U.S. Coast Guard celebrates first graduation at Birmingham-Southern training center

The U.S. Coast Guard celebrated the first graduating class at the Training Center (TRACEN) Birmingham-Southern. The ceremony honored 29 students from the Leadership and Management School (LAMS), a program designed to prepare the enlisted workforce for increased responsibility and senior leadership roles.

Rear Adm. Matthew Brown, commander of the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command, presided over the event. The facility, located at the former Birmingham-Southern College site, officially transitioned to a Coast Guard training center on June 5, 2026.

The center serves as the new home for the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command, which relocated from Norfolk, Virginia, and the Leadership Development Center, which moved from New London, Connecticut. The expansion to Birmingham is intended to meet the growing demand for training space and infrastructure as the Coast Guard's force increases.