New commission on renaming Army bases gets early makeover

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

A new commission created to relabel U.S. Army bases named for Confederate leaders has quietly undergone a major shakeup as the Biden administration has replaced last-minute Trump appointees with a diverse panel.

Driving the news: The eight-member commission established in a bill last year, after George Floyd's death brought attention to systemic racism, will include the first African American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and a retired West Point historian who has compared the Confederacy to treason.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the first Black American to hold the position, last month replaced four appointees assigned by the Trump administration. The new members are expected to approach the task with a critical eye toward the past and an emphasis on racial and ethnic diversity.

The law that authorized the commission tasked House and Senate Democrats and Republicans with appointing half the members, and the Department of Defense with designating the other half.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/commission-renaming-army-bases-makeover-39b8983d-60b8-496b-9e26-78b5de6874bb.html

[MineralMan]

1. My suggestion for naming military bases remains:

Name them all after Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. There are enough of those to rename every last base.

Simple. Fair. Honest.

[Johnyawl]

2. Excellent idea!

[lark]

4. I approve of this idea.

Logical and positive recognition is the way to go.

[AverageOldGuy]

5. Exactly !!!

[usaf-vet]

10. Roger THAT!

[COL Mustard]

13. As Long As MSG Roy Benavidez Is One Of Them

And SFC Alwyn Cashe is another. These genuine heroes should be recognized for all time for their acts.

[sarge43]

3. Fort Rucker AL, primary training center for Army aviators

Named after Confederate general Edmund Rucker.

Change its name to Fort Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Commander of the Tuskegee Airmen. Other accomplishments: First Black American Air Force Brig Gen, went to make four star. Commanded the 13th Air Force.

[roscoeroscoe]

6. Awful good start!

There are so many incredible Americans whose valor could be recognized. Washington Post had a great article on this a while back, full of local connections.

[sarge43]

7. Absolutely. Those men can't have enough recognition

Second that on the Medal of Honor winners.

[COL Mustard]

14. Please Don't Say Medal of Honor "Winner"

You win the lottery. You win a ball game. You EARN the Medal of Honor.

Picayunish, I'll admit but the military is big on that point of protocol.

[sarge43]

17. Yes, I am well aware. Forgive my mistake. n/t

[COL Mustard]

19. I Salute You!

[COL Mustard]

20. And Seriously, I Didn't Mean To Be Pedantic

Just one of my pet peeves. Have a great day, Sarge!

[jmowreader]

15. Either him or Jack Mackmull

General Mackmull is considered the father of Army Aviation. He’s the one who, among other things, established Aviation as a separate branch. And because of him, it’s a combat arm...the brass wanted to make it a support arm, until Mackmull reminded them of the existence of attack helicopters.

Given that, I am not overly convinced the Army would want to so honor a man known Armywide as Fat Jack.

[CTyankee]

8. I know that my late uncle, who helped lift our family out of poverty and served honorably in

Armed Services during WWII, would applaud this wonderful event. He was a Southerner and the family was poor but he received an appointment to West Point. He was white, but learned a lot from his Army experience, and became an outspoken liberal Democrat in our family.

[Evolve Dammit]

9. Good idea MM.

[Postal Grunt]

11. RE: MoH honorees

I'd like to suggest USMC General Smedley Butler, two time MoH honoree and the most decorated Marine veteran who wrote "War is a Racket". There's already a Butler Marine Base on Okinawa but he deserves more recognition for his helping to thwart a coup d'etat against FDR.

[Angleae]

18. Are any marine corps installations on the renaming list?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

12. "Compared the Confederacy to treason"?

It was treason. According to Article III, Section 3 of the US Constitution, "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." How is what the Confederacy did not treason?

[Historic NY]

16. FT Bragg should be renamed for their WWII Commander of the 82nd

The "Jumping Jim" General James M. Gavin 37yr old Major General made 4 combat jumps with his men - worked against a segregated military.

We are ‘moving toward the sound of the guns,’ Later Ambassador to France From orphan to a leader of men.

[link:https://www.historynet.com/jim-gavin-the-general-who-jumped-first.htm|