Menu
Home Explore People Places Arts History Plants & Animals Science Life & Culture Technology
On this page
United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command
U.S. Army's provider of nearly all basic and applied R&D services

The Combat Capabilities Development Command, (DEVCOM, aka CCDC) (formerly the United States Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM)) is a subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. RDECOM was tasked with "creating, integrating, and delivering technology-enabled solutions" to the U.S. Army. It is headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

Related Image Collections Add Image
Profiles
1 Image
We don't have any YouTube videos related to United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command yet.
We don't have any PDF documents related to United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command yet.
We don't have any Books related to United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command yet.
We don't have any archived web articles related to United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command yet.

Role and organization

DEVCOM formerly described its role as "the Army's enabling command in the development and delivery of capabilities that empower, unburden and protect the Warfighter."1 It conducts and sponsors scientific research in areas important to the Army, develops scientific discoveries into new technologies, engineers technologies into new equipment and capabilities, and works with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command to help requirements writers define the future needs of the Army.2

DEVCOM is headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Before 1 November 2019, Major-General Cedric T. Wins was the commanding general,3 assisted by Brigadier-General Vincent F. Malone as deputy commanding general and Command Sergeant-Major Jon R. Stanley as command sergeant major. They oversee one laboratory and six major centers:4

History

After assuming command of the Army Materiel Command in October 2001, General Paul J. Kern saw the need to streamline how the Army developed technology. At the time, the Army's laboratories and research centers reported through multiple channels, among other problems. Kern argued that the Army had to "figure out how to get technology in the hands of the Warfighters quicker" and that it was "the impression of everyone out there that the laboratories take too long, they do science for science's sake, engineering for engineering's sake". Kern proposed to unite the laboratories and research centers under a single command, and the idea was initiated to senior commanders and civilians.5 The new command was approved, and was provisionally stood up in October 2002, based at Aberdeen Proving Ground where it replaced and integrated the headquarters element of the Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM). In June 2003, RDECOM assumed operational control of the RDE centers. An organizational ceremony took place in October 2003 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where SBCCOM officially stood down and the 389th Army Band and the Army Material Command's Acquisition Center were assigned to RDECOM.

RDECOM became a major subordinate command of the Army Material Command in March 2004, with over 17,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel at the time. In 2006, the 389th Army Band was designated AMC Band and moved to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. In 2008, the AMC Acquisition Center became part of the new Army Contracting Command, itself a major subordinate of the AMC. From February 2012 to September 2014, RDECOM was led by a civilian commander, Dale Ormond, before returning to military command.

Transfer to Army Futures Command

As of 2018, DEVCOM reports to Army Futures Command, which will reach full operational capability by August 2019. The new command is focused on readiness for future combat with near-peer competitors, in a shift away from the unconventional, asymmetric warfare fought in various theaters since 2001.

On 4 June 2018, the Headquarters, Department of the Army published General Order 2018–10, "Establishment of the United States Army Futures Command", formally transferring RDECOM from AMC to the new command effective 1 July 2018.6 The transition of authority from AMC to AFC took place at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD on 31 January 2019, with a reflagging of the Command and repatching of the commander and CSM.7

List of commanding generals

No.Commanding GeneralTerm
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeDuration
As U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command
1Major GeneralJohn C. DoesburgOctober 2002October 2004~2 years, 0 days
2Major GeneralRoger A. NadeauOctober 20048July 2007~2 years, 273 days
3Major GeneralFred D. Robinson Jr.July 200795 December 2008~1 year, 157 days
4Major GeneralPaul S. Izzo5 December 2008104 December 2009364 days
5Major GeneralNick Justice4 December 20091110 February 20122 years, 68 days
6Dale A. Ormond10 February 201222 September 20142 years, 224 days
7Major GeneralJohn F. Wharton22 September 2014129 August 20161 year, 322 days
8Major GeneralCedric T. Wins9 August 2016133 February 20192 years, 178 days
As U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command
1Major GeneralCedric T. Wins3 February 2019141 November 2019271 days
2Major GeneralJohn A. George1 November 2019157 May 2021161 year, 187 days
-John T. WillisonActing7 May 20219 July 202163 days
3Major GeneralEdmond M. Brown9 July 2021177 September 20232 years, 60 days
4Major GeneralJohn M. Cushing7 September 20231827 June 20251 year, 293 days
5Brigadier GeneralRobert G. Born27 June 202519Incumbent1 day

See also

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army.

39°28′24″N 76°08′27″W / 39.473451°N 76.140837°W / 39.473451; -76.140837

References

  1. "RDECOM – About". April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20110228034839/http://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/rdecom/#org-about ↩

  2. "RDECOM Fact Sheet" (PDF). U.S. Army. April 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2018. https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/419777.pdf ↩

  3. "New Commander Arrives at RDECOM". August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2018. https://www.army.mil/article/173047/new_commander_arrives_at_rdecom ↩

  4. "RDECOM overview". U.S. Army. April 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2018. https://www.army.mil/article/160416/ ↩

  5. "Life Cycle Management: Integrating Acquisition and Sustainment". 2005. Retrieved 13 December 2018. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2005/050100-management.htm ↩

  6. Secretary of the Army, Mark T. Esper, ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES ARMY FUTURES COMMAND Army General order G.O.2018-10 https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN11199_GO1810_FINAL.pdf ↩

  7. "RDECOM transitions to Army Futures Command". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/216858/rdecom_transitions_to_army_futures_command ↩

  8. "Home - General Officer Management Office". https://www.gomo.army.mil/public?FY=2004 ↩

  9. "PACOM Operational S&T Conference" (PDF). U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command. Retrieved 11 September 2021. https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2008/POST/Wed1/Robinson.pdf ↩

  10. "RDECOM hails new commander during change of command ceremony". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/14896/rdecom_hails_new_commander_during_change_of_command_ceremony ↩

  11. "Maj. Gen. Nick Justice reflects on his tour at RDECOM, APG". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/72817/maj_gen_nick_justice_reflects_on_his_tour_at_rdecom_apg ↩

  12. "RDECOM welcomes commanding general". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/134151/rdecom_welcomes_commanding_general ↩

  13. "New commander arrives at RDECOM". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/173047/new_commander_arrives_at_rdecom ↩

  14. "RDECOM transitions to Army Futures Command". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/216858/rdecom_transitions_to_army_futures_command ↩

  15. "CCDC leadership changes hands". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/229386/ccdc_leadership_changes_hands ↩

  16. "DEVCOM commander retires after 33 years of service". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/246122/devcom_commander_retires_after_33_years_of_service ↩

  17. "Brigadier General Brown takes command of DEVCOM". www.army.mil. https://www.army.mil/article/248340/brigadier_general_brown_takes_command_of_devcom ↩

  18. "Brigadier General Cushing takes command of DEVCOM". U.S. Army. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023. https://www.army.mil/article/269766/brigadier_general_cushing_takes_command_of_devcom ↩

  19. Rayno, Ryan (27 June 2025). "DEVCOM welcomes new commanding general on path through Army transformation". U.S. Army. Retrieved 29 June 2025. https://www.army.mil/article/286705/devcom_welcomes_new_commanding_general_on_path_through_army_transformation ↩