During a ceremony on Thursday, the Army’s training hub in Georgia was renamed Fort Moore, replacing the former name of Fort Benning, which had honored a Confederate officer for over a century. The new name honors the late Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Moore, both known for their dedication to the Army and military families. This marks the first time that the Army has named a base after a married couple.
Located just outside Columbus, Fort Moore is home to around 70,000 soldiers and civilian workers and is known for training soldiers in infantry and tank crews, as well as hosting the elite Army Ranger School. The name change for the base had been in progress for over a year since an independent commission recommended renaming nine bases that honored Confederate officers.
It’s official – welcome to FORT MOORE! pic.twitter.com/WlPOVqL46o
— US Army Maneuver Center of Excellence (@MCoEFortMoore) May 11, 2023
The name changes are part of the U.S. military’s broader effort to confront racial injustice, with the Pentagon ordering the removal of the names of Confederate officers and soldiers from bases, ships, streets, and other places by the end of the year. Some name changes, including Fort Pickett in Virginia, which became Fort Barfoot in March, and Fort Hood, Texas, renamed Fort Cavazos on Tuesday, have already taken place. Fort Bragg in North Carolina will be renamed Fort Liberty next month, and Fort Gordon outside Augusta, Georgia, will be renamed after former President Dwight Eisenhower later this year.
