AFDW/A1 embraces world-wide mission: ‘We’re here to help’ Published Jan. 15, 2015 By 2nd Lt. Esther Willett Air Force District of Washington Public Affairs JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- While people often know the Air Force District of Washington for its Honor Guard, Air Force Band and rapid contingency response, they may not realize that AFDW has an operational mission supporting Airmen around the world. Civilian and military Airmen working in embassies, joint and exchange offices, Department of Defense agencies, the Pentagon, and other unique units are administratively assigned to AFDW. The AFDW Manpower, Personnel, and Services Division staff serves approximately 51,000 military and civilian Airmen stationed in more than 3,900 elements throughout the National Capital Region, across the United States, and in over 100 countries. Airmen assigned to these types of units sometimes encounter difficulty finding help for personnel related issues. "We service customers all over the world, and we want to reach them in a more effective manner," said Captain Denise Duriga, A1 executive officer. "We have such a large and diverse worldwide mission; we want to reach out and let them know we're here to help them." Celisa Stephens, division director, challenged her staff to develop ways to better communicate with AFDW's customers. One of the goals of the directorate is to help Airmen find resources regarding all facets of their career field, so AFDW Airmen are always equipped with the support they need to fly, fight and win, she said. "The establishment of an AFDW Manpower, Personnel and Services website will ensure better support for military and civilian Airmen who may be located in small units throughout remote regions of the world," said Stephens. The site is available at: www.afdw.af.mil/units/manpower,personnelandservices.asp.