Jason Goselin, Author at America's Engineers

Joint Base Commander Col. Tasha Lowery, left, Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, National Guard Bureau command sergeant major, center, and JBM-HH Housing Division chief Keisha Gresham cut a celebratory ribbon Sept. 21, marking the completed renovation of the NCO quarters on the McNair Campus. The project began in 2019 and faced numerous setbacks due to Covid-19 and supply chain issues. — Joint Base Commander Col. Tasha Lowery, left, Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, National Guard Bureau command sergeant major, center, and JBM-HH Housing Division chief Keisha Gresham cut a celebratory ribbon Sept. 21, marking the completed renovation of the NCO quarters on the McNair Campus. (Photo by Jason Goselin)

Leadership from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Sept. 21 on the McNair Campus for the completed renovations of the Noncommissioned Officer housing. Five freshly-updated duplexes will house 10 NCOs and their families. The 13th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, John Raines, and his wife Karen were the first to accept their new home after nearly 18 months of waiting.

“From the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the joint base, and our very own Directorate of Public Works, who largely made these renovations possible, we’re thrilled to finally open the Noncommissioned Officer housing at the McNair Campus of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall,” said JBM-HH Commander Col. Tasha Lowery in her opening remarks.

Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, the 13th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard, and his wife Karen unlock the door to their new home Sept. 21 on the McNair Campus of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The Raines family has been patiently waiting almost 18 months to receive these new quarters. (Photo by Jason Goselin)

Following the speech given to an audience of Directorate of Housing, Public Works, USACE and National Capital Region employees, Raines and other attendees toured the home alongside Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, commanding general of Joint Task Force - National Capitol Region & U.S. Army Military District of Washington, Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp, the command sergeant major of JTF-NCR & U.S. Army MDW, and Lowery.

The buildings were originally constructed in 1905 and required a lot of care to maintain their historic nature, while bringing them up to today’s Army standard. The contract for the project was initially awarded in 2019, but progress slowed due to the pandemic and supply chain issues. The units are now equipped with modern finishes, fire suppression systems, central heat and A/C, and new third-floor bathrooms.

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