The United States Army Military District of Washington (MDW) is a direct reporting unit providing the Army component to the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR). Both organizations share a single commander and core staff that link operationally with other service components and civilian interagency partners to support both ceremonial and contingency missions within the national capital region (NCR).
Civilian and military members of MDW together, have successfully planned and executed an unprecedented number of national special security events including the Papal Visit, State of the Union, Nuclear Security Summit and Presidential Inauguration which highlight the ongoing collaboration and trust between partners in the District of Washington, Virginia and Maryland. It's this regional teamwork that clearly makes it possible to successfully accomplish each mission.
Mission partner engagement is one of the top priorities of the command. Coordination among the many local, state, regional, federal and military authorities is key to execute highly visible and sensitive events. Maintaining a robust interagency engagement program provides a unique opportunity to exercise planning, communications, synchronization and liaison tasks. It also contributes to the command's situational awareness of interagency roles, responsibilities, policies and practices. This insight is helpful during normal operations, and it is essential in emergency situations.
The command exercises geographic senior commander responsibilities over four installations including Fort Belvoir, Va., Fort A.P. Hill, Va.; Fort Meade, Md., and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. (JBM-HH), which includes Fort Lesley J. McNair in The District of Columbia.
MULTIPLE COMPONENTS, MULTIPLE CAPABILITIES
The United States Army Aviation Brigade (TAAB) is MDW's global and regional aviation provider for Army Executive and Non-Executive leadership, while simultaneously providing critical support to national-level contingency plans within the NCR. A multi-component brigade-level headquarters, TAAB provides command and control and resourcing for Active and Reserve Component battalions, including the 12th Aviation Battalion, the Operational Support Airlift Activity and the 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company (TREC) at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., the U.S. Army Priority Air Transport Battalion (USAPAT) at Joint Base Andrews, Md., and the Pentagon Heliport.
Each battalion within TAAB maintains a constant state of readiness, prepared to respond to contingencies in the NCR with aviation and rescue assets. Each battalion conducts challenging, realistic training to ensure TAAB can effectively support any contingency or crisis response within the NCR. While TAAB's fixed and rotary wing assets train regionally and worldwide, it is important to note the 911th TREC also conducts annual training and validation exercises across the United States to maintain its unique technical rescue capabilities.
TAAB units also support overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan with rotational Executive and Non-Executive fixed wing transport. Specifically, USAPAT maintains a steady deployment cycle, basing their operations in Kabul, Afghanistan providing intra- and inter-theater air movements for Resolute Support Mission Headquarters. The Operational Support Airlift Activity also contributes as it manages the deployment, training, and readiness for National Guard Aviation assets throughout all 53 States and territories.
TAAB exemplifies the One Army concept by combining the talents, training, equipment, and leadership of the Army Reserve, National Guard, and the Active Component into a single brigade. This combination allows for tremendous insight regarding named contingency operations and access to support throughout the Army. The Operational Support Airlift Activity provides leadership and competence in standardizing fixed wing training and MILAIR travel across the formation, while USAPAT brings both an unmatched reputation for customer service and unrivaled experience in the highly complex international airspace environment and global transport mission. Combined with the highly specialized skills of the 911th TREC, and the responsiveness of the 12th Aviation Battalion, these units deliver an Army Aviation Brigade unlike any other in the United State Army.
THE OLD GUARD
One of the MDW's major subordinate commands is the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the oldest active Infantry Regiment in the U.S. Army, serving our nation since 1784. The Old Guard is the Army's official Ceremonial unit and Escort to the President of the United States. Their Soldiers remain committed to military excellence by supporting a multitude of military and government programs and official military ceremonies throughout the NCR, and are responsible for conducting memorial affairs missions in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Old Guard is comprised of several specialty elements including the U.S. Army Drill Team, the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon, Sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, the Continental Color Guard, and the Presidential Salute Battery. The regiment also includes a Military Police Company, an MP Military Working Dog Detachment and a Support Company.
The Old Guard continues its solemn duty of performing memorial affairs daily at Arlington National Cemetery and maintaining a 24-hour vigil at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier regardless of weather conditions. The Old Guard is also trusted with the duty to conduct the Dignified Transfer of remains of our nation's fallen heroes at Dover Air Force Base.
A key mission of The Old Guard is outreach with strategic engagements and special ceremonies. The unit participates in hundreds of events yearly, including Presidential Wreath Ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Memorial and Veterans Day Observances as well as Arrival Ceremonies for Foreign Dignitaries and Heads of State.
During the summer months, Soldiers of The Old Guard execute the Army's largest outreach programs including Twilight Tattoo, performed weekly at JBM-HH for 25,000 guests; and Army Birthday events including national media coverage and an exhibition in Times Square in New York City and numerous ceremonies throughout the NCR.
The Old Guard remains first and foremost a TO&E Infantry unit capable of world-wide deployment. In addition to their ceremonial responsibilities, Soldiers conduct rigorous unit and individual training throughout the year and remain prepared for any contingency.
ARMY'S PREMIER MUSICAL ORGANIZATION
The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," with more than 250 soldiers, is a major subordinate command of MDW. The unit, based on the historic Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH, was founded in 1922 by Gen. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing to support military funerals and ceremonies in and around Washington. It remains the Army's premier musical organization. While the bulk of the band's missions support memorial, ceremonial and other official events within the region, Pershing's Own also plays a critical role in public and international diplomacy.
The U.S. Army Band's comprehensive and effective outreach programs ensure the Army story is told to millions of Americans each year through programs such as Twilight Tattoo. The band also hosts music workshops; young-artist programs; and a variety of public concerts, recitals, summer appearances at the U.S. Capitol, and marches in local and national parades. Every performance in the band's home concert venue, Brucker Hall, is webcast in HD and posted on the band's YouTube channel (youtube.com/usarmyband), extending its reach around the world. Active on several social media sites, the band boasts more Facebook followers than any other military band in the world.
Pershing's Own has a variety of educational outreach products and numerous recordings available for free online. These efforts and the more than 6,000 annual performances are why Pershing's Own remains an effective tool for supporting soldiers and their families, and for connecting the Army with Americans, wherever they may be.
The U.S. Army White House Transportation Agency continues its vital mission of providing transportation services to the president and first family, as well as senior staff and official visitors to the White House. The agency is comprised of master driver NCOs who support presidential motorcades and travel worldwide as directed by the White House Military Office.
MDW also provides support for our Army's medical evacuation to continental U.S. hospitals (MECH). This small group of dedicated professionals represent Army leaders when sick, ill, injured and wounded service members return to the U.S. at Joint Base Andrews and provides continuous visibility of patient transitions from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. As of March 2015, they had met a total of 1,606 flights, and assisted more than 49,000 service members.
MDW also conducts the Army Ten-Miler, an annual certified 10-mile road race in Washington, D.C., each October. With more than 35,000 registered runners, it is one of the largest 10-mile races in the country.
Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Becker is the commanding general of the U.S. Army MDW, and commander of JFHQ-NCR. His past assignments include commanding general of the U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, S.C.; deputy director for Joint Training, Joint Force Development, J7; deputy commanding general (support), 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; chief, Commanders' Initiatives Group, U.S. Forces-Iraq; special assistant to the commander, U.N. Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea; deputy commanding general-West, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Division-Center during Operation New Dawn, Iraq; commander of the 3rd Battlefield Coordination Detachment, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea; and commander of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, the-Fort Lewis, Wash., leading that unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Becker was commissioned in 1986 following graduation from the University of California at Davis.
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