Col. Matthew R. McDonough is the Commander, 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard, Joint Base Andrews, Md. His responsibilities encompass a wing with over 1,100 members. Units include the 113th Operations, Maintenance, Mission Support, and Medical Groups. Flying units within the wing include the 121st Fighter and 201st Airlift Squadrons. The 121st is responsible for F16C missions including overseas combat operations and the 24/7 National Capital Region Aerospace Control Alert duty and the 201st utilizes the C-40C to execute worldwide special air missions for cabinet members, Congress, and other senior military leaders.
Col. McDonough graduated from St. Joseph's University in May of 1999, receiving a Reserve Officer Training Corps commission from Detachment 750. He attended pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. and graduated in February of 2001 in the top of his class. He continued his technical training as an F-16 pilot and graduated from Luke AFB, Ariz. in March of 2002.
Col. McDonough has served in various operational and staff assignments over a career of twenty-five years. He is a graduated Operations Group and Fighter Squadron Commander. His staff assignments include Chief of Operations and Exercises in A3, and Combat Programmer in A8. Col McDonough is a 2011 graduate from the United States Air Force Weapons School and is a Command Pilot with over 3000 hours and three combat tours. Prior to his current position, Col McDonough was the Director of Staff – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia Air National Guard, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelors of Science, Psychology, St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa.
2004 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2013 Reserve Component National Strategy Course, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2018 Masters of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle University, Fla.
2019 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina Keegan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 – January 2000, Executive Officer, 1st Helicopter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
2.January 2000 – February 2001, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. April 2001 – February 2002, Student, F-16 Training, 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. March 2002 – December 2004, F-16CJ Pilot, Assistant Scheduler/Programmer/Electronic Combat Pilot/Flight Lead, 55th and 77th Fighter Squadrons, Shaw AFB, S.C.
5. December 2004 – December 2006, F-16 Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander/Chief of Training/Assistant Chief of Training, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea
6. December 2006 – September 2009, Operational Test Pilot/DOE Division Chief Commander/Project Manager/F-16 Chief Current Ops and Training, 422nd and 59th Test Evaluation Squadrons, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. November 2009 – June 2010, Chief Exercises and Plans, 113th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
8. July 2011 – December 2011, Weapons Instructor School Student, 16th Weapons, Nellis AFB, Nev. 9. December 2011 – December 2014, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 113th Operations Support Squadron, JB Andrews, Md.
10. December 2014 – February 2016, Assistant Director of Operations / Director of Operations, 121st Fighter Squadron / 113th Aerospace Control Alert Squadron, JB Andrews, Md.
11. February 2016 – October 2017, Deputy Branch Chief, Exercises, A3 Directorate / Combat Forces Programmer, A8 Directorate, Air National Guard Readiness Center, JB Andrews, Md.
12. October 2017 – November 2019, Commander, 121st Fighter Squadron, JB Andrews, Md.
13. November 2019 – July 2020, Deputy J3, JTF J3 District of Columbia National Guard, Washington D.C.
14. July 2020 – June 2023, Commander, 113th Operations Group, JB Andrews, Md.
15. June 2023 – Present, Director of Staff - Air, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington D.C.
16. May 2024 - Present, Commander, 113th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flying Hours: more than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16C - Block 30,40,50
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 14, 1999
First Lieutenant June 14, 2002
Captain June 14, 2003
Major April 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 2, 2015
Colonel Sept. 27, 2020 (CURRENT AS OF JUNE 2024)