Coast Guard To Open Training Center In Alabama

The U.S. Coast Guard will open a new training center at the site of the former Birmingham-Southern College, located in the Bush Hills neighborhood of Birmingham, Ala. The United Methodist Church-affiliated liberal arts university closed in May 2024.

The Department of Homeland Security announced the move March 4.

“Today’s announcement is further proof that this is the most exciting time to join the Coast Guard in 235 years,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has since been fired. “Thanks to President Trump’s visionary leadership and historic investment in the Coast Guard, the service is shattering records across the board — including in recruitment.

“Last year’s recruitment exceeded 110 percent of active-duty enlisted goals, and the Coast Guard is on track to add 15,000 new members by 2028,” Noem continued. “This next generation of heroes deserves training centers and support facilities worthy of their mission, and that is exactly what they are going to have in Alabama.”

In November, the Coast Guard issued a request for information regarding potential locations for the new training center. Requirements for the site included lodging for 1,200 recruits, a medical facility to support 1,000 personnel, a land area of between 150 and 250 acres and 14 classrooms able to accommodate 30 to 60 students. According to the DHS announcement, “Birmingham-Southern best satisfied Coast Guard training mission requirements, offering turn-key ready facilities critical to supporting immediate commencement of training missions, while meeting all the service’s eligibility criteria with nominal investment compared to new construction.”

“We must invest in our most valuable treasure — our people — to meet the increasingly complex maritime security challenges facing the Nation,” said Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard. “The acquisition of the historic Birmingham-Southern College as our new training center is a critical step in our Force Design 2028 strategy, providing the right facilities necessary to grow our service and ensure the Coast Guard stands always ready.”

Both of Alabama’s senators celebrated the move.

“This move will save the American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). “Alabama and the Coast Guard are a natural partnership. Alabama is already home to every branch of the military, and we have the infrastructure, resources and personnel ready to make sure our United States Coast Guard continues to be elite.”

“Alabama stands as a proud leader in military excellence, and we’re honored to host this new training center that will help mold the next generation of Coast Guard members,” said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.). “As chair of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue fighting to give the Coast Guard the resources and tools needed to fulfill its critical mission and keep Americans safe.”

Training missions at the site are expected to begin later this year.

Birmingham-Southern College had roots stretching back to 1856, the year Southern University was founded in Greensboro, Ala. Birmingham College opened in 1898, and the two institutions merged in 1918 as Birmingham-Southern College. When the college closed at the conclusion of the 2023-2024 academic year, it had about 975 undergraduate students.

“Although we will always grieve the closing of our beloved college in 2024, we believe the sale of our campus to the Coast Guard for this purpose — supporting the training, education and ongoing development of the people who serve in our nation’s premier maritime protection force — is a terrific outcome for our city, our state and the neighborhood we called home for more than 100 years,” said the Rev. Keith D. Thompson, chair of the Birmingham-Southern College board of trustees. “While getting to this point has been a long, sad and challenging journey for everyone who loves Birmingham-Southern, the board of trustees is confident that this is the right decision. We welcome the Coast Guard to the Hilltop knowing they will bring significant value, vibrancy and security to our community.”

While Birmingham is a landlocked county in central Alabama at the intersection of I-65 and I-20/59, the city is located near Locust Fork, one of three headwater tributaries of the Black Warrior River.

Featured image caption: The Birmingham-Southern College quadrangle. The Coast Guard will launch a new training center at the site of the former school, located in Birmingham, Ala. (Courtesy of Birmingham-Southern College)