TRADOC Centers of Excellence (CoEs) came about as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommendation. According to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), a CoE is, "a premier organization that creates the highest standards of achievement in an assigned sphere of expertise by generating synergy through effective and efficient combination and integration of functions while reinforcing the unique requirements and capabilities of the branches". There are 10 Army Centers of Excellence subordinate to TRADOC, under which there are 32 Army schools. CoEs with a similar structure to SCoE are Fires CoE (Fort Sill, OK), Maneuver CoE (Fort Moore, GA) and Maneuver Support CoE (Fort Leonard Wood, MO).
SCoE Headquarters Building
The $50 million SCoE headquarters building, completed in 2009, contains the headquarters for CASCOM, the Quartermaster Corps, the Ordnance Corps, and the Transportation Corps. On July 30, 2010, the SCoE building was dedicated as Mifflin Hall in honor of Major General Thomas Mifflin the first Quartermaster General. At the same time, the former Quartermaster School Headquarters was decommissioned as Mifflin Hall and demolished. As well, as a part of BRAC, the Ordnance Corps relocated from Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD and the Transportation Corps moved from Fort Eustis, VA.
With the consequences of 2005 Base Realignment and Closure and the creation of SCoE, the Army Logistics Management College (ALMC) became the Army Logistics University (renamed Army Sustainment University in 2023) to represent its increased mission of Professional Military Education for Logistics Officers, newly commissioned Second Lieutenants, Warrant Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and Civilians for all the Army sustainment branches. It is located on a separate 36-acre (150,000 m2) campus in a new $136 million building completed in 2009.
SCoE Nation
The Sustainment Center of Excellence was sometimes unofficially referred to as the "SCoE Nation" by its military and civilian members during its early years. Its intended purposes was to create a new tradition that encourages a sense of belonging, of camaraderie and esprit de corps within the organization.
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Description: A shield-shaped embroidered item blazoned as follows: Argent, a torch of knowledge enflamed Or, the torch base Argent (Silver Gray), between five mullets Azure; all within a 1⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) red border. Overall dimensions are 2+3⁄8 inches (6.0 cm) in width by 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length.
Symbolism: Red, white, and blue are the national colors. The torch of knowledge symbolizes the training functions of the center to transform service members into proficient logistic leaders and soldiers. Gold/yellow denotes excellence. The five stars represent the five major elements of sustainment – maintenance, supply, transportation, human resources, and financial services.
The shoulder sleeve insignia was approved effective 1 January 2009, and was worn starting on 1 October 2009.
References
Sustainment Center of Excellence Pamphlet, Fort Lee Public Affairs Office, 3 March 2009
TRADOC News Service, "BRAC Commission Recommendations Become Law", 10 November 2005.
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