office 

  • OSJA Admin Law 

  • Public Affairs (Fort Meade digital media platform content will be limited to life, health and safety information until further notice.)

The following offices will be closed: 

  • Civilian Personnel Advisory Center 

  • Directorate of Human Resources Military Personnel Division and Retirement/Transition Services 

  • Army Substance Abuse Program 

  • Official Mail 

  • FOIA/Records 

  • OSJA Legal Assistance and Claims 

A2: Access control points will operate under normal hours and all police, fire and security personnel will remain on duty. 

During the shutdown furlough, you can reach the following POCs:

Garrison HQ:

Headquarters Command Battalion:
  • LTC Jeremy Yama: Battalion Commander    
    • Office Number: 301-677-7145
    • Email: jeremy.l.yama.mil@army.mil
  • CSM Gary A. Krese: Battalion CSM   
  • MAJ Justin "JD" Dupree: Bn Operations Officer (S-3)    
    • Office Number: 301-677-5402
    • Email: justin.j.dupree.mil@army.mil
  • SFC Jason Tudor: Operations NCOIC    
    • Office Number: 301-677-5402
    • Email: jason.l.tudor3.mil@army.mil
  • CPT Quezada, Patricio: 241st MP & 2d MP Det, CO CDR    
    • Office Number: 301-677-7966
    • Email: patricio.quezada.mil@army.mil
  • SFC Jessica Serrano: 241st DET SGT    
    • Office Number: 301-677-4835
    • Email: jessica.c.serrano.mil@army.mil
  • SSG Justin Williams: 2d MP DET SGT    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6453
    • Email: justin.t.williams81.mil@army.mil
  • CPT Prateek Thapa: HHC, Company Commander    
    • Office Number: 301-677-5083
    • Email: prateek.thapa.mil@army.mil
  • 1SG David King: Company 1SG    
    • Office Number: 301-677-7967
    • Email: david.k.king.mil@army.mil

Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security: 

Directorate of Emergency Services:
  • MAJ Joseph Smith: Director/ Provost Marshal    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6699
    • Email: joseph.m.smith380.mil@army.mil
  • MSG Cornelius Deloatch: OPS NCOIC    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6090
    • Email: cornelius.j.deloatch.mil@army.mil
  • Robert L. Henry: Guard Chief   
    • Office Number:  301-677-6030
    • Email: robert.l.henry6.civ@army.mil
  • Police Chief Duan Alveris: Police Chief    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6043
    • Email: duan.r.alveris.civ@army.mil
  • Fire Chief James Evans: Fire Chief    
Directorate of Families, Morale, Welfare and Recreation: 
  • Joseph Podles: DFMWR Director    
    • Office Number: 301-677-3767
    • Email: joseph.l.podles.naf@army.mil
  • William "Scott" Myers:  NSSD Chief    
    • Office Number: 301-677-3831
    • Email: william.s.myers12.naf@army.mil
  • Michael Lanni: Finance Officer    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6635
    • Email: michael.r.lanni.naf@army.mil
  • Cherod Jones: ACS-FAPM and DAVA    
    • Office Number: 301-677-4357/4174
    • Email: cherod.m.jones.civ@army.mil
  • Faith Barnes: AER/Financial Readiness    
    • Office Number: 301-677-6906
    • Email: virginia.f.barnes.civ@army.mil
  • Wendy Gibbs: BRD Chief  
    • Office Number: 301-677-3981
    • Email: wendy.m.gibbs.naf@army.mil
  • Tammy Ford: CYS Chief     
    • Office Number: 301-677-5181
    • Email: tammy.l.ford.naf@army.mil 
  • Regina Mackey: CYS-POS    
    • Office Number: 301-677-5063
    • Email: regina.m.mackey3.naf@army.mil 
  • Meredith McCandless: CYS-SLO    
    • Office Number: 301-677-1227
    • Email: meredith.a.mccandless.naf@army.mil
  • Sgt Destiny Campbell: BOSS President
Directorate of Public Works
  • Aimee Stafford: Chief, Housing Div   
    • Office Number: 301-677-7748
    • Email: Aimee.n.stafford.civ@army.mil
  • Donnell Flemming: Lead Engineering Technician / COR FGGM DPW/Engineering Dep
    • Office Number: 301-677-1771
    • Email: donnell.l.flemming.civ@army.mil
  • Beth Grosscup: DPW Operations and Maintenance Engineer Tech    
    • Office Number: 301-677-9374
    • Email: Beth.e.grosscup.civ@army.mil
  • Brinica C. Noakes: Chief, Contract Management Branch Engineering Division
    • Email: brinica.c.noakes.civ@army.mil
Directorate of Human Resources
  • Delia Smith: Sup. Cas. Aff. Coord (Primary DHR POC)
    • Office Number: 301-677-2594
    • Email: delia.j.smith.civ@army.mil
  • Lisa Dent: Mortuary Affairs Coordinator    
    • Office Number: 301-677-4056
    • Email: lisa.l.dent.civ@army.mil
  • Joe Mckoy: HR Asst. Primary DHR POC for Furlough    
Public Affairs Office (Emergency/Media Queries Only)
  • Abigail Carey: Public Affairs Specialist
    • Gov. Cell: 240-749-8788
    • Email: abigail.j.carey.civ@army.mil
Logistics Readiness Center
  • Jason Todd: Chief Plans/Ops    
    • Office Number: 301-677-9192​​​​​​​
    • Email: jason.l.todd4.civ@army.mil
  • James Mixon: Food Program/Dining Facility    
    • Office Number: 301-677-9193
    • Email: james.m.mixon.civ@army.mil
  • Ousmane Balde: Chief Supply & Services    
    • Office Number: 301-677-9189
    • Email: ousmane.balde.civ@army.mil
  • Carlos Hill: Maintenance Div. Chief    
    • Office Number: 301-677-9930
    • Email: carlos.w.hill.civ@army.mil
 


 

A3: All Non-appropriated Fund employees and Child Youth and School Services employees are exempted from furlough, so all Child Development Centers as well as fitness centers will remain open. 

