Several U.S. Army bases will officially get new names as the military seeks to redesignate bases that currently honor ‘Confederate’ leaders.
Army Agrees to Rename Bases
The U.S. Army said it is “open to a bi-partisan discussion” on renaming bases currently named after Confederate military leaders.
In 2020 President Donald Trump shot down the idea, but the Senate Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to the 2021 Defense Authorization Bill requiring the Defense Department to change the names within three years.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last year approved a proposal by a congressional commission to rename nine bases in honor of several people of color who made significant contributions with their service.
Several bases have been redesignated recently, including Fort Hood in Texas, renamed Fort Cavazos last month in honor of Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos, the first Hispanic person to wear four stars on his uniform.
Earlier this month, North Carolina’s Fort Bragg, one of the world’s largest military installations, was renamed Fort Liberty.
Here’s Where Bases Will be Updated
The renamed bases include Fort Lee and Fort Pickett in Virginia, Fort Benning in Georgia, and Fort Hood in Texas.
Here’s the list of bases that will be renamed:
- Fort Benning, Ga. – rename Fort Moore after Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore.
- Fort Bragg, N.C. – rename Fort Liberty after the value of liberty.
- Fort Gordon, Ga. – rename Fort Eisenhower after General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower.
- Fort A.P. Hill, Va. – rename Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker.
- Fort Hood, Texas – rename Fort Cavazos after Gen. Richard Cavazos.
- Fort Lee, Va. – rename Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.
- Fort Pickett, Va. – rename Fort Barfoot after Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot.
- Fort Polk, La. – rename Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson.
- Fort Rucker, Ala. – rename Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr.
The bases are being renamed after distinguished service members from history, including African American Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg; Lt. Col. Charity Adams, who led a unit of Black women officers in World War II; Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam; and Medal of Honor recipient Van Barfoot.
DeSantis Pushes Back, Wants Old Name Back
At a North Carolina GOP convention on Friday, DeSantis said that if elected president, he would change the name of the newly christened Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg.
“It’s an iconic name and an iconic base, and we’re not going to let political correctness run amok in North Carolina,” DeSantis told the cheering GOP crowd.
A bill to prevent Florida cities from removing Confederate monuments died in committee during this year’s session, according to the Florida Times-Union, but its Republican sponsor pledged to file it again in 2024.
The Naming Commission estimated implementing all the changes would cost $62.5 million.
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