Army Reserve Deactivates 108th Training Command After More Than 70 Years of Service

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than seven decades of Army Reserve history came to a close Sept. 27, 2026, as Soldiers, civilians, families, former leaders and community partners gathered at the Charlotte Army Reserve Center for the deactivation and casing of the colors of the 108th Training Command (Initial Entry Training).

Generations of Soldiers and leaders came together to recognize the history and legacy of the “Golden Griffons” and the command’s longstanding commitment to training and developing Soldiers across the Army.

The ceremony honored a command whose lineage traces back to the formation of the 108th Airborne Division following World War II and whose mission evolved over the decades to meet the changing training needs of the Army and Army Reserve.

Maj. Gen. Matthew S. Warne, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, presided over the ceremony and reflected on both the significance of the day and the generations of Soldiers influenced by the command.

“Casing ceremonies are a little bittersweet,” Warne said. “It’s an acknowledgement that an era is at an end, but also an opportunity to celebrate some extraordinary accomplishments.”

For decades, the 108th played a critical role in preparing Soldiers through Basic Combat Training, Advanced Individual Training, leader development and other training missions. Warne noted the command’s impact included training approximately 65,000 initial entry training Soldiers annually and providing drill sergeant support to ROTC programs at more than 200 campuses.

“The Golden Griffons have been part of a spear at the point of getting our citizen warriors prepared for battle for decades,” Warne said. “And in that time, this command has been the foundation for our success in the field.”

Warne explained that the inactivation comes as the Army Reserve restructures its training enterprise to prepare for the demands of large-scale combat operations. Training infrastructure is being streamlined under the 80th Training Command, while the 108th lineage is expected to continue as part of a new Army Reserve training organization at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

“The chapter ends here in Charlotte, but a new one will be about to begin,” Warne said.

Maj. Gen. David M. Samuelsen, commanding general of the 108th Training Command, focused his remarks on the Soldiers, civilians and families who built the organization’s legacy.

“While the physical unit of the 108th may be getting inactivated, what made it great in the first place can never be inactivated: its people,” Samuelsen said.

Throughout its history, the 108th grew into a major component of the Army Reserve’s training enterprise. Under the motto “First in Training,” the command provided training support through its three divisions — the 95th, 98th and 104th Training Divisions.

Those organizations supported Army training centers, the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership, helping train and develop Soldiers and leaders across the force.

“Civilians became Soldiers. Soldiers became leaders. Cadets became officers,” Samuelsen said. “And behind all of them were drill sergeants, instructors, support staff, commanders, NCOs and civilians who made a difference in somebody’s life and career.”

The ceremony included military honors, an invocation, presentation of the colors, the national anthem, reading of the deactivation order and the casing of the colors. The 208th Army Band provided musical support throughout the ceremony.

Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Luchsinger, senior enlisted leader of the 108th Training Command, joined Samuelsen and Warne as the command formally marked the conclusion of its mission in Charlotte.

The significance of the occasion was reflected in the attendance of senior Army Reserve leaders and generations of former 108th leadership. Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Betty, command sergeant major of the Army Reserve, attended the ceremony along with senior leaders representing the 412th Engineer Command, 80th Training Command, 200th Military Police Command, 81st Readiness Division, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), 377th Theater Sustainment Command and 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).

Nine former commanders and five former command sergeants major of the 108th also returned for the ceremony, bringing together generations of Golden Griffon leadership to witness the historic occasion. State and local community representatives joined them in honoring the command’s service and legacy.

Samuelsen also recognized the 80th Training Command and its leadership for their partnership throughout the transition as missions and responsibilities shifted to new organizations.

For Samuelsen, the ceremony carried additional significance. He described himself as the 21st and final commanding general of the 108th Training Command and said the ceremony also marked the conclusion of his military service.

The command’s impact, he said, extends beyond an organization, headquarters or set of colors because the Soldiers and leaders developed by the 108th will continue serving throughout the Army.

“We don’t own freedom. We are stewards of it,” Samuelsen said. “Each generation does its part and then passes that responsibility to the next.”

As the deactivation order was read, the command’s colors were carefully furled and secured, formally marking the end of the 108th Training Command’s mission in Charlotte.

For the Soldiers, civilians, veterans and families gathered to witness the moment, the ceremony closed one chapter in the Golden Griffons’ history while recognizing the lasting influence of the people who served beneath its colors.

Samuelsen closed his final remarks with a message to generations of Soldiers who served in the command.

“Today we case the colors of the 108th Training Command, but we never case the legacy,” Samuelsen said. “The mission is complete, yet the people remain Army strong, and our legacy marches on.”

First in Training. This We’ll Defend.

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