Air Force District of Washington

The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) is a Direct Reporting Unit of the United States Air Force. AFDW oversees Air Force operations in the Washington, D.C. region (also known as the "National Capital Region" or "NCR").

Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington emblem
Active7 July 2005 – present
1 October 1985 – 15 July 1994
(38 years)[1]
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeDirect Reporting Unit
Part ofDepartment of the Air Force
(administrative chain of command)
Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region
(operational chain of command)
HeadquartersAndrews Air Force Base, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S.[2]
Motto(s)"Pride... Teamwork... Success"
Anniversaries7 July
Decorations
Air Force Organization Excellence Award[3]
Websitewww.afdw.af.mil
Commanders
CommanderMaj Gen Daniel A. DeVoe
Deputy CommanderCol Aaron Guill
Command ChiefCCM Charmaine N. Kelley

As a Direct Reporting Unit, AFDW is directly subordinate to the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, United States Air Force, and serves as the Air Force service component to the JFHQ-NCR. AFDW was originally headquartered on Bolling Air Force Base, but changed to Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington (JBA-NAFW).

History

AFDW originates back to the post-World War II era when Bolling Field Command was established on 15 December 1946. Bolling Field Command absorbed functions from various support organizations in the Washington, D.C. vicinity.[4] It was redesignated Headquarters Command, USAF, on 17 March 1958. When Headquarters Command, USAF, inactivated on 1 July 1976, many of its functions passed to Military Airlift Command. The Air Force District of Washington was constituted and activated, on 1 October 1985. it was inactivated on 15 Jul 1994, due to declining defense budgets. AFDW was reactivated on 7 July 2005, to realign the Air Force command structure in the NCR with the other military services, improve Air Force support to Joint Force Headquarters – National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR).

Mission

AFDW oversees two wings and one group on JBA-NAFW: the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group. The 79th Medical Wing and 844th Communications Group both have specialized missions and serve as a single Air Force voice in the National Capital Region (NCR) for their respective fields of expertise. The 11th Wing fulfills duties as the host base organization of JBA-NAFW, while also supporting AFDW requirements. AFDW also supports airmen in more than 2,000 Air Force Elements in more than 500 locations in 108 countries.[5]

AFDW serves as the Air Force service component for coordination purposes to JFHQ-NCR and the supporting command to Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/Medical (JTF-CapMed). JFHQ-NCR has an emergency or major event operation 'mobilization' function as Joint Task Force-National Capital Region. When the JFHQ-NCR transitions to the Joint Task Force NCR (JTF-NCR), the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing (320 AEW) activates and becomes the Air Force service component of JTF-NCR. Normally, the Commander of AFDW serves as the Commander, 320 AEW. Air Force Mission Directive 13 delineates missions and assigned duties applicable to AFDW in both its worldwide Air Force service role and its JTF-NCR Air Force service component role.

Component units

Air Force District of Washington comprises the following wings and major units.[6]

Headquarters

Permanent units

Expeditionary units

List of commanders
No. Commander Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1
Edward N. Giddings
Giddings, Edward N.Brigadier General
Edward N. Giddings
(born 1935)		1 October 1985November 1988~ 3 years, 31 days
2
Ralph R. Rohatsch Jr.
Rohatsch, Ralph R. Jr.Brigadier General
Ralph R. Rohatsch Jr.
(born 1940)		November 1988July 1990~ 1 year, 242 days
3
James L. Vick
Vick, James L.Brigadier General
James L. Vick
(born 1943)		July 1990~ September 1992~ 2 years, 62 days
4
Stevan B. Richards
Richard, Stevan B.Colonel
Stevan B. Richards		~ September 199215 July 1994~ 1 year, 317 days
5
Duane A. Jones
Jones, Duane A.Brigadier General
Duane A. Jones		7 July 200514 April 2006281 days
6
Robert L. Smolen
Smolen, Robert L.Major General
Robert L. Smolen		14 April 200629 June 20071 year, 76 days
7
Frank Gorenc
Gorenc, FrankMajor General
Frank Gorenc
(born 1957)		29 June 20076 August 2008[7]1 year, 38 days
8
Ralph J. Jodice II
Jodice, Ralph J. IIMajor General
Ralph J. Jodice II
(born 1955)		6 August 200818 November 20091 year, 104 days
9
Darrell D. Jones
Jones, Darrell D.Major General
Darrell D. Jones		18 November 20099 December 20101 year, 21 days
10
Darren W. McDew
McDew, Darren W.Major General
Darren W. McDew
(born 1960)		9 December 201026 July 20121 year, 230 days
11
Sharon K.G. Dunbar
Dunbar, Sharon K.G.Major General
Sharon K.G. Dunbar		26 July 201222 July 20141 year, 361 days
12
Darryl W. Burke
Burke, Darryl W.Major General
Darryl W. Burke		22 July 201421 June 20172 years, 334 days
13
James A. Jacobson
Jacobson, James A.Major General
James A. Jacobson		21 June 20179 July 20192 years, 18 days
14
Ricky Rupp
Rupp, RickyMajor General
Ricky Rupp		9 July 201920 July 20212 years, 11 days
15
Joel D. Jackson
Jackson, Joel D.Major General
Joel D. Jackson		20 July 20216 September 20232 years, 48 days
16
Daniel A. DeVoe
Major General
Daniel A. DeVoe		6 September 2023Incumbent49 days

See also

References
  1. "Air Force District of Washington (USAF)".
  2. "Air Force District of Washington (USAF)".
  3. "Air Force District of Washington (USAF)".
  4. Air Force Historical Research Agency, Headquarters Command, USAF Archived 18 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine, 10 January 2008
  5. "Factsheets : Air Force District of Washington". afdw.af.mil. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  6. "Units". Air Force District of Washington. US Air Force. Archived from the original on 28 December 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. Land, Michael (6 August 2008). "New AFDW leader assumes command". Joint Base Andrews. Retrieved 30 January 2022.

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