Robert Kass (left) chats with Alan McClelland as they tour one of Indian Head's new housing units. Cmdr. Michael Weaver, NSASP's Public Works Officer, is in background.
Housing issues for Australia’s defense forces apparently have a lot in common with Naval Support Facility Indian Head.
Like some of the houses at Indian Head, some of the Australian defense bases are old but architecturally sound and historically significant—such as Duntroon House, the 1833 building in Canberra that serves the nation’s army heritage or HMAS Creswell where Australia’s first native-born Navy chief of staff and World War II hero (Vice Adm. Sir John Collins) once lived.
‘‘Defence Housing Australia,” known to Aussie sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines by its more familiar DHA acronym is also undergoing a similar public⁄private venture program that the U.S. Navy is now undertaking. Accordingly, last week a DHA official visited NSF Indian Head when Alan McClelland got a first-hand view of the base’s old and new housing units.
McClelland was briefed by Robert Kass of Naval District Washington”s Anacostia’s Family Housing on the mission and successes of the PPV at Indian Head with Lincoln Homes, the Navy’s housing manager.
Basically McClellan sought to see how the PPV would work for Australia’s military forces as that nation’s armed service men and women an choose five different types of housing options: Service residence (on base), rent allowance, living accommodation, own home or own means—each with different levels of subsistence paid to the Australian servicemember.
During his visit, McClelland was shown the background history of the Navy public⁄private venture with Lincoln Homes, the project concept and how the partnership worked. He was also shown how PPV helps to improve Navy quality of life with quality housing in newly-constructed or renovated homes and prospects for the future for Navy families.
At the time that PPV went into effect at NSF Indian Head, there were 24 housing units at the Dashiel Mews area for senior Navy members, and 135 housing units at the 1960-vintage Review Village apartment area. Current status of available homes shows that the Dashiel Mews are has 17 housing areas occipied, with 89 on-going new constructed units in Phase I and 46 more in the future Phase II construction design plus a planned community center; Riverview Village (which will be demolished for Phase II) currently has 67 units currently occupied. First occupancy for the new constructed units is slated for this month.
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