13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command

Modular sustainment command of the III Armored Corps, US Army

The 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command—the "Lucky 13th"—is a U. S. Army modular sustainment command which serves as a forward presence for expeditionary operations for a theater, or in support of a regional combatant commander. Corps Sustainment Commands (CSC), such as the 13th, synchronize distribution of supplies and services within their operational areas and provides distribution oversight. Formed at Fort Cavazos, Texas when the 1st Logistics Command deployed to Vietnam, the organization then known as the 13th Support Brigade was initially responsible for the training of technical services units to assume combat service support missions in Southeast Asia. As the Army redefined the missions of its logistics forces in response to building towards a 16 division Army, it was designated a corps support command (COSCOM). In 1992, the 13th COSCOM deployed to Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope where for the first time a COSCOM was given the mission to provide theater level support in a major U. S. operation. The 13th ACSC has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, and served as the logistics command for hurricane relief efforts in support of the American people after hurricanes Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita devastated the Gulf Coast.

The 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command was constituted on 11 August 1965 in the Regular Army, and activated 24 September 1965 at Fort Cavazos, Texas as the 13th Support Brigade. The 13th Support Brigade was formed as the nation's involvement in Vietnam increased, and was tasked with the training of technical services units to assume combat service support missions in Southeast Asia. With reorganization from the "technical service" concept to the "combat service to the Army" concept, functional training of units was decentralized in the Continental Army Command to post, camp and station level. The command continued to evolve due to increased missions and changing roles. Along with similar units, it was redesignated as 13th Corps Support Command (COSCOM) on 21 June 1975, and then the 13th Support Command (Corps) on 16 October 1980. As part of Army Transformation, it was reflagged to its current configuration as the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) during a formal ceremony on 23 February 2006.

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 13th Support Brigade on 25 August 1966. It was redesignated for the 13th Corps Support Command and amended to revise the symbolism effective 21 June 1975. The insignia was redesignated for the 13th Support Command on 17 October 1980. It was redesignated for the 13th Corps Support Command on 10 August 1989. The insignia was redesignated for the 13th Sustainment Command on 7 March 2006.

A gold color metal and enamel insignia in height overall consisting of a blue star of thirteen points, one point up, bearing a gold saltire between three smaller gold saltires, all above a gold scroll, the middle section surmounting the star, inscribed "SERVICE TO THE SOLDIER" in red letters.

From October through December 1994, 13th COSCOM soldiers provided multifunctional logistical support to Army forces supporting Operation Vigilant Warrior in Kuwait. Units of the 13th COSCOM conducted humanitarian and/or peacekeeping missions in Cuba as part of Operation Sea Signal V, Haiti Operation Uphold Democracy, Honduras JTF B, Operation Strong Support, and were a part of Stabilization Force (SFOR) 6 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 13th COSCOM also deployed their engineers to Thule, Greenland, for additional support missions. Soldiers from the command have assisted in removing snow in Massachusetts, aiding flood victims in Louisiana, processing refugees in Arkansas, fighting forest fires in Montana, assisting earthquake victims in Mexico or helping flood victims in Curio, Texas. Following the attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon, elements of the 13th COSCOM supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Operation Iraqi Freedom again saw 13th COSCOM units deployed, including 64th Corps Support Group, directly supporting the 4th Infantry Division. Elements of the 49th Movement Control Battalion have been continuously deployed in the region since 1997 and remain a critical node supporting all U. S. and coalition forces. 13th COSCOM first deployed a medical evacuation headquarters and an air evacuation company on 12 February 2003, to Kuwait. Those units were to reposition forces as required to support the president's global war on terrorism. Eventually, the 13th COSCOM deployed both of its local Brigades in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom while the headquarters and separate units supported the families at Fort Cavazos, Texas. In August 2003 deployment notification came for the soldiers of the 13th COSCOM headquarters to participate in the ongoing operations in Iraq. In preparation for its first major deployment since Somalia, the 13th COSCOM colors were cased in a deployment and retreat ceremony held on the afternoon of 18 December 2004, at Sadowski Field on Fort Cavazos.

In December 2011, the 13th ESC command group and portions of the headquarters company deployed to Afghanistan as augmentees to the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. Upon arrival, deployed members of the unit integrated into the Deputy Command of Support Operations and served both in the headquarters of the directorate at Camp Eggers in Kabul, as well as in all five regional support commands across the country, conducting logistics training and mentoring of Afghan partners. On 4 February 2012, BG Terence Hildner, Commander 13th ESC died of natural causes in Afghanistan.

In December 2014, the 13th ESC headquarters deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, to assume the role as the Operational Command Post for the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, with the mission to provide Theater Sustainment Mission Command to Army, Joint, and Multinational Forces in the USCENTCOM Area of Responsibility, enabling Unified Land Operations and Theater Security Cooperation. The 13th ESC supported Operations Inherent Resolve (Iraq), Freedom Sentinel (Afghanistan), Spartan Shield (Kuwait), provided logistics and sustainment support and oversight to the Multinational Forces and Observer mission Task Force Sinai, supported USCENTCOM forward elements in Jordan, and worked in cooperation with Combined Joint Interagency Task Force Syria (CJIATF S) to provide support to moderate Syrian opposition forces in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. BG (MG) Clark W. LeMasters Jr. Apr 2012 Jul 2014
BG (MG) Rodney D. Fogg Jul 2014 Jun 2016
BG (MG) Douglas M. McBride Jr. Jun 2016 May 2018
BG (MG) Darren L. Werner May 2018 Jun 2020
BG Ronald R. Ragin Jun 2020 Jul 2022