FORT EUSTIS — In a ceremony on Sept. 25, Fort Eustis officially inactivated the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command as it prepares to be part of a greater Army merger.
On hand at the ceremony was U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George, 18th Commanding General of TRADOC Gary M. Brito, local government leaders, army personnel, family and friends.
TRADOC, which has a longstanding history of overseeing the training, education and development of soldiers, will merge with Army Futures Command. Together, the two will form Army Transformation and Training Command (ATTC), which will be located in Austin, Texas.
George addressed the crowd about how the merger will continue to evolve TRADOC’s ultimate mission.
“TRADOC was born out of a need for change in 1973, and today, we are adjusting again to stay ahead. But some things remain the same. When people look back on TRADOC’s history, they will see an organization that delivered things that always matter; winning doctrine, trained soldiers and leaders who thrive in uncertainty,” George said.
During the ceremony, a casing of the colors ceremony was presented, where Brito and George officially retired the TRADOC flag. Casing ceremonies are frequently part of Army ceremonies where flags are folded into a protective sheath to symbolize the transition of the deactivation of a unit.
Brito, who will retire from the U.S. Army next week, also spoke during the ceremony, highlighting the work that the merged command will do on behalf of all soldiers.
“This may not be the type of ceremony we often see, but as the Chief said, it is happening because of an important change and necessary change in our Army. An important change that will sharpen the warfighting capabilities of our units, accelerate innovation and deliver a unity of effort that will ensure our Army beats, not meets, any adversary, anywhere, anytime in the world,” Brito said.
After the ceremony concluded, Gen. Brito received congratulations from those in attendance. He was also presented with a shell casing from the cannon firing that took place earlier in the ceremony.
An activation ceremony for Army Transformation and Training Command will take place next week. To view the entire inactivation ceremony at Fort Eustis, visit dvidshub.net.