The genuinely curious can find a brief history here:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/histor...ct/ama-history

The AMA's initial 1979 move out of DC was to Reston, VA -- hardly "the middle of nowhere". This was discussed in the newsletter, and as I recall the organization basically had no choice. Downtown DC rents were beyond the AMA's means and the landlord simply wasn't interested in keeping their business. The suburban location also gave them room for a museum.

As I recall, the AMA also seriously considered an offer to move HQ to western Ohio at that time. This was rejected primarily because key staff people didn't want to leave the greater DC area.

I don't recall the reasons for the 1988 move to Muncie, but I suspect the opportunity to make a permanent home for the NATS was a major factor. Muncie is near the population center of the US and land was cheap and available. I see little point in second-guessing decisions made 32 years ago by different people in an era of different priorities.

And I hardly think all the "talent" that DC is supposedly awash in comes from the natives. Talent follows money. Most of the movers and shakers there came from somewhere else.