HQ

Hey Guys,

Why is the CAP HQ in Maxwell AFB instead of in New Jersey, where it was founded? New Jersey also does have a joint base.

Thanks,
TheMeepMan

Because that's where it is.

CAP NHQ has actually been in several locations over the years and has moved as needed. Because we were formerly under AETC and then Air University, the latter of which is also based at Maxwell, I would imagine that they thought that having CAP at Maxwell was a good idea. Today, with telecommunications technology which makes your physical location virtually irrelevant, I imagine that they will keep CAP NHQ at Maxwell rather moving them to Langley to be closer to ACC.

Hey Guys,

Why is the CAP HQ in Maxwell AFB instead of in New Jersey, where it was founded? New Jersey also does have a joint base.

Thanks,
TheMeepMan

CAP NHQ has been located in:
New York, NY from 1941 to ~1950s
Bolling AFB, Washington, DC from ~1950s to 1959
Ellington AFB, Houston, TX from 1959 to 1967
Maxwell AFB, AL from 1967 to present

CAP moved to Maxwell on 06 July 1967, acquiring building 714, which was the old Maxwell hospital. 

This was, I believe, due to us being under Air University.  I take this back, CAP did not go under AU until 01 July 1976, which was due to the inactivation of the Headquarters Command (according to the history of AU).   

Hey Guys,

Why is the CAP HQ in Maxwell AFB instead of in New Jersey, where it was founded? New Jersey also does have a joint base.

Thanks,
TheMeepMan

Why would you want anything in NJ? It's an EPA Superfund site, and you have to pay to escape. No thanks.

Seems like there was some serious talk of moving it to Tyndal AFB last year, having it close to AFRCC.  But then I never heard any more about it.

Seems like there was some serious talk of moving it to Tyndal AFB last year, having it close to AFRCC.  But then I never heard any more about it.

"Serious talk" here on CAP Talk maybe, but not in the real world.

Same reason the Government is located in DC, rather in Philadelphia where the U.S. was founded. They found a better place.

when Maxwell was selected it was because we came under A.F. University and that's where AFU was located. after almost 50 years there and the separation of the CAP and USAF-CAP functions we probably could move somewhere else-But the AF wouldn't provide facilities that we now get for a very low cost and USAF-CAP wouldn't move at all. Maxwell is located in an area that has good weather, No toll roads, low cost of living, New Jersey's major roads are toll roads, NJ Pike and the Garden State, traffic is terrible on both, Snow storms and blizzards are endemic, and the cost of moving everything, employees who would move with them would be astronomical-those long time that wouldn't leave would have to be pensioned off or paid unemployment or termination pay. Those expenses come out of corporate money-not the AF money.   

Same reason the Government is located in DC, rather in Philadelphia where the U.S. was founded. They found a better place.

when Maxwell was selected it was because we came under A.F. University and that's where AFU was located.

It didn’t happen that way. The move from Ellington AFB to Maxwell AFB came first.  The assignment to AU came years after that.



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Had Ellington AFB not closed wonder how much longer CAP HQ would have remained there.
But those were the days when the CAP Big Cheese was an active duty USAF Officer on his terminal assignment.

HQ needed air conditioning for a computer system they were acquiring.  Rather than install an air conditioner in their current building, the AF moved HQ to Maxwell's old Hospital, which already had air conditioning.  Weird, but true. 

The old morgue was still for several years after CAP NHQ moved in. 

The old morgue was still for several years after CAP NHQ moved in.

But now it isn't?  I always thought NHQ had zombies on staff.

Apparently, the morgue is now the staff break room..

They have break room now?  Sheesh.  Back in my day, we just had to go outside.

They have break room now?  Sheesh.  Back in my day, we just had to go outside.

They completely renovated the entire building several years ago. It actually looks like a real office building on the inside.

They completely renovated the entire building several years ago. It actually looks like a real office building on the inside.

Oh, wow!  I'm hoping I can make it down for a visit sometime in the next month or so.  I haven't been inside the building in almost 15 years.

The Fourth Air Force Headquarters at March Air Reserve Base is also in a former base hospital.
A number of bases had hospitals built to this same exact design back in the 1930's.
Most were built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) during the Great Depression.