Confederate Names and Military Installations: Fact Sheet

Confederate Names and Military Installations: Fact Sheet

Confederate Names and Military Installations: Fact Sheet

April 3, 2026 (R48894)
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Contents

U.S. Military Bases Named in Honor of Confederate Military Leaders

The Naming Commission

Trump Administration Base Name Changes

Naming Policy, by Military Service

Congressional Reaction

Tables

Table 1. Changes to the Names of Military Bases

Summary

Prior to 2023, there were 10 major military installations named after Confederate Civil War commanders, all of which were located in the former states of the Confederacy. Nine of the bases were active-component Army installations and one was a state Army National Guard camp.

Drawing on the authority of the Naming Commission, established by Section 370(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283), the Department of Defense (DOD) renamed the nine active-component Army installations in 2023.

DOD is "using a secondary Department of War designation," and the Secretary of Defense is using "Office of the Secretary of War" as a "secondary" designation, under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025.

In 2025, the U.S. Army announced that, in accordance with Section 1749(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92), "Prohibition on Names Related to the Confederacy," the same nine active-component Army installations would be renamed again.

The second round of base renaming changed the nine Army bases back to their original names; however, this time, non-Confederate veterans who shared the same surnames as the original base names were honored in the renaming.

State officials in Louisiana renamed the state National Guard camp in 2023 and, in 2025, renamed it again, following the lead of the federal government and the U.S. Army.

In spring and summer 2025, President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued press releases and gave speeches referring to the second round of name changes to the nine U.S. Army bases.

During the 119th Congress, Members of Congress have expressed various views on the renamings and some have introduced legislation, including amendments, on this issue.

U.S. Military Bases Named in Honor of Confederate Military Leaders

Prior to 2023, there were 10 major military installations named after Confederate Civil War commanders located in the former states of the Confederacy (see Table 1). Nine of the bases were active-component Army installations and one was a state Army National Guard camp. Department of Defense (DOD) officials renamed the nine active-component Army installations in 2023¹ and renamed them again in 2025.² State officials in Louisiana renamed the state National Guard camp in 2023 and, in 2025, renamed it again.³

DOD is "using a secondary Department of War designation," under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025. The Secretary of Defense is using "Secretary of War" as a "secondary title" under the same executive order.

The Naming Commission

Drawing on the authority of the Naming Commission established by Section 370(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283), the DOD renamed nine active-component U.S. Army installations in 2023.

The language establishing the Naming Commission specified "a commission relating to assigning, modifying, or removing names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia to assets of the Department of Defense that commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America."⁴

Section 370 of the NDAA for FY2021 directed the Secretary of Defense to implement the Naming Commission's recommendations "not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act," or by January 1, 2024.⁵

On February 12, 2021, then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III announced the appointment of four commissioners to lead the effort:⁶

Retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard (chair)

Retired Marine Corps General Robert Neller

Kori Schake

Retired Army Brig. General Ty Seidule

Four more commissioners were appointed by the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees:

Retired Army Lt. General Thomas P. Bostick

Lonnie G. Bunch III

Jerry Buchanan

U.S. Representative Austin Scott.⁷

Bunch subsequently withdrew for personal reasons and was replaced by Lawrence Romo.⁸

The Naming Commission produced a three-part final report for Congress.

Part I of the report, United States Army Bases (published in September 2022), recommended renaming nine military bases.

Part II of the report, U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy (published in August 2022), addressed "assets on the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland."

Part III of the report, Remaining Department of Defense Assets (published in September 2022), addressed "all Department of Defense assets not covered in the first two parts."⁹

"The Naming Commission found more than 1,100 Defense Department assets across the U.S. military's inventories that honored the Confederacy," including the nine Army bases that the Commission recommended renaming.¹⁰ Although the Naming Commission recommended names for the nine bases identified in Part I, "the Commission determined the best way forward was for the Commission to manage the new base names and for the military department secretaries to manage all other Confederacy-affiliated Department of Defense assets."¹¹

Having discharged its duties as required by P.L. 116-283, the Naming Commission disbanded on October 1, 2022.¹² Then-Secretary of Defense Austin issued a memorandum on the final report that "directed DoD leaders and the Services to begin implementation immediately following the NDAA-mandated 90-day waiting period."¹³

On January 5, 2023, DOD began implementing the Naming Commission's recommendations to change the names of more than 1,100 DOD assets, including the nine Army bases.¹⁴

The deadline set by Section 370 of the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283) for the removal and replacement of Confederate names was January 1, 2024. By the end of October, 2023, the National Guard and the Army had completed their installation name changes in accordance with the Naming Commission and P.L. 116-283.¹⁵

See the second column of Table 1, below, for details on these military installation name changes.

