The parent organization, the Military Heritage Foundation, was incorporated in 1999 with the mission to bring the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center to life. Since that time, it has been the catalyst in forging the unique public-private partnership that has advanced the Center.

In October 2001, the Army officially designated the facility at Carlisle as the "United States Army Heritage and Education Center" and gave it the mission to serve as the Army's premier historical research facility with the purpose of providing educational outreach on Army history to the American People. As the primary partner in the effort, the Foundation has recognized the value in more closely associating its name with that of the physical facility. In November 2002, the Foundation adopted the "doing business as" name of the Army Heritage Center Foundation.

With the mission of helping the Army to bring the Center to life, the Foundation has several critical areas of responsibility.

To provide the mechanism for generating funds for construction of the Education Center and Army Heritage Museum portion of the USAHEC.

To create and sustain an endowment to fund educational programs, acquisitions and selected unprogrammed expenses of the USAHEC.

To manage business operations and selected visitor services.