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Military District of Washington Commander sees AFDW as "The face of the Air Force in the National Capital Region"

  • Published
  • By Aletha Frost
  • AFDW Public Affairs
7/31/2009 - ANDREWS AFB --  The Army Military District of Washington Commander, also dual-hatted as the Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region Commander, made his first visit to Air Force District of Washington Headquarters on July 29, to learn about AFDW's support role to Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region.

Brig. Gen. Karl R. Horst, MDW commander, saw the Air Force District of Washington first-hand during a visit to Bolling AFB, D.C. and Andrews AFB, Md. At Bolling AFB, General Horst and his staff attended mission briefings by Maj. Gen. Ralph Jodice, AFDW commander and Col. Jon Roop, 11th Wing commander.

General Jodice explained how AFDW contributes to JFHQ-NCR mission. "AFDW executes Air Force operations and supports the Joint Force and inter-agency operations in the National Capital Region." AFDW also "provides superior support to the combatant commanders and Air Force elements worldwide. AFDW has a tactical mission with strategic impact."

Colonel Roop acknowledged junior Airmen as the key to accomplishing the 11th Wing's mission. "The 11th Wing provides superior support through customer service, musical and ceremonial support, and expeditionary response to 48,000 personnel worldwide."

General Horst carried a message of appreciation to the AFDW Airmen as he and his staff toured the USAF Honor Guard facility and other base organizations.

After the Bolling briefings and tours, the generals headed to Andrews AFB, where the mission briefs of the 79th Medical Wing, 316th Wing and 844th Communications Group were presented. Col. Steven Shepro, 316th Wing commander, hosted the Andrews visit and briefed the General on the wing's expanding mission. General Horst toured the 1st Helicopter Squadron and the flight line operations.

The group also had a chance to tour the base's telecommunication facility. Col. Curtis Frost, 844th Communications Group commander, said "the 844th CG is the single communication provider to the AFDW. Its mission is to keep AFDW stitched together as the AF-NCR communicator integrator."
General Horst also received a tour of the Aeromedical Staging Facility by Col. June Gavron, 79th MDW vice commander. The Aeromedical Staging Facility is a state-of-the-art treatment facility that provides medical care to wounded warriors as they arrive back to the U.S. and transit to various military or civilian hospitals for follow-on care.

The role of junior Airmen resonated at each of General Horst's stops. General Horst spoke of his enlisted days when he entered the Army and encouraged the Airmen he met, that the military provides them the opportunity to achieve any goal they set. "The role of enlisted Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors and their professional development is critical to meeting the mission," said General Horst.

General Horst expressed his appreciation and thanks to the Airmen of AFDW for their dedicated support and service to JFHQ-NCR many times over. He coined several Airmen during his visits at both Bolling and Andrews. "You are the face of the Air Force in the National Capital Region," said General Horst, "you are the Air Force."

"We are all proud of what we do and how we do it," said General Jodice. "AFDW does many important missions and we do them as a team of mission ready Total Force Airmen providing, Superior Service, Civil Support and Contingency Response."