Trump Administration Base Name Changes

Secretary of Defense Hegseth and President Trump announced a second round of name changes to the nine Army bases in spring and summer 2025. See the third column of Table 1, below, for more details on these changes.

The second round of base renaming changed the nine Army bases back to their original names; however, this time, non-Confederate veterans who shared the same surnames as the original base names were honored in the renaming.

In February¹⁶ and March 2025,¹⁷ Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, citing his authority as the Secretary of Defense (10 U.S.C. 113(b)), signed memoranda changing the names of two of the bases originally named after Confederate figures: Fort Bragg, NC, and Fort Benning, GA (see Table 1).

Fort Bragg is now named after Army Private First Class (PFC) Roland L. Bragg, a World War II paratrooper.

Fort Benning is named for Sgt. Fred G. Benning, a World War I veteran.

Citing the authority of the FY2020 NDAA, the U.S. Army announced on June 10, 2025 that it would change the names of the other seven Army installations whose names had been changed in 2023 by the Naming Commission.¹⁸ (See column three of Table 1.)

President Trump announced these name changes on the same day.¹⁹

On July 14, 2025, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced changing the name of what had become Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville back to Camp Beauregard, now named after a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.²⁰

Table 1. Changes to the Names of Military Bases

Original Confederate Namesa

Naming Commission Changes

Subsequent Changes During the Second Trump Administration Changesb

Fort Rucker, Alabama (Col. Edmund W. Rucker, honorary "General")

Fort Novosel (Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel)

Fort Rucker (Capt. Edward W. Rucker).

Fort Benning, Georgia (Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning)

Fort Moore (Army Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore)

Fort Benningc (Cpl. Fred G. Benning)

Fort Gordon, Georgia (Maj. Gen. John Brown Gordon)

Fort Eisenhower (Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President, served as General of the Army)

Fort Gordon (Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon)

Camp Beauregard, Louisiana (Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant "P.G.T." Beauregard)

Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville

Camp Beauregardd (Capt. Jacques Toutant Beauregard, the father of the pre-Naming Commission namesake)

Fort Polk, Louisiana (Gen. Leonidas Polk)

Fort Johnson (Army Sgt. William Henry Johnson)

Fort Polk (Gen. James H. Polk)

Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Gen. Braxton Bragg)

Fort Liberty

Fort Braggc (Pfc. Roland L. Bragg)

Fort Hood, Texas (Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood)

Fort Cavazos (Army Gen. Richard E. Cavazos)

Fort Hood (Col. Robert B. Hood)

Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia (Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell "A.P." Hill)

Fort Walker (Dr. Mary Edwards Walker)

Fort Anderson-Pinn-Hill (A.P. Hill) (Pvt. Bruce Anderson, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn, and Lt. Col. Edward Hill)

Fort Lee, Virginia (Gen. Robert E. Lee)

Fort Gregg-Adams (Army Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg and Army Lt. Col. Charity Adams)

Fort Lee (Pvt. Fitz Lee)

Fort Pickett, Virginia (Maj. Gen. George Edward Pickett)

Fort Barfoot (Col. Van T. Barfoot)

Fort Pickett (1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett)

Source: U.S. Army Center of Military History; Department of Defense, "DOD Begins Implementing Naming Commission Recommendations," DOD News, January 5, 2023; Department of Defense, "Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Renames Fort Moore to Fort Benning," press release, March 3, 2025; Department of Defense, "Fort Liberty Becomes Fort Bragg, Renamed for Battle of Bulge Hero," DOD News, March 7, 2025; Department of the Army, "Army To Change Names of Seven Installations," press release, June 10, 2025; Matt White, "Louisiana National Guard Base to be Renamed for Confederate General's Dad," Task & Purpose, July 15, 2025; and various military, National Park Service, and news resources.

a. Links within the table provide information about the military bases and the persons for whom they have been and are named. Bases are listed in alphabetical order of state and then alphabetical order within state.

b. Second Trump Administration names announced by President Trump, unless noted.

c. Announced by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

d. Announced by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. The 2023 renaming was issued by the head of the Louisiana guard bureau. See KALB Digital Team and Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office, "New Name Reveled for Pineville's Camp Beauregard," April 17, 2023. The 2025 renaming was issued by the Louisiana governor. See Noel Collins, "Governor Landry, LA Guard Rename Camp Beauregard Installation," Louisiana National Guard, July 14, 2025. This base name change is included in the chart for ease of comparison.

Naming Policy, by Military Service

Each service has its own naming criteria and approval process for naming military installations, facilities, etc., and naming decisions typically do not go through Congress. See the following text box for each service's naming policy.

