In what could be filed under, “Why didn’t someone think of this before and save everyone a lot of trouble,” Fort Liberty is becoming Fort Bragg once again. However, it will be named for a different U.S. soldier with that last name.
It was only two years ago that the U.S. military post outside Fayetteville, N.C., – and the largest in the world with around 54,000 military personnel – saw its name changed to Fort Liberty. It now will see the change reversed, but not entirely. While it was previously named for native North Carolinian Confederate General Braxton Bragg, who had previously served in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War, it will now be named Private First Class Roland L. Bragg. The latter Bragg was awarded a Silver Star for actions during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
“This decision reflects the installation’s proud history of honoring selfless service and sacrifice in defense of the nation,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot said in a statement.
“We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg, right,” President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail. “We’re gonna get it back.”
The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed to the cabinet post by the U.S. Senate last month.
“We should change it back, because legacy matters. My uncle served at Bragg. I served at Bragg. It breaks a generational link,” said Hegseth. On Monday he followed through on the vow, and officially renamed the base Fort Roland L. Bragg.
Nothing to Bragg About
As previously reported, Fort Bragg was one of the 10 United States Army installations named for officers who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Along with Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, and Fort Lee – among others – Fort Bragg saw its name changed as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21), which included a provision that all of those bases to be renamed. The Naming Commission, which was created by the United States Congress, had proposed several possible names.
According to NBC News, which first reported that the Department of Defense was considering the change, noted that PFC Bragg’s name was among the thousands submitted by the public in 2023, but it was decided to name the base Fort Liberty instead.
Several factors were at play then, and thus may not satisfy everyone now.
Though PFC Bragg was a U.S. Army paratrooper – and would thus seem like a good choice given the base is home to Airborne and Special Operations Forces, it is actually the 82nd Airborne Division “All American” that is based there. Bragg served with the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division “Golden Talons,” which was based at Fort Benning. It is unclear if Bragg, who lived in Maine most of his life, ever even visited the base.
The Decision For Liberty
The choice to opt for “Fort Liberty” as the name for the base likely came down to the fact that the installation is home to the aforementioned United States Special Operations Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, and each certainly sought to name it for a veteran from one of those units.
One option suggested by some on social media at the time was to rename the base in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez as he had served in both the Special Forces and the 82nd Airborne Division.
However, two years ago after an agreement couldn’t be reached, Fort Liberty was put forward, and in the Naming Commission’s report to Congress, it noted that “Fort Liberty symbolizes the U.S. Army’s defense of liberty,” while it further stated that the word “Liberty” is featured in the 82nd Airborne Division’s song and is part of the Army Special Forces’ motto.
The base officially became Fort Liberty during a ceremony in June 2023, and it is unclear when the change back will occur.
Costly Change
The Naming Commission previously estimated that changing the name of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty would initially cost around $6.37 million, and it’s unclear how much it will cost to change the name back to Fort Bragg. It also isn’t known if the change has been completed, so it is possible the effort may not have to start from scratch.
Renaming the 10 Army bases reportedly cost around $21 million. The question now is how many other bases could be returned to their former names – or like Bragg, be something that is the same while still a bit different.
