It is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs).

[5] Union American Civil War troops used a country church near Camp Springs, Maryland for sleeping quarters (now named Chapel Two)[6] and on 25 August 1941, President Roosevelt directed use of the land for an airfield.

The Maryland World War II Army Airfield of the 1st Air Force[citation needed] was "designated a sub-base of Headquarters, Baltimore AAFld, late Nov 1942"—the 901st Quartermaster Company (Construction) became the base operating unit on 14 December 1942.

[7] Camp Springs Army Air Base opened on 2 May 1943,[8][verification needed] and the airfield became operational 2 May 1943 when the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolts arrived.

[dubious – discuss] Headquarters Military Air Transport Service controlled the base during the interim period.

The long-lived and versatile training version of the F-80, the T-33, still played an important role in proficiency flying programs at Andrews more than 30 years later.

Combat readiness training and proficiency flying for military pilots assigned non-flying duties in the Washington area have remained two key elements in the local mission since the establishment of the base.

With the construction of new facilities beginning in 1959, Andrews had become by early 1962 the primary USAF flight installation serving the Washington, DC, area with the closing of the runway at Bolling AFB.

Andrews' air defense role was strengthened in the 1950s with the latest in fighter-interceptor hardware appearing on the flight line.

[11][verification needed] In the late 1950s Andrews began an annual open house and air show on base.

In 1961, the last of the Military Air Transport Service's flying units at Washington National Airport transferred to Andrews.

Andrews has become firmly established as the main port of entry for foreign military and government officials en route to Washington and the United States.

On 1 October 1985, the 76th Airlift Division was inactivated as the result of activation of the Headquarters Air Force District of Washington at Bolling AFB.

During Operation Desert Storm, Andrews handled 16,540 patients in makeshift hospital facilities located in the base tennis center.

[citation needed] BRAC also recommended relocating several offices of the Secretary of the Air Force to Andrews from leased office space in Arlington, Virginia, thereby reducing reliance on leased floor space and increasing the security for those activities by locating them within a military installation.

[citation needed] The merger with NAF Washington was effective from 1 October 2009, when the joint base was established, with the US Air Force being the lead organization providing management and support services for both installations.

The 11 WG is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs).

Andrews Air Force Base is located at 38°48′13″N 76°52′17″W / 38.80361°N 76.87139°W / 38.80361; -76.87139 (38.803490, −76.871508),[19] a few miles southeast of Washington, D.C. near the town of Morningside in Prince George's County, Maryland.

[21] For statistical purposes the base is delineated as a census-designated place (Andrews AFB CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau.

On 2 May 1954, sports car races were held at the base,[27] using a 4.3-mile (6.9 km) circuit made up of runways and other access roads.