Naming Policy, by Military Service

Dates provided refer to the most recent updates for each naming policy.

Army. Army Regulation (AR) 1-33, The Army Memorial Program (July 30, 2025), sets naming criteria for the Army. In general, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASA [M&RA]) is responsible for naming Army installations. The Secretary of the Army retains final approval authority for the Army Memorial Program—a program that oversees the naming of all Army real property. For the Army, naming a U.S. Army installation after a deceased individual is considered a memorialization, while naming an installation after a living individual is termed a dedication. The Army maintains separate criteria for memorialization and dedication. In addition to dedicating and memorializing installations after people, the Army can name an installation after an event. AR 1-33 provides a separate set of criteria for this "naming" and is defined as "the non-permanent naming of Army real property after famous battles and events."

Navy. OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5030.12H (October 2017) explains the U.S. Navy's policy and procedures for naming streets, facilities, and structures. According to this instruction, "names selected should honor deceased members of the Navy." It may also be appropriate to honor deceased persons other than Navy personnel who have made significant contributions to the benefit of the Navy. This instruction is applicable to naming a structure or building that is identified by a real property unique identifier or a street. Naming designations of internal portions of buildings or spaces can be assigned at the discretion of the local installation commander.

Marine Corps. The Manual for the Marine Corps Historical Program (February 2009) addresses the Commemorative Naming Program and specifies that "property may be named for individuals highly regarded within the Marine Corps and/or local communities. Names of deceased Marines, or members of other military organizations who died while serving with or in support of Marine Corps units, will be considered first."

Air Force. Department of Air the Force Instruction 36-2880, Memorialization Program (May 22, 2023), sets Air Force policy for the Air Force's memorialization program. The instruction states, "the memorialization program is intended to provide enduring honor and tribute to living and deceased military members and civilians with records of outstanding and honorable service through the naming of Air Force (Regular Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard) and Space Force installations, facilities, buildings, rooms, streets, and any other permanent facilities." Chapter 4 of the instruction provides naming criteria and approval authorities for Air Force installations, and states: "When naming an Air Force or Space Force installation, ensure only the most deserving individuals are selected for memorialization. Selections should bring honor to DAF [the Department of the Air Force] and reflect the goodwill of the local community." The instruction prohibits the use of names that refer to the Confederate States of America in accordance with P.L. 116-92 §1749.

Congressional Reaction

A number of Members of Congress have expressed concerns over the renamings, and some have introduced legislation, including amendments, to provide statutory authority for the name changes proposed by the Trump Administration or to prohibit reversing the work of the Naming Commission.

On February 11, 2025, H.R. 1214 was introduced proposing to provide statutory authority for the designation of the Army installation in Fayetteville, North Carolina, as Fort Bragg. H.R. 1214 specifies that this Army installation should be called Fort Bragg, but the text does not specify who it should be named after, whether a Confederate or non-Confederate namesake. It was introduced one day after Secretary Hegseth issued a memorandum to rename the base as Fort Bragg in tribute to Army PFC Roland Bragg, who served during World War II.²¹ The installation was originally designated as Fort Bragg for Confederate general Braxton Bragg, and its name was changed to Fort Liberty in 2023. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Armed Services February 11, 2025. No action has been taken since that time.

On July 15, 2025, the House Armed Services Committee voted to advance H.R. 3838, Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026. While in committee, an amendment to H.R. 3838 passed, adding language to the bill that would have prohibited reversing the work of the Naming Commission.²²

On September 10, 2025, H.R. 3838, Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026, passed the House and contained the following sections:

"SEC. 383. Inapplicability of Recommendations, Procedures, and Plans of Commission Relating to Assigning, Modifying, or Removing of Names, Symbols, Displays, Monuments, and Paraphernalia to Assets of the Department of Defense That Commemorate the Confederate States of America to Civil Works Projects of Department of Defense"

This section would have specified that, notwithstanding any plan of the Naming Commission, recommendations of the commission would not apply to any civil works projects at the DOD.

"SEC. 2866. Limitation on Use of Funds for Contravention or Reversal of Implementation of Recommendations of Commission on the Naming of Certain Items of the Department of Defense."

This section would have prohibited the use of funds for reversing the recommendations of the Naming Commission.

On October 9, 2025, S. 2296, another version of an NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026, passed the Senate with the following section:

"SEC. 349. Naming of Certain Assets of the Department of Defense in the Commonwealth of Virginia."

This section would have specified that the Secretary of Defense may not change the name of an asset of the Department of Defense in the Commonwealth of Virginia that was adopted by the [Naming] Commission to any name other than the name that was adopted.

