3.3.
Military Strategic Importance
3.4.
Maxwell AFB is not only important to the local communities through its
economic benefit, but also for the superior educational and leadership
assets provided by the Maxwell AFB mission components. Due to its physical
location within the US, the base serves as a place of refuge for military
aircraft during extreme weather conditions and as a staging area in support
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) operations in the
southeastern portion of the country.
Maxwell AFB is under the Air Education and Training Command, and is the
headquarters for the 42d ABW and Air University. Air University is the
educational branch of the Air Force that promotes creative thought on air
and space power. Supporting the university is the primary mission of
Maxwell AFB. Other major organizations at Maxwell AFB include the
Air Force Reserve Command’s 908th Airlift Wing (AW) and the Judge
Advocate General’s (JAG) school.
Gunter Annex is home to the DISA, AFSPC, and the AFLCMC. These mission
support organizations provide information technology support; total life
cycle management of Air Force weapon systems; and assure information
sharing capabilities and globally accessible enterprise information
infrastructure for joint warfighters, national leaders, and coalition partners.
Source: Maxwell Air Force Base Installation Development Plan, July 20, 2015
Installation Setting
Maxwell AFB
Maxwell AFB is located in the northwest portion of the City of Montgomery
in Montgomery County, Alabama and is bordered to the northeast by the
Alabama River. Gunter Annex, a geographically separated unit, is located
approximately five miles northeast of Maxwell AFB in north central
Montgomery.
Maxwell AFB encompasses 2,239 acres of land with 217 buildings totaling
over 4.7 million square feet (SF). It should be noted that the
Maxwell AFB‐Gunter Annex Complex have a combined total of 276 buildings.
The installation setting of Maxwell AFB is illustrated on Figure 3‐2. The
combined Maxwell AFB – Gunter Annex Complex comprises 10 planning
districts, which are split between Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, and the
Vigilant Warrior Training Area. The distribution of land uses on Maxwell AFB
is illustrated on Figure 3‐3. The five planning districts associated with
Maxwell AFB are identified as:
District 1 – Airfield
District 2 – Recreation
District 3 – University
District 4 – West Administration
District 5 – West Community
5A – Privatized Housing I
5B – West Community Core
5C – Historic Housing
June 2017
Background Report
Page 3‐5