The commission tasked with providing recommendations for Army bases named after Confederate figures or sympathizers has recommended Fort Bragg be renamed to Fort Liberty.
In a report released Monday by the Naming Commission, the commission recommended Liberty “after one of America’s core values.”
“The Commission recommends Fort Bragg be changed to Fort Liberty after one of America’s core values,” the report stated.
Fort Bragg is named after Gen. Braxton Bragg, a North Carolina slave owner who fought for the Confederate army during the Civil War to uphold slavery. Fort Bragg was established in 1919, decades after the Civil War.
In addition to the base being renamed, the commission also recommends all base-associated assets be renamed. For example, the commission said Fort Bragg NCO Academy be renamed Fort Liberty NCO Academy.
The Naming Commission estimates it will cost more than $6.3 million to rename Fort Bragg.
The other bases that will be renamed include:
- Fort Benning, Ga.
- Fort Gordon, Ga.
- Fort Hood, Texas
- Fort A.P. Hill, Va.
- Fort Lee, Va.
- Fort Pickett, Va.
- Fort Polk, La.
- Fort Rucker, Ala.
The estimated cost to rename all nine bases is more than $21 million.
The report released on Monday was the first of three reports that will be released by the Naming Commission. The report on Monday explained the commissions methodology, candidate research, reason for final selection and cost estimates for the renaming.
The second part of the report will address assets on the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy and the third report will address all U.S. Department of Defense assets not covered in the first two reports, the commission said. The commission did not say when the other two reports would be released.
Congress is expected to make the final naming decision by 2023.