Moves continue if PCS orders were issued and funded prior to shutdown (as this funding was obligated under FY25 funding).

Essential missions, training, and first duty station moves will continue (payments will be delayed and smart vouchers will be processed but payment will not occur until a CR or budget is approved)

Separation or retirement moves continue only if already approved and funded with FY 25 funding line.

No new PCS costs can be processed or approved during the shutdown until a CR or Budget for FY26 is approved.

PCS order date (when issued) — not the report date — determines if a PCS move is authorized to proceed.

FY26 funding moves will be delayed until a CR or budget is approved.

Moves related to separation or retirement will proceed only if the funds were already approved before 31 September 2025.

Those in need of financial assistance can reach out to military aid associations, state/federal aid and potential unemployment benefits. 

Military Aid: 

Army Emergency Relief may provide an interest-free loan equal to the amount of one net paycheck, up to a maximum amount of $6,000, for soldiers and families who experience financial hardship due to lack of pay. Assistance is available up to the amount of one net paycheck (maximum $6,000), with repayment beginning once pay is restored.  Reminder: AER loans are always zero interest and do not affect credit scores.  AER now offers online applications for loans.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society: Offices will be open during normal hours to help families who are experiencing immediate needs related to the loss of income from a government shutdown.

Air Force Aid Society: AFAS is prepared to support airmen, Guardians and their families affected by the shutdown, officials say. Watch www.afas.org and their social media channels for updates if the shutdown is expected to last beyond Oct. 15.

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance: CGMA will offer interest-free loans to help with bills, such as rent payments, insurance and child care. Coast Guard military and civilian employees may be eligible to borrow up to the amount of their monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) as needed.

State/Federal Aid:

Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund: FEEA has both an Emergency Hardship Loan program and Shutdown Grants available for qualifying full-time federal civilian employees. It is important to note the differences between the two programs, notably:

  • The Emergency Hardship Loan program does not cover pay loss during a government shutdown.
  • The Shutdown Grant application will only become available should a shutdown persists beyond the point that federal employees miss all or part of a paycheck.

For state by state benefits, visit https://feea.org/shutdown/#toggle-id-1

Unemployment Benefits: 

Civilians may be able to file for unemployment benefits during a government shutdown - but know that you will most likely have to repay any benefits received if you get your paycheck from the federal government. Unemployment is a state benefit, but you can find out more information at: https://www.usa.gov/unemployment-benefits. 

A5. A furlough is the placing of an employee in a temporary nonduty, non-pay status because of lack of work or funds, or other non-disciplinary reasons.  

According to OPM, a shutdown furlough (also called an emergency furlough) occurs when there is a lapse in appropriations and can occur at the beginning of a fiscal year, if no funds have been appropriated for that year, or upon expiration of a continuing resolution, if a new continuing resolution or appropriations law is not passed. In a shutdown furlough, an affected agency would have to shut down any activities funded by annual appropriations that are not excepted by law. Typically, an agency will have very little to no lead time to plan and implement a shutdown furlough. 

A7. “Excepted” employes are employees whose work is funded through annual appropriations, but who are not furloughed because they are performing tasks that, by law, are allowed to continue during a lapse in appropriations. Those tasks are referred to as “excepted work.” Such tasks may include emergency work involving safety of human life or the protection of property or the performance of certain other types of “excepted work activities” as defined by the Department of Justice and Office of Management and Budget. 

Employees are “exempt” from furlough if they are not affected by a lapse in appropriations. This includes employees whose functions are not funded by annually appropriated funds. Employees performing those functions will generally continue to be governed by the normal pay, leave, and other civil service rules. 

A9: Each agency will determine the method and timing of notifying employees whether their work has been determined to be excepted. 

A10: No. Unless otherwise authorized by law, an agency may not accept the voluntary services of an employee. 

A11: Employees who are neither excepted nor exempt and are scheduled for training during a shutdown furlough must be placed in a furlough status and ordered not to attend the scheduled training.  

A12: Detailed employees remain officially assigned to their permanent position of record during the detail. During a shutdown furlough, each agency will determine the status of their employees on detail, either within the agency or to another agency. This determination is driven by the funding source of the work performed by the detailed employees.  

In the case of any detailee under an authorized non-reimbursable agreement whose permanent work the home agency designates as excepted and whose home agency agrees to continue the detail, the home and receiving agencies should carefully consult with one another about what, if any, activities are appropriate for the detailee to perform during a lapse. Any such activities must be consistent with the reasons why the home agency designated the employee’s work as excepted. This communication is especially important in the event that the activities of the receiving agency are not subject to the lapse. 

A13: Yes. After the lapse in appropriations has ended, employees who were required to perform excepted work during the lapse will receive retroactive pay for those work periods. Retroactive pay is provided at the employee’s “standard rate of pay.” If the retroactive pay cannot be provided on the normal pay date for the given pay period, it must be provided at the earliest date possible after the lapse ends. 

Service members: please be aware the LES could read zero $0. Upon an approved CR or budget funding for pay and allowances will be distributed.