While I agree with you, the first thing that falls off a budget is 'preventive maintenance' especially the kind that implies we aren't at peace. Look at SAC as an example.
Here is my totally unofficial two cents:
The F16s from DC are mud movers not air to air units. They were the ones you saw out of the AF One windows. The real air combat Falcons flying escort were not visible to the reporters on AFOne. They came out of Ellington Field in Houston and went supersonic over the Gulf to pick up the Pres. And go with them to Barksdale first and then on to Offutt. Later on to Andrews.
During the Cold War we had something like 28 bases with alert flights around CONUS. After the first Gulf War and then the Clinton regime they were down to seven. My remembrance of some is Otis Mass F15s/ Homestead Fla F16 s/ Ellington F16s/Alamogordo F16s/ I think Davis-Monthan F16s/ somewhere on the West Coast.
Logically one would think that the First Fighter Wing with F 15s at Langley AFB, Va. Would have some rolr for security of the DC area.