OPERATIONS OFFICER/CAPTAIN AUSTIN DRAKE commands a team of 130 Security Forces professionals, who all defend Joint Base Andrews and provide on-order combat arms and armory capabilities. His team also conducts presidential and installation military working dog operations and provides oversight on base access by visitors. Capt. Drake welcomes challenges and new responsibilities, which has driven him to successfully complete two of the U.S. Army’s hardest courses, namely, Army Air Assault School and the Army Small Unit Ranger Tactics course. Capt. Drake has the capacity to learn, adapt, and overcome any tasks he is presented with, and he has leveraged the knowledge acquired in these courses to facilitate critical security upgrades throughout the military installation.

In his roles as both a logistics and readiness officer and as an operations officer, Capt. Drake has had the opportunity to manage over $28 million in logistical assets. These assets served over 8,400 DOD personnel across the National Capital Region and prepared 831 members for deployment. Additionally, Capt. Drake commanded the DOD’s largest Military Working Dog Kennel, merging 32 military dog teams with the U.S. Secret Service, which supported 261 presidential missions to ensure a safe 2021 presidential inauguration.

Furthermore, Capt. Drake was named project lead on the Plans and Programs section in partnership with the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, where the mission was to utilize threat detecting cameras to rapidly detect potential dangers. During the summit to commemorate the partnership, he was named the Air Force District of Washington’s Security Forces Outstanding Company Grade Officer of the Year.

“I look forward to the opportunities of increased leadership and the potential to improve the quality of life of our airmen.”