Inaugural season (1987) The Commandos had the honor of playing in the first AFL regular season game on June 19, 1987, losing to the Pittsburgh Gladiators 48–46 at the
Civic Arena. The Commandos picked up their first win in franchise history the following week, when they defeated the
Denver Dynamite, by a score of 36–20 in their home opener. The Commandos finished the season with a 2–4 record, a disappointment, but the team was in every game except one, losing three games by a total of six points.
Move to Maryland (1989) After a one-year hiatus, the Commandos returned to play in
1989 and operated as the "Maryland Commandos", playing their only home game that year at the same venue as in 1987, Landover's
Capital Centre. The team went 0–4 in the abbreviated 'travelin' season of 1989. The Commandos coaching staff consisted of
Ray Willsey,
Mike Hohensee,
Mike Dailey, and
Jerry Kurz. Hohensee, Dailey, and Kurz would all become members of the
Arena Football Hall of Fame.
Return to Virginia (1990) The team returned to the Washington name for their final season in
1990. They were coached by Hohensee, who had been promoted from his assistant position. The Commandos started the season 0–3. In 1987 and 1989, the team played its home games at the
Capital Centre (later known as USAir Arena) in
Landover, Maryland. For the 1990 season, the team was based at the
Patriot Center on the campus of
George Mason University in
Fairfax, Virginia. ==Return of the AFL in Washington==