FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Oct. 13, 2011) -- The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Analysis Center celebrates its 25th anniversary in October.

TRADOC provisionally established TRAC at Fort Leavenworth on May 1, 1986, and officially activated the organization Oct. 3, 1986, as a single, integrated center with subordinate elements at Fort Leavenworth; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Monterey, Calif.; and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Calif. Subsequently, provisional subordinate elements were established at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., and Fort Lee, Va., in 1987. The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure activities resulted in TRAC's organization as it exists today, with TRAC Headquarters and four subordinate elements at Fort Leavenworth, Fort Lee, Monterey, and White Sands Missile Range.

TRAC conducts research and analysis on potential military operations worldwide to inform decision-makers about the most challenging issues facing the Army and Department of Defense. It directs its work efforts at the highest priorities of the TRADOC commanders and the chief of staff of the Army.

Relying upon a highly skilled workforce of more than 325 personnel assigned to four centers throughout the United States, TRAC executes an annual work program exceeding $50 million. TRAC studies have underpinned the key Army and DoD decisions regarding nearly every major Army initiative and program, collectively valued at hundreds of billions of dollars. In its 25-year existence, TRAC and its employees have been recognized with 50 major prizes awarded by the Army and DoD for research excellence.

TRAC is engaged with a number of diverse partners and clients in accomplishing its mission to establish bilateral and coalition operations research relationships with allies through nation-to-nation exchanges; foster cooperative research and professional development with universities, industry and federal laboratories, including teaming with federally funded research and development centers like Mitre and Rand; and cooperatively serve the operations analysis needs of combatant commanders and counterpart organizations within DoD.

Though principally supporting decision functions of the generating force, TRAC also has contributed substantively to the Army's operating forces in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, providing more than 37 cumulative years of "boots-on-the-ground" analysis by 52 officer and 18 civilian analysts. Focused on the future where uncertainty is high, as well as working in today's joint environment, TRAC delivers relevant, credible analysis products through a motivated, uniquely-skilled workforce to inform leader decisions about how the Army operates, how it changes and how it invests, always with our only stakeholder in mind -- the Soldier.

TRAC hosted a 25th anniversary senior analyst review Sept. 27-28. Additionally, TRAC was recognized for its analytic contributions to the Army and DoD during the plenary session at the 79th Military Operations Research Symposium in Monterey June 21 and will be recognized during the plenary session of the Army Operations Research Symposium at Fort Lee Nov. 8.

TRAC will publish a 25th anniversary photo album later this year commemorating various events and activities during its first 25 years that will be available for purchase by all TRAC employees and which will become part of the historical document collection at TRAC Headquarters and each subordinate element. TRAC wraps up its anniversary year with a special holiday event at the headquarters and each subordinate element. Last but not least, TRAC has a 25th anniversary commemorative coin that is given during award ceremonies and to distinguished visitors this year.

Editor's note: Barry Bazemore is chief of TRAC's Programs Division, and Rochelle Anderson is an operations research analyst in the Programs Division.