Katie Britt

This is a guest opinion column

There are moments that change a city’s trajectory, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s purchase of the Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) campus is exactly that for Birmingham, Alabama. As Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, I work closely with the Coast Guard’s leadership to ensure the men and women protecting our waterways have the resources they need. When the Coast Guard indicated they required a modern training facility to help achieve its goal of growing the force by 15,000 members, BSC’s campus came to mind as an ideal fit.

As part of the Service’s historic transformation and renewal, the Coast Guard will see a more than 30% increase in its military workforce. While Basic Training will continue in Cape May, New Jersey, the Coast Guard needs more classrooms, residence halls, gyms, kitchens, and health facilities. Following a national search, BSC exceeded every metric, and I was proud to spend months advocating for their selection. BSC is nearly move-in ready and according to the Coast Guard, the purchase will be a fraction of what a comparable campus would cost to build. That said, this new facility will require ongoing funds to support its mission. Fortunately, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget request includes $73 million for new training operations, $21.6 million of which will be for Birmingham-Southern.

Classes will begin by the end of 2026, and the Coast Guard expects to be fully operational by the middle of 2027. The campus can host 1,200 students at a time, and courses will range from 5 weeks to multi-month training sessions. This means thousands of members of the Coast Guard will travel through Birmingham annually in addition to friends and family who visit to celebrate graduations. Additionally, Training Center Birmingham-Southern will be designated as the Coast Guard’s Enlisted Training Center of Excellence.

Several people asked me in what water will the Coast Guard train. As entertaining as cutters on the Cahaba River might be, Birmingham will instead focus on classroom teaching, drill instruction, leadership, and physical fitness. Open water training will continue at the Coast Guard’s other facilities across the country, but its critical mission of saving lives, securing our borders, facilitating maritime commerce, and responding to crises will be taught in Birmingham.

The Coast Guard’s acquisition of BSC will not just transform Birmingham, it will also continue to build on the legacy of this historic campus. While the school we know opened its doors in 1918, its predecessor, Southern University, started teaching students 170 years ago in 1856. Part of the historic Bush Hills neighborhood, BSC is just a mile from both Legion Field and Rickwood Field, two world-famous stadiums. From Representative Robert Aderholt, to former senators and federal judges, to athletes and business leaders, BSC’s impact to Alabama is well-known and will never be forgotten — but just to be sure, Birmingham-Southern’s branding will be preserved across campus thanks to the efforts of the Coast Guard. It’s fitting that the gorgeous, 192-acre campus will continue impacting not just Alabama – but the entire world – through training some of our bravest men and women.

Without spoiling upcoming announcements from the Coast Guard, I am confident their plan will honor BSC’s legacy and provide opportunities for alumni to enjoy the beautiful campus. Outside of the Space Force, the Coast Guard is our nation’s smallest branch of the Armed Services, and its stations are woven within local communities, rather than massive military installations that may feel siloed. Because of this, I am excited not just for the economic boom this move will provide, but also for the new families with whom Alabamians will go to school, worship alongside, and build long-lasting friendships. One member of the Coast Guard told me their leadership sees this project as a 100-year investment. I was proud to lead this effort and know the Coast Guard will learn soon that Birmingham is ready to invest right back.