Fundraising Drive For Building Fund To Begin Soon

The Civil Air Patrol's Texas Wing says that, thanks to the generosity of the city of San Antonio, their headquarters will soon have a new home at Stinson Municipal Airport.
 
The City Council voted Thursday in favor of signing a no-cost 50-year lease with the Texas Wing on a portion of airport property adjacent to an existing taxi lane, covering about 92,550 square feet. The wing recently moved its headquarters to the city of Waco, away from Waco Regional Airport, because the facility there no longer met its needs.
 
The new location, at a working airport, will be able to accommodate not only the wing's headquarters but also Group V headquarters and selected squadrons under one roof, with an adjoining hangar big enough to hold six planes. It will feature ample training facilities, conference rooms, dedicated space to run missions and temporary billets for mission personnel. Generous parking space will be available as well. Officials expect the wing's ability to conduct missions will be greatly enhanced when it is able build and move to the new location in San Antonio.
 
A fund-raising drive will begin shortly as the Texas Wing establishes its necessary building fund. "We are thankful to the city of San Antonio for giving us the opportunity to better serve the community. This generous offer will greatly enhance our ability to carry out our missions," said Col. Joe R. Smith, Texas Wing commander.
 
"I am so very proud of the fact that a vital organization like the Civil Air Patrol is moving its Texas state headquarters to Stinson Airfield and District 3," Councilwoman Jennifer V. Ramos said. "The Civil Air Patrol is the kind of organization we openly welcome and are excited to have in District 3, with its rich history and storied tradition in Texas and around the country."
 
The Texas Wing is a member of the Texas State Emergency Operations Center and has been involved in every hurricane and major natural disaster to strike the state in recent memory. "The relocation of the Wing Headquarters to San Antonio continues to grow San Antonio as a center for emergency response which enhances the safety of the citizens of San Antonio and all of our South Texas neighbors," Councilman Reed Williams said.
 
Capt. Jack Calhoun, Group V commander, said, "I am grateful to Councilwoman Ramos and Councilman Williams, because they listened to us -- Lt. Col. Ed Billman (Group V commander), Maj. Chuck Tetlow (Bexar County Senior Squadron commander) and me -- when we came to them, and they started the ball rolling to accomplish what today has become a reality. Texas Wing looks forward to strengthening our participation in the San Antonio family."

 
"This is really an exciting time for Stinson Municipal Airport," said Frank R. Miller, aviation director for San Antonio. "The continued capital improvements and tenant growth, such as the Civil Air Patrol, is why Stinson continues to be one of the premier municipal airports in Texas."

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com