When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) faced a seemingly impossible challenge last winter — design and build a removable, 10,000-square-foot equine facility on a site adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in less than a year — the solution came not from conventional construction practices, but from innovative collaboration with industry partners.
The result: interim stables for the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (“The Old Guard”) Caisson Detachment, whose horse teams serve as the mounted escort to the nation’s fallen, at a facility built in ten months from concept to completion, demonstrating how creative procurement and engineering solutions can accelerate project delivery while controlling costs.
The project supports modernization efforts to improve herd health and facilities for The Old Guard, part of a larger USACE mission that includes renovation of the platoon’s historic stables dating back to 1896 and 1909, as well as acquisition of an equine training facility in northern Virginia. While minor work at the original stables is underway, major repairs require temporary housing for both staff and animals and vacating the stables became a priority.
The move would clear the way for project progression and ultimately ensure the Caisson Detachment is well-prepared to conduct memorial affairs to honor fallen soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery — one of the most iconic traditions in U.S. military history.
“Everything you see around us today has occurred in the last 10 months,” said Paul White, a USACE Baltimore District design manager who served as the project’s manager, standing beside the completed structure. The effort moved from executive-level approval in December 2024 to operational readiness by December 2025, even when presented with multiple constraints that would challenge traditional construction approaches.
The site required a facility that could be completely disassembled and relocated after approximately three years of operation. Parking lot stormwater runoff flowed directly across the proposed construction area. Environmental regulations limited site disturbance to less than 2,500 square feet to avoid triggering additional permitting requirements. And the mission timeline was unforgiving: the Caisson Detachment needed the facility operational by December 2025 to support ceremonial operations at Arlington National Cemetery.
“Everything around you is considered temporary, or interim, I should say,” White continued. “It’s, theoretically, at the end of its life here, going to be unassembled and reassembled somewhere else. And that was a major hurdle for the project that we had from the beginning.”
The conventional solution of extensive site grading, permanent foundations and new stormwater management infrastructure would have required additional permits, had longer construction timelines and, ultimately, cost significantly more while creating a facility that couldn't be relocated.
Rather than proceeding with traditional design-bid-build procurement, Baltimore District took a different approach, inviting contractors to examine the challenge and propose innovative solutions.
“Early on in the project, we decided to have what's called an ‘industry day’ where we engaged our industry partners,” White said. “We had participation of about 100 different vendors.”
The district outlined the complex requirements: a removable facility, an accelerated timeline, minimal site disturbance and compliance with both animal welfare standards and accessibility needs. Following the initial presentation, White said USACE conducted one-on-one interviews with interested contractors to develop approaches that could meet the demanding schedule.
The selected contractor, JBW Federal, proposed an elevated platform solution that addressed multiple constraints simultaneously. By raising the facility on helical pile foundations with minimal surface disturbance, the design allowed parking lot runoff to flow beneath the structure, eliminated the need for extensive site work and created a system that could be removed and reassembled elsewhere.
“JBW was the selected partner because of their innovative approach to the problem we had,” White said.
The partnership enabled early collaboration during the design phase, allowing the contractor’s proposed solution to be integrated before construction began. White said this interaction during the design process was extremely important.
“And I have to say, we're also very proud of that part of this project,” he added.
The contract was awarded in June 2025, and within one week the contractor had mobilized on site with utility work and excavation underway.
The platform design enabled rapid foundation installation. Helical piles provided structural support without the extended timeline typically required for excavation, grading and concrete curing. Utility lines routed through the crawl space created by the elevated platform, allowing simultaneous installation of multiple systems.
By the first week of September 2025, the project reached a critical milestone: crane placement of modular structural units. The conex-style components, like shipping containers, were modified specifically for equine use and positioned to reflect both construction expertise and respect for the ceremonial mission the facility would support.
Tammy Jenkins, JBW Federal’s site safety and health officer, arrived on site June 12, 2025, the day construction operations began. She coordinates safety oversight for multiple specialized subcontractors working simultaneously on the compressed timeline.
The construction approach required coordination of multiple specialized trades: electricians, plumbers, concrete suppliers, foundation specialists, stall fabricators, HVAC contractors and metal workers, all operating in a confined space adjacent to an active military installation and one of the nation's most visited sites. Jenkins said the unique building also requires unique safety protocols, so she requires all subcontractors to submit safety plans for her review and approval.
“We do daily briefings,” Jenkins said. “We all huddle, every day, every morning, so that way everybody knows where everybody's at.”
The daily safety briefings became the mechanism for maintaining coordination and pace without compromising quality or safety standards.
The accelerated pace required support from multiple levels of the organization. Dozens of Baltimore District personnel contributed to the project, with 20 to 25 design team members alone coordinating across planning, engineering, construction and contracting disciplines.
“Everybody took this as priority number one,” White said.
For the contractors building the facility, understanding the mission significance provided motivation beyond typical construction projects. The project drew attention from senior military leadership, with generals conducting weekly site visits to monitor progress.
Jenkins described her personal investment in the project's success with characteristic candor: “I don't even sleep because I'm so excited.”
The completed facility includes 26 horse stalls, each providing a minimum of 140 square feet with rubber flooring designed to support draft horses. A 26-foot-wide center aisle accommodates two-way horse traffic. Specialized wash areas feature non-slip flooring and enhanced drainage systems, which separate stormwater from contaminated runoff. The latter is directed to sanitary sewer connections coordinated with Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall's Department of Public Works.
Supporting structures include 4,200 square feet of office space for 20 personnel and 500 square feet of storage, all meeting accessibility requirements despite the elevated platform configuration.
The modular construction approach enabled components to be fabricated in controlled environments while site preparation progressed, reducing weather-related delays and improving
quality control. The design allows the entire facility to be disassembled and reassembled at a different location when the interim period concludes.
Col. Francis Pera, Baltimore District Commander, said the project demonstrates what the district can achieve when innovative procurement meets collaborative execution.
“This team delivered a complex, innovative, mission-critical facility in record time without sacrificing quality or safety,” Pera explained. “The heightened collaboration that began with industry and carried into the daily coordination between our team, our customer, and our industry partner showcases the Baltimore District's commitment to excellence in support of our nation's military traditions.”
White, who brought both his USACE experience and 15 years of prior private sector experience, described the collaboration as exceptional.
“The collaboration between USACE and the project team as a whole, the contractor and DPW, and other people involved, has been tremendous," White said. “It is absolutely one of the best examples of collaboration not just within USACE, but in my professional experience.”
He noted the project received support from the Commanding General-level down to administrative staff handling detailed coordination, characterizing the project as setting a new standard for rapid delivery.
As The Old Guard prepares to occupy the new facility and work toward full ceremonial operations, the interim stables stand as evidence that engineering creativity, procurement innovation and mission-focused collaboration can deliver exceptional results under demanding timelines.
The facility achieved substantial completion in early November 2025 with operational capability planned for December 2025, clearing the way for major renovations at the historic stables with expected completion in late 2027. The horses and soldiers of the Caisson Detachment will conduct their solemn duties from a facility that, while temporary in designation, represents enduring commitment to excellence in both military tradition and construction innovation.