Amid the push to disentangle military bases from Confederate legacies, Fort Benning in Georgia has found its way back to an old name, taking a new path towards honoring the valor of another soldier. Yesterday, a ceremony marked the official restoration of the post's name to Fort Benning, discarding its former placeholder, Fort Moore, in favor of commemorating a World War I hero, Corporal Fred G. Benning. This shift is a part of a broader reassessment of such designations, as mentioned in a report by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, driven by a congressional effort, began in 2020 and saw completion under the Biden administration, has been instrumental in this rebranding. The base, once named after a Confederate general, now proudly reflects the bravery of a young man whose act in France during the Great War earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. While returning home to Nebraska, Fred Benning started a bakery and became a mayor, according to information from a WRDW report.
The renaming has been met with nuanced feelings, as Fort Benning, which supports approximately 70,000 soldiers, civilian workers, and family members, had just acclimated to its previous name, Fort Moore. The Moore designation was an homage to Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his spouse, Julia, for their combined service and advocacy. Fort Benning, known for its infantry and tank crew training, along with housing the elite Army Ranger School, has seen several name changes in a relatively short window of time.
However, this change does not come without costs and logistics. As reported, an Army commission in 2022 projected the changeover to Fort Moore would total at least $4.9 million, and the impact of reversing the renaming is yet uncalculated. Nevertheless, in a statement obtained by WRDW, Hegseth directed the Army "to find a new way to honor the Moores 'in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army.'"
While Fort Benning's name has been reclaimed to honor a different Benning, no clear determination about renaming other military installations that have shed their Confederate-derived monikers has been reported. Previously renamed bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, have seen similar reversions, departing from brief identities like Fort Liberty. It remains to be seen if other bases like Fort Hood, Fort Pickett, Fort Lee, and Fort A.P. Hill will follow a similar trajectory of renaming back to previous designations, but with a new twist of honoring different individuals sharing the same surnames.
