JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland – The 316th Operations Group hosted 11 honorary commanders from across the National Capital Region during an immersive tour of the Helicopter Operations Facility at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, March 5, 2026.
The honorary commanders, accompanied by their partnered JBA unit commanders, received a mission briefing, flight equipment familiarization, virtual reality simulator demonstration and a UH-1N Huey static display tour.
The intent of the 316th Wing Honorary Commander Program is to engage, educate and empower community leaders to be unofficial spokespersons for the Department of the Air Force, Airmen, Guardians and their families.
U.S. Air Force Col. Gary Charland Jr., 89th Maintenance Group commander, was one of the unit commanders from the installation in attendance during the visit. Charland, whohas been at Andrews for nearly one year, shared his desire for the installation to continue to grow its relationship with the local community.
“Itis important for people to see how we come together to perform the missions our nation has given usand what they entail,” said Charland. “Getting the localcommunityinvolved and excited about what we do is paramounttonot only our Airmen, the mission and local community, but the Air Force as a whole.”
316th Mission Support Group Honorary Commander Blaire Houston, fan development manager for the Washington Wizards and a member of the HC program since March 3, 2023, was also in attendance.
Houston, who has a family history of military service, shared how her time as an honorary commander has impacted her.
“I have several members of my family that have served, so when the opportunity came up, I pretty much jumped at it,” said Houston. “My experience in the program has opened my eyes to what goes into being a service member.”
Houston explained that, as the point of contact for the military efforts with the Washington Wizards organization, she has worked with her team to rebuild the Wizards’ military program, hosting events like the Hoops for Troops All-Star Challenge at installations around the NCR.
U.S. Air Force Col. Jun S. Oh, 316th Wing and installation commander, brought the event to a close with final remarks emphasizing the importance of the HC program and welcoming the continuing growth of the relationship between the honorary commanders and the installation.