FORT BLISS, Texas– In a historic ceremony on March 6, 2026, the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence (NCOLCoE) officially was redesignated as the United States Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy (USANCOA). The event marked the culmination of a strategic transformation to fully align the institution with the U.S. Army’s academic enterprise and clearly define its role as the premier institution for all enlisted leader development.
The renaming ceremony was the final step in a two-phase evolution. The first occurred on January 12 of this year, when the institution was formally realigned as a subordinate organization to the Army University (AU). This move integrated NCO Professional Military Education (PME) into the Army's highest levels of academic oversight. The ceremony today solidified that new identity under a name that reflects its comprehensive mission.
During her remarks, the USANCOA Commandant, Command Sgt. Maj. Tammy Everette emphasized the importance of the change. "This is more than a name change," she stated. "This realignment under Army University formally recognizes our role as a world-class academic institution. The renaming to the United States Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy is a clear declaration of our enduring mission: to educate and develop the world's most capable NCO Corps from their first leadership role to their last." Army University, President Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp went on to say, “Now, with the War College, CGSC, and USANCOA all under one university, we are building one continuous learning enterprise. That continuity matters. It means shared academic standards, shared intellectual rigor, and a shared commitment to developing leaders who are prepared for the complexity of modern warfare.”
USANCOAs legacy began in 1972 with the founding of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA), created to provide the highest level of education for senior NCOs. As its mission expanded over the decades to encompass the entire NCO professional development system, it was renamed the NCOLCoE in 2019.
The new name, United States Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy, is meant to honor this entire career-long journey. As the ceremony concluded and the name displayed for the first time, it signaled the start of a new era, with the U.S. Army NCO Academy poised to continue its vital work of forging the disciplined, fit, and exceptionally educated NCOs required for the future force.