Maj. Gen. Sherrie L. McCandless is the Commanding General, District of Columbia National Guard. As Commanding General, she is responsible for the strategic leadership, training, readiness, operational employment and performance of the Army and Air Force components of the D.C. National Guard. General McCandless oversees Joint Force Headquarters-Air, which includes the 113th Wing's F-16 Fighting Falcon that secures the skies over the Nation’s Capital and C-40 Clipper that transports members of Congress and other dignitaries globally. She also oversees the Land Component Command, which includes the 74th Troop Command, 260th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), the 1-224th Aviation Security and Support Battalion, and the 1-226th General Support Aviation Battalion, which consists of the UH-60 Black Hawk, UH-72 Lakota and the C-26 Metroliner.
General McCandless began her military career receiving a commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Miami. She has commanded units at the squadron and wing levels. Prior to her current assignment she served as Director, Office of Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
1997 Squadron Officer School (SOS), in residence
2007 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
2010 National War College, Master of Science, National Security Strategy, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2016 Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center, Security Studies Senior Executive Orientation Course, in residence
2016 George C. Marshall Center, Senior Executive Seminar, in residence
2016 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC), Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2017 CAPSTONE, in residence
2017 Joint Force Air Component Commander's Course (JFACC), in residence
2017 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Seminar XXI, International Relations and National Interest Fellowship Cambridge, fellowship
2017 University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Enterprise Leadership Seminar
2018 Harvard University, Senior Executives in National and International Security (SENIS), Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1993 - March 1996, Instructor Pilot, T-38, 50th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Mississippi
2. March 1996 - December 1997, C Flight Commander / 3rd Brigade Air Liaison Officer, 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii
3. December 1997 - January 1999, Student Pilot, Basic Course, F-16, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
4. January 1999 - August 1999, F-16C/D Fighter Pilot and Plans Officer, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Korea
5. August 1999 - January 2000, Chief of Plans, F-16C/D Fighter Pilot, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Korea
6. January 2000 - January 2001, Chief of Squadron Training / Pilot, F-16CJ, 78th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
7. January 2001 - January 2002, F-16CJ Flight Lead/Assistant Chief Wing Weapons and Tactics, 20th Operational Support Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
8. January 2002 - January 2003, Flight Commander / Flight Lead, F-16CJ, 78th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
9. January 2003 - January 2004, Chief of Squadron Training / Instructor Pilot, F-16C, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
10. January 2004 - January 2005, Wing Executive Officer and F-16 Instructor Pilot, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
11. January 2005 - January 2007, BRAC Implementation Program Officer, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
12. January 2007 - October 2007, Assistant Executive Officer, Director of the Air National Guard, Pentagon
13. October 2007 - September 2008, Executive Officer, Director of the Air National Guard, Pentagon
14. October 2008 - August 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Pentagon
15. August 2009 - June 2010, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, DC
16. June 2010 - June 2011, Air National Guard Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, Joint Duty Assignment
17. June 2011 - August 2011, Joint Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, VA, Joint Duty Assignment
18. August 2011 - September 2013, Commander, 201st Airlift Squadron, District of Columbia Air National Guard, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
19. September 2013 - February 2014, Director, Plans and Requirements (A5), Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
20. February 2014 - June 2015, Commander, 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard, Gowen Field, Idaho
21. June 2015 - February 2016, Director, Operations (A3), Joint Force Headquarters, Idaho, Boise, Idaho, (July 2015 - January 2016, Director J5, Combined Joint Inter Agency Task Force - Syria, Southwest Asia, Joint Duty Assignment)
22. February 2016 - April 2017, Vice Director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC
23. May 2017 - May 2019, Deputy Director, Political-Military Affairs, Western Hemisphere, J-5, Joint Staff, Washington, DC
24. May 2019 – April 2021, Director, Office of Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC
25. April 2021 – Present, Commanding General, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, DC
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2010 - June 2011, Air National Guard Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, Joint Duty Assignment as a Lieutenant Colonel
2. June 2011 - August 2011, Joint Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, VA, Joint Duty Assignment as a Lieutenant Colonel
3. June 2015 - February 2016, Director, Operations (A3), Joint Force Headquarters, Idaho, Boise, Idaho, (July 2015 - January 2016, Director J5, Combined Joint Inter Agency Task Force - Syria, Southwest Asia, Joint Duty Assignment) as a Colonel
4. February 2016 - April 2017, Vice Director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC as a Brigadier General
5. May 2017 - May 2019, Deputy Director, Political-Military Affairs, Western Hemisphere, J-5, Joint Staff, Washington, DC as a Brigadier General
6. May 2019 – April 2021, Director, Office of Legislative Liaison, National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2100 flying hours
Aircraft flown: A-10C, AT-38B, C-38A, C-40C, F-16C/D, T-38A
Pilot wings: Laughlin AFB, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Longevity Service with one silver oak leaf clusters
Longevity service award Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Inter-American Defense Board Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFLIATIONS
Lifetime NGAUS Member
ANG Council Member of the Air Force Association
Iwo Jima Association of America
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Oct. 4, 1991
First Lieutenant Oct. 4, 1993
Captain Oct. 4, 1995
Major July 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 7, 2008
Colonel Dec. 28, 2011
Brigadier General Feb. 8, 2016
Major General May 22, 2019
(Current as of June 2021)