Maxwell Air Force Base

Maxwell Air Force Base, officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation located in Montgomery, Alabama. It occupies the site of the first Wright Flying School, established in 1910. The base was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C. Maxwell. Maxwell AFB is under the control of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and remains operational since its inception.

The base serves as the headquarters of Air University (AU), a major component of AETC and the U.S. Air Force's center for Joint Professional Military Education. The host wing for Maxwell-Gunter is the 42nd Air Base Wing. The Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Flying Training Wing is a tenant unit and the only operational flying unit at Maxwell. This wing previously operated C-130H Hercules aircraft for theater airlift and is slated to transition to the MH-139A Grey Wolf Formal Training Unit, with new aircraft expected in 2023.

Historically, the site functioned as a repair depot during World War I. It was redesignated Maxwell Field in 1922. The Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) moved to Maxwell Field in 1931, becoming the Army Air Corps' first tactical center until its closure in 1940 due to World War II. During the war, it became the Southeast Air Corps Training Center, handling various flying training programs. After the war, in 1946, Air University was established at Maxwell. In September 1947, Maxwell Field was renamed Maxwell Air Force Base upon the creation of the U.S. Air Force as an independent service.

Notable features include the Gunter Annex, a separate installation consolidated under Maxwell AFB in 1992. The base also hosts Federal Prison Camp, Montgomery, a minimum-security facility. Other units and organizations include the Civil Air Patrol–USAF, Air Force Officer Training School, and various Air Force Life Cycle Management Center detachments.