6:56 pm - March 6, 2025
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a significant announcement regarding the renaming of Fort Liberty, a major U.S. Army base in North Carolina. In a move that has sparked both interest and debate, Hegseth directed the base to revert to its original name, Fort Bragg, but with a notable twist. The base will now be renamed Fort Roland L. Bragg, honoring a World War II hero rather than the Confederate general it was previously named after. This decision marks the latest chapter in a broader initiative by the Department of Defense to address the names of military installations tied to Confederate figures, a process that has been both controversial and complex.
The announcement was made aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 en route to Stuttgart, Germany, where Hegseth signed a memo formalizing the change. “That’s right. Bragg is back,” Hegseth remarked after signing the document. The decision comes nearly a year after the base was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023, as part of a Pentagon-led effort to remove names associated with the Confederacy. The renaming process was prompted by the widespread social justice movements that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020, which brought renewed attention to issues of racism and inequality in American society. The Department of Defense, under pressure to address its own legacy of honoring Confederate figures, established a commission to review and recommend new names for affected bases.
Fort Bragg, originally established in 1918, was named after Gen. Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general from North Carolina who owned slaves and played a significant role in the Civil War. Bragg’s military career was marked by several defeats that contributed to the Confederacy’s ultimate surrender. The decision to rename the base was part of a larger effort to distance the military from symbols of the Confederacy, which many view as emblematic of racism and oppression. However, the choice to revert to the Bragg name, albeit with a different namesake, has raised questions about how to balance historical legacy with modern values.
The new namesake, Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, represents a stark contrast to the base’s previous namesake. A World War II hero, Bragg earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his extraordinary bravery during the Battle of the Bulge. According to the memo signed by Hegseth, Bragg’s actions were nothing short of heroic: during the harsh winter of 1944, he commandeered an enemy ambulance and drove 20 miles through treacherous conditions to transport a wounded fellow soldier to a hospital in Belgium. This act of selflessness and courage exemplifies the values the military seeks to honor, and his story serves as a fitting inspiration for the base’s new identity.
Fort Roland L. Bragg is not the only base undergoing a name change. Several other Army installations have been renamed as part of this initiative, including Fort Benning, which is now Fort Moore, named after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, a decorated Vietnam War commander, and Fort Hood, renamed Fort Cavazos in honor of Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos, a four-star general who served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. These changes reflect a broader shift within the military to honor individuals whose contributions align with the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The decision to rename Fort Liberty as Fort Roland L. Bragg has been met with mixed reactions. While some have praised the choice to honor a World War II hero, others have expressed disappointment that the base did not retain the name Fort Liberty, which was chosen to reflect the Army’s commitment to the value of liberty. Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, who served on the commission that recommended the name Fort Liberty, emphasized that liberty remains a core American value. However, the decision to revert to the Bragg name, albeit with a new namesake, suggests a desire to maintain a connection to the base’s historical legacy while also embracing a more inclusive future. The renaming of Fort Roland L. Bragg serves as a reminder of the complexities of navigating history, identity, and values in a rapidly changing world.