The National Staff College was established at Maxwell AFB in 1967. The basis for the school was to provide advanced training for members of Civil Air Patrol in the areas of leadership, management and communication skills. The school was geared to accommodate 200 students per year. Due to transportation problems, the Pacific Region began experimentation with a second school in their Region starting in 1972. The second school was the brain child of Colonel “Poncho” Donaldson, former Oregon Wing Commander, and former National Commander General Howard L. Brookfield.
At the 1975 National Staff College, Colonel Marcus Barnes who was the Southwest Region Commander, proposed to his seminar the need for even greater expansion of this program. They concurred and prepared their position paper for 1975 onThe Need To Expand The Staff College Program. The National Executive Committee acted on this recommendation and established two additional schools.
The first Central National Staff College was held in 1976 on the campus of Texas State Technical Institute in Waco, Texas. This first school consisted of 42 students and a staff of 19. The curriculum was identical to that given at Maxwell AFB, including a modified problem-solving obstacle course known as Project X. The class instructors were educators and CAP personnel that were willing to travel and volunteer their time. The first class and staff produced six later-to-be Wing Commanders and three Region Commanders. The officer that was selected to be Project Officer and to establish this new Central National Staff College in Texas by Colonel Barnes, was Lt. Colonel David L. Floyd, who was the Southwest Region Plans and Programs Officer. The guest speaker for this school was Lt. General Furlong, then commander of Air University, the then parent command of Civil Air Patrol.
In 1977, Southwest/North Central Regions Staff College was moved to the TAC NCO Academy facilities at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas. This move was made to provide the school with excellent facilities and instructors which could be proved by the NCO Academy. In 1978, North Central Region for some unknown reason canceled the 1978 Region Staff College.
In 1979, National Headquarters authorized each Region to conduct their own Regional Staff College. The Southwest Region Commander at that time, Colonel Johnnie Boyd again asked Lt. Colonel David L. Floyd to assume both the Project Officer and School Director positions for this Southwest Region Staff College. Colonel Floyd relocated the college to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, again utilizing the NCO Academy facilities and staff instructors there. This college was noted for its Warm Feelings due to the fact that the air conditioning was not working for most of the school! In 1980 and 1981, the Staff College continued at Barksdale AFB with Lt Colonel George Way as the Director.
In 1982, The Southwest Region Staff College was again canceled due to numerous problems that became insurmountable.
In 1983, the Southwest Region Commander, Colonel Sam Pierce asked Lt. Colonel David Floyd to help to re-establish the Region Staff College by becoming the School Director. This school was moved to Sheppard AFB, Texas. Unfortunately shortly before the school Lt. Colonel Floyd had emergency surgery and the actual running of the 1983 Southwest Region Staff College fell to the Assistant Director, Lt. Colonel Edward Saad. This school graduated 26 students. Since 1983, the Southwest Region Staff College has been held every year. The college is currently held annually at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.