On December 10, 2025, the House passed an amendment in the nature of a substitute for S. 1071, NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026. The House did not include naming limitations found in either H.R. 3838 or S. 2296. The Senate subsequently agreed to this House amendment to S. 1071.

On December 18, 2025, the President signed S. 1071 into law, and it became P.L. 119-60. The law made no mention of naming limitations found in either H.R. 3838 or S. 2296.

This Fact Sheet builds on earlier research by Barbara Salazar Torreon, Senior Research Librarian.

Footnotes

1.

As authorized by Section 370 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283), which established the Naming Commission. See this report's section, "The Naming Commission."

2.

In its press release announcing the renaming of the nine Army bases, the U.S. Army referred to Section 1749(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92), "Prohibition on Names Related to the Confederacy." This section states, "In naming a new asset or renaming an existing asset, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department may not give a name to an asset that refers to, or includes a term referring to, the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the ''Confederacy'')." U.S. Army Public Affairs, "Army to Change Names of Seven Installations," June 10, 2025.

3.

The 2023 renaming was issued by the head of the Louisiana guard bureau. See KALB Digital Team and Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office, "New Name Reveled for Pineville's Camp Beauregard," April 17, 2023. The 2025 renaming was issued by the Louisiana governor. See Noel Collins, "Governor Landry, LA Guard Rename Camp Beauregard Installation," Louisiana National Guard, July 14, 2025.

4.

William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283), Section 370.

5.

Ibid.

6.

Department of Defense, "Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the Department's Representatives to the Congressionally-Mandated Commission on the Naming of Items in the Department of Defense That Commemorate the Confederate States of America," February 12, 2021.

7.

U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, "Armed Services Committees Leadership Announces Selections for Commission on Removing Confederate Symbols and Names from U.S. Military Assets," February 12, 2021.

8.

Suzanne Gamboa, "Latino Civil Rights Leader Will Help Remove Confederate Symbols, Names from Military Bases," NBC News, March 9, 2021.

9.

The missions of all three reports were described in the Executive Summary of the Final Report to Congress: Part I: United States Army Bases, Naming Commission, August 2022, p. 2.

10.

Corey Dickstein, "Pentagon Begins Work to Strip DOD of Confederate-Linked Names and Items, Rename 9 Army Posts," Stars and Stripes, January 5, 2023.

11.

Naming Commission, Final Report to Congress: Part I: United States Army Bases, August 2022, p. 2.

12.

As per the language in the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283), Section 370: "Not later than October 1, 2022, and not later than 90 days before the implementation of the plan in subsection (c)(4), the Commission shall present a briefing and written report." The Naming Commission had no further tasks and disbanded after the third and final report was published.

13.

Department of Defense, "Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Directs Implementation of the Naming Commission's Recommendations," October 6, 2022.

14.

Jim Garamone, "DOD Begins Implementing Naming Commission Recommendations," Department of Defense, January 5, 2023.

15.

Staff Sgt. Noshoba Davis, "Historic La. Installation Redesignated as Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville, " Louisiana National Guard Press Release, October 18, 2023. Eleanor Watson, "U.S. Military Finishes Renaming Bases that Previously Honored Confederates," CBS News, October 27, 2023.

16.

Department of Defense, "Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg," February 10, 2025. Secretary Hegseth cites his authority to rename the installation as 10 U.S.C. 113.

17.

Department of Army, "Hegseth Restores Fort Moore to Fort Benning in Honor of WWI Soldier," March 5, 2025.

18.

U.S. Army Public Affairs, "Army to Change Names of Seven Installations," June 10, 2025. The press release states these redesignations are "in accordance with Section 1749(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] for Fiscal Year 2020." The NDAA for FY2020 (P.L. 116-92), Section 1749(a) is a "Prohibition on Names Related to the Confederacy": "In naming a new asset or renaming an existing asset, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department may not give a name to an asset that refers to, or includes a term referring to, the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the ''Confederacy'').... " This Section does not, however, refer to the Naming Commission, which would be established in the next year's NDAA.

19.

Joe Walsh and Eleanor Watson, "Trump Says He's Restoring the Original Confederate Names of These Army Bases—But with New Namesakes," CBS News, June 11, 2025.

20.

See Noel Collins, "Governor Landry, LA Guard Rename Camp Beauregard Installation," Louisiana National Guard, July 14, 2025.

21.

Department of Defense, "Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg," February 10, 2025.

22.

Rebecca Kheel, "House Panel Adds Ban on Restoring Confederate Base Names as It Advances Major Defense Bill," Military.com, July 16, 2025.