The U.S. Coast Guard has selected a dormant college campus in Birmingham, Ala., to be the location of its new training center intended to support service growth and expand training capacity under the agency’s Force Design 2028 initiative.
The Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard announced the decision March 4, saying the site will allow the service to begin training operations later this year using the site's existing facilities.
The sprawling property — once home to Birmingham-Southern College, a liberal arts college that shut down in 2024 due to financial troubles — met a series of operational requirements outlined in a November Request for Information. Those criteria included lodging capacity for up to 1,200 recruits, a medical facility capable of supporting 1,000 personnel, 150 to 250 acres of land, and classroom space accommodating between 30 and 60 students per room.
Officials said the campus offers facilities that are largely ready for use, allowing the service to stand up training operations more quickly and with lower cost compared to constructing a new training site.
The Coast Guard already operates training facilities across the United States, including training centers in Cape May, N.J.; Petaluma, Calif.; and Yorktown, Va.; as well as Aviation Technical Training Center in Elizabeth City, N.C.; Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Ala.; Leadership Development Center in New London, Conn.; Maritime Law Enforcement Academy in Charleston, SC; and Special Missions Training Center Camp Lejune, N.C.
Coast Guard leadership said the new center in Birmingham will support the service’s efforts to expand its workforce in response to growing operational demands across maritime security, law enforcement, and national defense missions.
Coast Guard officials have said the service is working to grow its ranks in the coming years as recruitment improves and mission requirements increase.
Training missions at the Birmingham facility are expected to begin this year. The purchase price was not disclosed.
