ARMY OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING CHANGING FORT LIBERTY'S NAME BACK TO FORT BRAGG
When the Fort Liberty name change was announced, there was plenty of praise and backlash. While the post is officially known as Fort Liberty now, the conversation continues as to what it should be called. So much so, that former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke of changing the name back should he be elected to the Oval Office after the 2024 election. Now, in more recent news, Army officials are considering changing Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg, according to two people more familiar with the conversation.
Why Did Fort Bragg Change Its Name to Fort Liberty?
The Fort Liberty name change came to be following the pressure to shift from installations holding the names of Confederate figures that stemmed after George Floyd’s death in 2020.
In this effort, the government created the Naming Commission. It made headlines for renaming military bases. However, it actually involved much more than that, including various buildings and streets on posts.
The post got its name in 1918, after Confederate General Braxton Bragg, who was from North Carolina. Controversy met an apex after Floyd’s death, considering Bragg was a slave owner, adding to the dynamics as George was a Black man.
Instead of naming the base after another person, “Liberty” was chosen. This is because preserving it is the overall goal of the post.
Opposing Sides
Like most things these days, there are many people in favor of changing Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg and many others who oppose the idea.
Proponents of the idea believe it’s necessary to provide more inclusiveness, get rid of the name of a man who actively fought the U.S. military, and move the American Armed Forces forward.
Opponents of the Fort Liberty name change believe it’s a great way to maintain Southern history, counteracts wokeness, and maintains the legacy of the installation built throughout the years.
Many bases were named after Confederates following the Civil War in the lead-up to World War I. The government needed more Army bases and needed a way to gain more support from Southern states. Thus, many installations were provided with names tied to the local area and the Confederacy to appease locals.
The Base's Name Change History
In 2021, Congress established a commission that was to rename properties that wee named after Confederate leaders. At the time, then President Trump vetoed the bill, but Congress overrode the veto, making the changes mandatory in accordance with the law.
In 2022, the commission recommended changing the names of 9 Army instillations, which included Fort Bragg. In 2023, the base was officially changed to Fort Liberty.
Trump’s visited Fayetteville, North Carolina during his 2024 presidential, and caused quite a stir when he mentioned changing the name back.
During this time he stated, “We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg…So, this is no time to be changing names…We’re going to do everything we can to get it back. We’re going to bring our country back."
Army Officials are Considering Changing Fort Liberty's Name
Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has been critical of the name change in the past, calling it "a sham" and "garbage." As of now, the Army is exploring ways to change the base's name without violating the law that bans the use of confederate names, said two people familiar with the conversation.
One consideration is to name the base after another soldier named Bragg, like Private First Class soldier Roland Bragg who served in the 17th Airborne Division during World War II.
The renaming commission has also considered other soldiers including: Edward S. Bragg (a Union Army officer in the Civil War who served in the House).
It is estimated that renaming the fort would cost over $6 million, but some Army officials have said that it could cost less than this figure.
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