Maxwell Air Force Base (also known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base) is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. The Maxwell-Gunter base is home to the 42nd Air Base Wing (ABW) and headquarters of the Air University of the US Air Force (USAF). It is named after the Second Lieutenant William C. Maxwell.
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The Air University at the Maxwell AFB offers air and space education for the USAF as well as all branches of the US Armed Forces, federal government civilians and several international organisations.
History of the Maxwell air force base
The airfield at Montgomery was opened as a temporary civilian flying school by Wright Brothers in early 1910. James Alexander Construction Company constructed access roadways and temporary buildings at the base in 1918.
The airfield served as an aircraft building and repair depot during World War I. After the war, it became home to the 22nd Squadron (now inactive) in 1921. The squadron carried out flying operations and observation missions at the Maxwell Field for ten years. It also supported Fort Barrancas and Fort Benning army units. The flying missions from the depot paved way for the establishment of permanent airmail service in the Southeast by 1920s.
Subsequently, the base was expanded during the 1930s, and the Army Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) was opened in 1931. The school was closed in 1940 and converted into Southeast Air Corps Training Center to train pilots. A new pilot training school was also launched. It was redesignated as 74th Flying Training Wing in 1943. The Southeast Air Corps Training Center was redesignated as Eastern Flying Training Command in the same year. The command provided several training programmes till its inactivation in 1945.
The Air University was established to continue the professional military education at the Maxwell base in 1946. The 42nd Air Base Wing, which supports all activities of the university, became a host of the base in 1994.
Design and construction of the USAF base in Montogmery
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Simler Hall at the base was built in 1927 and currently serves as the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) headquarters. The former Gunter Air Force Station of 42nd ABW was consolidated with the Maxwell AFB as part of the base realignment and closure (BRAC) closure action.
The Maxwell AFB has an Officer Training School complex with two academic buildings. The complex includes four dormitories, parade field, dining facility, running track, auditoriums, physical fitness centre and sports fields.
A $11.6m renovation and expansion of the Air Force Library, Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center (MSFRIC), was started in June 2011. The project is expected to be completed by April 2013.
Garrison facilities at the Maxwell base
The Maxwell-Gunter facility has a population of about 2,500 including families, civilians and contractors. About 20,000 students get trained at the various schools of the AU every year.
The Air University is the centre for Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) of the USAF and part of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The JPME offers Squadron Officer School (SOS), Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) and Air War College (AWC) programmes.
The tenant 908th Airlift Wing of the USAF is solely responsible for the flying operations at the base. The 357th Airlift Squadron subordinates the 908th AW and operates eight C-130H aircraft.
The base houses the Civil Air Patrol’s corporate and joint CAP-USAF headquarters. It also has Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools (AFOATS) providing the officer commissioning programmes. Federal Prison Camp also lies on the grounds of the base. Other tenants include 754th Electronic Systems Group and other organisations.
The Air Expeditionary Force garrison training site consists of a 200 acre field training facility and offers several training courses.
Air Facilities at Maxwell AFB
The base has two asphalt runways which include the 2,442m long 15/33 and 919m long 18/36 assault training runway. The air traffic control tower (ACTC) at Maxwell has been operational since 1955. A new ATCT has been proposed.
Other facilities at the base
The base has 41 temporary lodging buildings with about 2,300 rooms with amenities such as television, telephones and refrigerators.
Pinnacle Hunt Communities operates about 720 family housing units on rent. There are also two childcare centres and schools at the Maxwell and Gunter Annex. The base also has an ambulatory medical hospital,
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