Photo By Pfc. Kylie Jorgensen | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jovan Descartes with the District of Columbia Air Guard...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON – Since 1851, the Armed Forces Retirement Home campus has sat prominently above Washington in a northern part of the district, offering an elevated view of the federal buildings resident service members once took an oath to protect and serve.
It’s symbolic of the longstanding commitment the Department of War has made to eligible veterans across all branches and components; if you serve the nation honorably, the nation will, in turn, ensure your dignity and care in retirement. That same spirit once drew former Commander in Chief Abraham Lincoln to spend many of his summers at the campus, where he drew strength from the serenity of the grounds and the service members around him as he worked to preserve the Union.
174 years later, the nation remains committed to upholding that promise. As of September 2025, 204 veterans are taking up residence in the Washington Armed Forces Retirement Home – one of two of its kind in the United States, alongside another in Gulfport, Mississippi.
The legacy of service continues today through the ongoing involvement of the District of Columbia National Guard. Guardsmen regularly volunteer at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, spending time with residents, assisting with community activities, and honoring those who paved the way before them. D.C. National Guardsmen have supported the Retirement Home through a variety of volunteer efforts, from flying Black Hawk helicopters onto campus and performing holiday concerts with the band, to lending extra hands at community events.
Service members involved in the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission – from Washington and the seven other states involved in advancing the mission – have continued to honor that commitment to their brothers and sisters in arms. National Guardsmen have been present at the home for game nights and luncheons, with a variety of other volunteer opportunities planned involving the National Guard through the duration of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission.
Their presence reinforces the enduring bond between generations of service members – those who once defended the nation and those who continue that mission today.
“The Armed Forces Retirement Home reminds us that service is never just a chapter – it’s a lifelong bond,” said Brig. Gen. Craig Maceri, commander for the Land Component Command in the District of Columbia National Guard. “When our Guardsmen volunteer here, they honor the men and women who defended our nation before them while reaffirming the same commitment to duty and community that defines the Guard today and for many more years to come.”
For National Guardsmen, the connection is not only ceremonial in nature. The Armed Forces Retirement Homes stand as a benefit they, too, can one day choose to use.
As of September 2025, seven former National Guardsmen are living in the Washington facility.
Staff members at the facility stressed that non-active duty service members are entitled to the resources they earn through their service, just like their active duty counterparts – whether it's health insurance, space-available travel, or a variety of other benefits.
Likewise, eligibility for the Armed Forces Retirement Home is broad, reflecting those many paths of military service. Prior enlisted who complete at least 20 years of honorable active duty service and spent a majority of that time in the enlisted ranks or as a warrant officer are eligible for residency, as are those receiving retired pay from any branch of prior service. Veterans with service-connected disabilities, those who served in combat or received hostile fire pay, and women who served before 1948 under special provisions are also eligible.
In short, whether through long careers, wartime sacrifice, or lasting injuries, the Home is open to those who have carried the burdens of service regardless of age.
“You cannot really just describe this place with words, it is special,” said Dion Dupree, a career Navy veteran who now serves as the ombudsman at the District of Columbia retirement home. “(National Guardsmen) fulfill the same promise. And here, they bring a perspective of service that we need in the home.”
That perspective of service is mirrored in the way residents describe the campus itself — not just a retirement facility, but a community.
The 252-acre campus includes a golf course, nature trails, cafeterias, a pool, and full-service arts rooms among its many amenities. With all these benefits in mind, residents at the home say they are thankful to have had the opportunity that many of them had not even considered until after their military service had ended.
Just take it from Ben Schwecke, a former active duty Airman and Army Reservist, who moved to the Home in July.
“It is like a cruise ship on the ground,” the 77-year old said. “The staff is so welcoming… For almost everyone I talk to here, their experiences here are positive in every way.”
From the service members who once walked its grounds as part of a presidential escort, to the Guardsmen and military retirees who walk them today, the Armed Forces Retirement Home serves as physical proof that the nation keeps faith in those who serve.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2025 14:37 |
| Story ID: | 549865 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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