The Coast Guard Leadership and Management School (LAMS) held its first convening at Training Center Birmingham‑Southern (TCB‑S) Aug. 31- Sept. 4, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the Coast Guard’s newest training center. A special graduation ceremony on Friday, Sept. 4 commemorated the event.
This first leadership development class to graduate from TCB-S underscores the Service’s commitment to speed and investment in enlisted leader development that will have an impact on future generations of Coast Guard leaders for decades to come.
“Holding LAMS at TCB-S is one of many milestones that will bring us into a new era of enlisted leadership training in the Coast Guard,” said FORCECOM Commander RDML Matt Brown. “All the hard work TCB-S personnel have put in the past two months has been to prepare the training space and campus for these LAMS students, our first training center ambassadors. It’s been exciting to see everything come together so quickly.”
Benefits of LAMS being held at TCB-S
LAMS is recognized as a cornerstone of our enlisted workforce’s leadership development and having it be the first course at our newest training center is a testament to the Service’s dedication to leadership training. It is also a commitment to continuously evolving how we deliver best-in-class training and preparation of our most valuable resource – our people.
By bringing LAMS to TCB‑S, along with other enlisted leadership development courses such as the Chief Petty Officers Academy (CPOA), students will benefit from shared perspectives, stronger mentorship, and collective leadership brainpower.
“In leadership training we often talk about ‘walking the walk’ and leading by example,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Richard Forte, LAMS master instructor. “With this investment, the Coast Guard is ensuring that our training matches the needs of our enlisted service members so we can build the best leaders and continue to provide world-class training throughout their careers so they can in turn build the best Coast Guard.”
While this LAMS resident session was held in Birmingham, future convenings will also continue to be held at Petaluma and Yorktown until TCB-S is fully online. Exportable convenings will still be offered throughout the Coast Guard.
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 An aerial image of Training Center Birmingham-South.
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The TCB-S Advantage
Training spaces have improved technology and reliable and quiet air conditioning. When the full renovation is complete, the Service will have the dedicated training environment leadership training personnel have desired for years. Students will also easily be able to maintain their personal fitness readiness by making use of the numerous indoor and outside facilities on the 192-acre campus, including an outdoor quad.
“Having LAMS at TCB-S was a great experience, one which showcases the benefits of this new location for students and the Service. There’s so much potential for a variety of classes to be held here,” said LAMS student AET2 John Larkin III.
Accommodations are modern, upgraded, and comfortable. Initially, students will stay in off-site lodging like this first LAMS class did while on-campus housing is being adapted for the Service’s needs.
Building for Now & the Future
With the move to Birmingham, the Coast Guard is unlocking new potential to strengthen crew readiness and modernize enlisted leadership development, directly advancing the Commandant’s Intent to Ready the Service and Navigate the Service into the future.
Every element of enlisted leadership development – from updating the course content to integrating instructor insights, closing training gaps and sharpening the practical leadership skills our members need to excel – will be considered to strengthen our enlisted workforce’s ability to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Once the LAMS staff is unified in one location, instructor collaboration can take place more easily, annual alignment becomes possible, and a larger, more agile instructor pool can be built. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape a training center from the ground up and create an environment that will define the future of enlisted leadership training.
Looking Forward & Celebrating the Past
Twenty-nine LAMS students marked their graduation and completion of the course with a ceremonial bell ringing on Friday, Sept. 4, carrying on a tradition by students at the training center’s predecessor, Birmingham Southern College.
History in the Making
Graduation follows on the heels of RDML Matt Brown’s arrival in Birmingham in August, a first step in FORCECOM's relocation to TCB-S. Currently there are 44 FORCECOM personnel in Birmingham full-time preparing the campus for its role as a major training hub for our workforce.
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