Below is an HQ news release. Apparently teaching has already begun and FORCECOM is moving there, meaning it is going to be more than a training center. More info here.
Aug. 31, 2026
MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to commemorate first graduating class at TRACEN-Birmingham Southern
WASHINGTON – Adm. Thomas Allan, vice commandant, U.S. Coast Guard will preside over Training Center (TRACEN) Birmingham Southern’s first graduation ceremony and host a press gaggle.
This Leadership and Management School graduation is a significant milestone for TRACEN Birmingham, which opened in June 2026. It follows on the heels of Rear Adm. M.T. Brown’s arrival in Birmingham and the flag raising ceremony held in his honor, a symbolic first step in the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command’s (FORCECOM) relocation from Norfolk, Virginia, and New London, Connecticut. Currently, 44 FORCECOM personnel are already serving in Birmingham full time.
Who: Adm. Thomas Allan, vice commandant, U.S. Coast Guard
What: Graduation ceremony for the first Leadership and Management School class
When: Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (ceremony), 12:30 p.m. (press gaggle)
Where: Norton Theater, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, Alabama
Setup: Media should arrive no later than 10 a.m. for equipment setup and badging.
Logistics: Event parking is available at Bill Battle Coliseum. Please bring a valid, government-issued ID for access.
RSVP by 11 a.m. on Wednesday Sept. 2 to Steven.D.Roth@uscg.mil.
Direct media inquiries to mediarelations@uscg.mil.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4591312/coast-guard-celebrates-first-graduating-class-at-tracen-birmingham-southern/
Sept. 4, 2026
Coast Guard celebrates first graduating class at TRACEN Birmingham-Southern
Contact Coast Guard Media – mediarelations@uscg.mil
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Coast Guard today commemorated the inaugural graduating class at Training Center (TRACEN) Birmingham-Southern. A ceremony was held for 29 students of the Leadership and Management School, presided over by Rear. Adm. Matthew Brown, commander, Coast Guard Force Readiness Command.
The Leadership and Management School (LAMS) is a foundational pilar in a servicemember’s career. It is designed to prepare the Coast Guard’s enlisted workforce for roles of greater responsibility and accountability. Throughout this week, these graduates refined their leadership philosophies, practiced critical decision-making, and prepared to take on the mantle of senior enlisted leadership. They are the future leaders of the Coast Guard, and they are the first to claim Birmingham-Southern as their training ground.
This graduation marked a significant milestone for TRACEN Birmingham-Southern, the former Birmingham-Southern College, which transitioned to a Coast Guard training center on June 5, 2026. The TRACEN will be the new home for the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM), moving from Norfolk, Virginia, and the Leadership Development Center, relocating from New London, Connecticut.
More than 30 permanent personnel have transitioned to Birmingham, including the FORCECOM commander, Rear Adm. M. T. Brown.
“Today’s graduation is just the beginning for TRACEN Birmingham-Southern and the Coast Guard,” said Brown. “TRACEN Birmingham-Southern offers a larger home base for FORCECOM, and as the Enlisted Leadership Center of Excellence, offers additional capacity to develop the leaders our servicemembers need, and the American people demand, from their Coast Guard.”
The move to Birmingham coincides with growth in the Coast Guard’s force and subsequent demand for more training space and infrastructure. With ample classroom and fitness space, TRACEN Birmingham-Southern is an ideal venue for technology learning, leadership courses, and physical training. It is planned to be designated as an Enlisted Leadership Center of Excellence.