The 88th Air Base Wing, a part of Aeronautical Systems Center, is the host wing for Wright- Patterson AFB. As the installation commander, the Air Base Wing commander supports all organizations located on Wright-Patterson and services many other defense organizations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky. Its functions correspond to the government of a medium-sized community. Wing people take care of more than 8,000 acres and nearly 1,600 buildings including base housing, tend the grounds and environment, maintain roads, and provide utilities, police, and fire protection.

The wing orders supplies, furnishes transportation, performs judicial services, manages numerous recreational activities, and administers a wealth of people services. Its technicians oversee communication and computer networks, to include vital defense supercomputers. The wing is also home to the 88th Medical Group, which operates the Wright-Patterson Medical Center, the second largest medical center in the Air Force.

In addition to supervising records for the work force, the 88th Air Base Wing operates a runway complex that handles 40,000 takeoffs and landings a year. The wing also operates a contingency aerial port, which deploys military assets throughout the world. The wing hosted the Balkan Proximity Peace Talks in 1995 where the Dayton Treaty was negotiated.

In 2002, the wing spent more than $1.6 billion in the 14-county area surrounding the base on contracts for construction, supplies, equipment, and services in support of Wright-Patterson. In all, the base has an overall economic impact on the surrounding community of $3.6 billion.

Wing headquarters is located in Morris Hall, Building 10, Area C.

The Wright-Patterson Medical Center is a multi-specialty facility accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The commander of the Wright-Patterson Medical Center is also the lead agent for the military medical treatment facilities in Region V, serving a seven-state region to include: Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Wright-Patterson Medical Center trains physicians in medical education programs, including general surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, and emergency medicine. It also has a freestanding internal medicine training program. The medical center also has a nurse transition program which provides additional training to new nurse recruits who have recently graduated from their nursing program and have come on active duty.

Through an integrated residency program, students from the nearby Wright State School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences receive clinical training at Wright-Patterson Medical Center and six local civilian medical centers. Wright-Patterson Medical Center also trains general dentistry residents, clinical psychologists, nurse anesthetist, specialty physician assistants; clinical lab, radiology, cardiopulmonary, general medicine, hospital administration, and hospital logisticians.