Command History

Inheriting a distinguished tradition of combat service support, the lineage and honors of 21st Theater Sustainment Command began in 1965 with the activation of the 1st Support Brigade.

1st Support Brigade (1st SB)

23 June 1965 to August 18, 1976

Mission: The initial mission of the 1st Support Brigade was to provide a variety of support services within theater, primarily in the rear areas, that were not provided directly through the staff of USAREUR, or TASCOM (the 1st Support Brigade would later fall under TSCOM, but initially was a separate element). At this time, the three major Corps operating in theater also had significant Support Commands within their own structures.

Background: The 1st Support Brigade was activated basically to pick up where other theater support units left off. Early the brigade's history, USAREUR conducted a significant restructuring that left no major subordinate logistical command and this place a significant burden of support on the brigade, which soon was upgraded to a command. The brigade's first home was Taylor Barracks, Mannheim, Germany. In 1974, TASCOM was merged with Headquarters, United States Army, Europe, and the missions of 1st Support Brigade were expanded to include base operations support for eight military communities as well as the management of regional area support. The brigade was upgraded to a general officer command, and the headquarters moved to Panzer Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany.

How it is different: As a brigade it was not a major subordinate command. It's capabilities of providing support within its structure did not match that of the preceding organizations of the COMZEUR and the TASCOM, and ultimately USAREUR upgraded the unit to something that much more closely matched the structure of the TASCOM.

21st Support Command (21st SUPCOM)

August 19, 1976 to October 17, 1988

Mission: The mission of the 21st SUPCOM much more closely resembled that of the TASCOM than the mission of the 1st Support Brigade did. However, at this time, the major Corps operating in theater had significant support commands within their own structure, and the 21st SUPCOM's role was more of a theater wide facilitator than a direct support provider to combat units.

Background: As the 1st Support Brigade's mission set and capabilities continued to increase, USAREUR eventually upgraded the unit to a two-star command and re-designated it as the 21st SUPCOM. This re-designation returned the unit to the status of a major subordinate command to USAREUR, and more accurately reflected the level of responsibility held by the organization.

How it was different: In addition to having logistics capabilities more closely resembling previous organizations like the COMZEUR and the TASCOM, the 21st SUPCOM re-assumed from the USAREUR staff many of the functions that had moved there in the restructuring just a few years earlier. The basic mission of providing support to theater forces, in conjunction with the Corps Support Commands, did not change.

21st Theater Army Area Command (21st TAACOM)

October 18, 1988 to October 17, 2000

Mission: Initially the command had essentially the same mission set that had been there for decades: Support theater operations and prepare for war with the Soviet east. Near the end of the 21st TAACOM period, however the mission changed, and the Soviet east was no longer a threat, but support to major operations in neighboring theaters became a significant part of the unit's mission.

Background: The term Theater Army Area Command reflects the unit structure on which the 21st Support Command was already based. In fact, in manning documents, orders and other official documents, the unit name of 21st Support Command was often followed by 'TAACOM' in parenthesis.

How it was different: The name change from 21st Support Command to 21st TAACOM was primarily a name-only change that reflected what was already the unit's official designation. It was upgraded from a two-star to a three-star command, but this was more a reflection of capacity than a significant mission change.

The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved on 11 Feb 1966 for the 1st Support Brigade. On 15 Oct 1976 it was redesignated for the 21st Support Command.

21st Theater Support Command (21st TSC)

October 18, 2000 to 15 July 2007

Mission: After the fall of the Berlin Wall, and essentially the crumbling of any real threat from the Soviet east, the mission of the command changed drastically. The mission set was no longer to prepare for major conflict in theater, it was to support numerous ongoing operations within theater and in neighboring theaters. Another significant difference in the mission was that the 21st TSC was now providing a significant amount of direct support to combat units in theater.

Background: It is during this period that the deactivation of the Corps Support Commands put the mission of direct support to combat units in the 21st TSC's hands. This change also reflected the fact that the unit now commanded deployable forces and was considered a forward deployed command.

How it was different: Direct support to combat units and the command and control of deployable forces made this a very different command than what preceded it.

21st Theater Sustainment Command

16 July, 2007 to Present

Mission: The mission of the 21st TSC expanded from the previous 21st TSC to include broader functionality, and to support operations outside of the European theater. The current mission statement read: 'The 21st Theater Sustainment Command provides theater sustainment support of U.S. Army Europe and, as directed, in support of U.S. Army Africa/U.S. Africa Command; supports theater opening, distribution, sustainment and reception, staging, onward movement and enables integration (RSO&I) functions. The command deploys on order; prepares to support Joint and Coalition forces and civil authorities; supports USAREUR's Theater Security Cooperation efforts within U.S. European Command's Strategy for Active Security.'

How it is different: The major difference between the 21st Theater Support Command and the 21st Theater Sustainment Command is in the capabilities it controls. Under the new TSC, the command oversees the Army Military Police brigade for the theater, the Engineer Brigade, and the function previously fulfilled by the 1st Personnel Command. The term sustainment is used to reflect this broader range of support provided to USAREUR.