13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

The 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)—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. Expeditionary Sustainment Commands (ESC) synchronize distribution of supplies and services within their operational areas and provides distribution oversight. Formed at Fort Hood, Texas when the 1st Logistics Command deployed to Vietnam, the-then 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 ESC has deployed to Iraq 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.