Bridging Experience and Innovation: A Team Effort in Facilities Upkeep

By Chazz Kibler

Maryland Military Department’s Benjamin Maynard, carpenter for the Installations Office’s Facilities Sustainment Team, poses for a photo inside the Reckord Lounge’s bar.

BALTIMORE—The Maryland Military Department’s Installations Office’s Facilities Sustainment Team provided repairs to a damaged ceiling and updated the lighting to increase efficiency while conserving power at the Reckord Lounge in the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore. The in-house maintenance and updates saved the state of Maryland approximately $20,000 by avoiding the use of private contractors. A steam valve blew inside the ceiling, creating a hole in the area. MMD’s Benjamin Maynard, carpenter for the Installations Office’s FST, removed the bed plaster, sealed the hole, and then painted and primed the drywall.

A before-and-after look at the damage and repairs.

The same repairs also had to be made to the museum located just below the bar, where Maynard estimates it took approximately 60 hours to complete for both rooms. In between the repairs, Maynard’s other responsibilities include lawn maintenance and general upkeep of the FRA. Maynard’s overall performance has earned him high praise and a promotion to the FST, which will enable him to travel for work to maintain Maryland National Guard facilities throughout the state.

“I used to work at road closures and accident scenes for the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration,” said Maynard. “So, I’m used to driving and being on the road.”

Maynard has 10 years of experience with the Maryland State government, splitting time between MDOT and the Maryland Transportation Authority before settling at the MMD.

“I found my retirement job that encompasses all my past jobs, including driving, repair, and everything else,” said Maynard.

Maryland Military Department’s Damien Watson, maintenance chief, Installations Office, holds a lightbulb over the head of Donald Ford, an electrician with the same office.

Maynard didn’t tackle the job by himself; he received assistance from Damien Watson, MMD’s maintenance chief, and Donald Ford, an electrician, both of whom are members of the Installations Office.

“The lights that were previously installed were te12 fluorescent fixtures, which are way outdated,” said Watson. “I’ve been doing this 20-some years, and I haven’t seen them since the beginning of my trade experience.”

As the outdated light fixtures are replaced with modern, efficient lighting, a new generation of talent steps into the spotlight, proving that while the old may dim, fresh ideas and energy are undoubtedly brightening the way forward for MMD’s Brandon Rojas, a maintenance technician with the Installations Office, who was tasked with post-cleanup. Rojas is also a member of the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation’s Service Year Option program, which matched him to the MMD for a year to earn experience. The agency and its program were established by the Serving Every Region Through Vocational Exploration Act of 2023. The purpose of the SERVE Act is to promote service and volunteerism in the state of Maryland.

“My time at the Maryland Military Department has made me a better worker,” said Rojas. “Sometimes, I didn’t see that in myself, and I appreciate that they really helped in my journey.”

Rojas is one of nearly 500 individuals who completed the service program this year, more than double the number of last year. As an added benefit, Rojas earned a $6,000 completion award, which he will use toward pursuing a college degree.

Rojas said he will likely go to the Community College of Baltimore County, where he plans to study computer engineering.