United States Army Combined Arms Support Command

The U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, had its origins in a 1950 Project VISTA study, which, among other recommendations, proposed that the Army set up a separate and independent command to formulate and test new concepts. With the establishment of the Combat Developments Group (CDG) within the Headquarters of the Office of the Chief of Army Field Forces in 1952, the Army began to evaluate the effects of scientific developments on Army doctrine, and also began evaluating development requirements for new weapons. Ten years later, in 1962, the Army activated the 4-star U.S. Army Combat Development Command (CDC) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia with responsibilities for integrating the Army's research and development functions. Additionally, two subordinate organizations were created within the CDC; the Combat Service Support Group (CSSG) at Fort Lee, Virginia, and the Combined Arms Support Group at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. For the first time, the Army began to integrate the development of tactics, doctrine, and organization with the materiel designed to support them;[2] all part of the effort to functionalize the structure of the support services.

In further support of this reform, separate branch agencies were organized for each of the technical services (Quartermaster, Ordnance, Transportation, Adjutant General, Chaplain, Civil Affairs, Medical Service, and Military Police) and operated as tenants at bases where their respective schools were located. Each one had responsibility for combat development and doctrine for their respective branch. Additionally, within each branch school, separate departments of combat development and doctrinal expertise existed. The Judge Advocate General and Finance Schools were added in 1964, while Civil Affairs was transferred to the Combat Arms Group.[2]

In a 1966 reorganization, the CSSG at Fort Lee assumed responsibility for developing all support elements for the Army in the field. Five CSSG directorates were combined into three: Personnel and Administration; Program and Budget; and Doctrine, Organization, Materiel and Evaluation. The Finance and Adjutant General agencies remained collocated at Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN, with their respective schools and they combined to form the Personnel and Administrative Services Agency, while the Quartermaster and Ordnance Agencies were re-designated the Supply and Maintenance Agencies, respectively. In 1969, the MP agency was transferred to the Combat Support Group. CSSG became the Personnel and Logistics Systems Group (PALSG) in 1971, with few essential changes.[2]

With the creation of the 4-star U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) -- a new major Army command -- in March 1973, the 4-star Combat Developments Command was disestablished and its subordinate organizations were reorganized. Within TRADOC, three lower level, 2-star major subordinate integrating centers were created: the Logistics Center (which replaced the PALSG at Fort Lee), the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, and the Administrative Center at Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN. Materiel development became a cooperative effort with TRADOC as primary combat developer and the Army Materiel Command as the primary materiel developer.[2]

The Logistics Center assumed responsibility for the development, testing, integration, and dissemination for logistics concepts, doctrine and systems, the design of management systems, the control of management characteristics as they affected logistical support, the organization of logistics units, the career development of logistics personnel, and the conduct of exercises and command post exercises. Training exercises, such as the Logistics Exercise (LOGEX) would continue to be a major activity at the LOGC over the next two decades. Additionally, in 1975, TRADOC instructed the Logistics Center to establish a mission capability in force restructuring, the importance of which has continued to the present.[2]

In 1983, TRADOC designated the LOGC commander as the TRADOC Deputy Commanding General for Logistics, with the upgrading of the billet to a 3-star rank. With this increased authority, Lieutenant General Robert Bergquist set out to enhance the position of Combat Service Support with TRADOC by promoting the concept of multifunctionalism. This concept became a key part of the new doctrine developed by TRADOC, known as AirLand Battle, and multifunctionalism became an enduring concept of Army sustainment. LOGC began the process by creating Forward Support Battalions which ended the ad hoc practice of assigning forward area support coordinators (FASCOS) to brigade combat teams. The success of this initiative led to the subsequent redesign of logistics support commands and units at the division and echelons-above-division level.[2][3]

In the early and mid-1980s, the technical service chiefs were 'brought back' in the interest of improved branch direction and 'esprit de corps' within each of the branches.[2] With this re-establishment, each of the chiefs (ex. Quartermaster General, Chief of Ordnance, Chief of Transportation) became the commander of their respective schools and the lead proponent for their branch within the Army. Initially, subordinate to TRADOC, by the early-mid 1990s, these branch chiefs/school commandants would fall under the authority of LOGC and, subsequently, the Combined Arms Support Command.[2]

The Combined Arms Support Command was established on 2 October 1990, when the U.S. Army Logistics Center (LOGC) at Fort Lee, Virginia merged with the U.S. Army Soldier Support Center at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. From 1973 to 1990 the U.S. Army Logistics Center was responsible for the development of logistics concepts and doctrine, the design of management systems, the control of management characteristics as they affected logistical support, the organization of logistics units, the career development of logistics personnel, and the conduct of logistics exercises and command post exercises.[2]

On 10 October 1994, CASCOM was reorganized. The combat developments, doctrinal concepts, evaluation and standardization, and training developments functions at the Quartermaster, Ordnance and Transportation branch schools were centralized at CASCOM headquarters at Fort Lee, Virginia. The school brigades at these branch schools were now focused on branch-specific instruction.

In 2005, CASCOM underwent a realignment of the headquarters staff to meet new logistical requirements. Functions relating to training development came under the newly created Deputy Commander for Training. Materiel, force design and doctrine were consolidated under the Deputy Commander for Futures.

The 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) recommended the creation a Combat Service Support Center (consolidation of the Ordnance, Quartermaster, Transportation Centers and Schools) at Fort Lee. Under this BRAC the Transportation Center and School moves from Fort Eustis, Virginia, the Ordnance Center and School from Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and the Missile and Munitions Center from Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

As a result of this BRAC action CASCOM Headquarters has taken on the additional role for providing oversight for the "Sustainment Center of Excellence". Under BRAC a new headquarters building was constructed as well as major construction projects in support of bringing the Ordnance and Transportation Schools to Fort Lee. As part of the creation of the SCoE, the Army Logistics Management College (ALMC) has become the Army Logistics University (ALU) where professional development training takes place for logistics officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and civilians.