Naval Station Everett dedicated its newest “Homeport Ashore” barracks in a ceremony April 24.

The Charles Luke Milam Bachelor Housing provides unaccompanied Sailors E-1 to E-4 the opportunity to live ashore instead of on ship while in homeport.

“While we know that Luke would absolutely hate the fuss being made over him, we’re sure that he would love the building and the wonderful apartments,” said father, Michael Milam.

The “Homeport Ashore’ initiative will potentially be home to as many as 504 Sailors, doubling Naval Station Everett’s current housing capacity.

“Two years ago when I signed the $60 million lump sum contract to design and build this building I’m not sure I knew what I was getting into, but I am pleased at how it turned out,” said Lyle Martin, of Hoffman Construction Company.

The building is dedicated to Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Charles Luke Milam, who was killed in action while conducting combat operations in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Milam, a Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC), was assigned to Golf Company, 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion.

“Luke was just an ordinary kid who fell in love with the Navy as an eight year old,” said Michael Milam. “He early-enlisted at 17 years old, left for boot camp two weeks after high school graduation, and never looked back.”

The Charles Luke Milam Bachelor Housing provides Sailors with comfortable, safe, durable, sustainable and energy efficient quarters featuring occupancy-sensor lighting, Energy Star rated appliances and water preserving landscape. It also features seven common lounges available to residents for viewing movies, studying or playing a variety of games to include pool, ping-pong, air hockey and video games.