Friday 7 October 2022 09:37 PM US Army WILL rename nine forts named after Confederate generals at a cost of ... trends now US Army WILL rename nine forts that honor Confederate generals at a cost of $63M: Lloyd Austin defends move saying installations are 'powerful public symbols of our military' Following years of debate, the US Defense Department will rename nine US military bases named after Confederate generals The renaming process will also include 1,000 other Army installations named for Confederate Army generals and affiliates around the country Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the names of the forts and installations should 'inspire all those who call them home, fully reflect the history and the values of the United State By Sophie Mann For Dailymail.Com Published: 21:32 BST, 7 October 2022 | Updated: 21:35 BST, 7 October 2022 Viewcomments After half-a-decade of debate, the US Department of Defense ha announced it will rename the nine US military bases that bear named of officers of the Confederacy. The effort will cost the American taxpayers a cool $62.5 million and likely begin early next year. On Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave the official nod of approval to put into action the final recommendations of the Commission on the Naming of Items of the DoD that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served with the Confederate States of America - a title long enough to sufficiently explicate the complexity of the topic. The Naming Commission (for short), released a memo Thursday that included recommendations to alter upward of 1,000 installations and facilities, including the nine major Army bases, that were originally named after leaders of the Confederacy. Those nine Army bases that will soon bear new names are Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett, and Fort Lee in Virginia. The Naming Commission released a list of potential new names for the bases back in May, names that included ‘Fort Eisenhower’ for Fort Gordon and ‘Fort Liberty’ for Fort Bragg, among others. The renaming will likely begin in December or the new year, following a congressionally-mandated 90-day waiting period. Two of the US Army bases named for Confederate generals that are set to be renamed likely early next year US Army Fort AP Hill in Virginia Fort Pickett in Virginia was named for Confederate General George Pickett, who is best know for leading the futile battle offensive on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg 'The installations and facilities that our Department operates are more than vital national security assets. They are also powerful public symbols of our military, and of course, they are the places where our Service members and their families work and live,' said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. 'The names of these installations and facilities should inspire all those who call them home, fully reflect the history and the values of the United States, and commemorate the best of the republic that we are all sworn to protect,' he added. The plan to rename the forts and other vestiges of Confederate military fighters will 'will give proud new names that are rooted in their local communities and that honor American heroes whose valor, courage, and patriotism exemplify the very best of the United States military,' he wrote. A large handful of army bases were named to honor Confederate generals as US troops trained to enter both world wars, specifically because of a policy that allowed regional commanders to oversee the naming process of the forts. According to the final of three reports from the renaming commission, the process will cost DoD a cool $62.5 million and will be comprised of renaming more than 1,000 installations and facilities bearing the name of rebel officers. Forts named after Confederate Generals Fort Benning, Georgia - established in 1909, the fort was named for Confederate Brigadier General Henry Lewis Benning, who was born on a plantation owned by his parents and took an active role in pushing for the secession of Georgia from the union Fort Gordon, Georgia - established in 1941, the fort was named for Confederate Major General John Brown Gordon, who, after the fall of the Confederacy, became a US Senator and Governor of Georgia Fort Bragg, North Carolina - established in 1918, the fort is named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg, whose many losses are cited as highly consequential to the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy Fort Hood, Texas - established in 1942, the fort was named for Confederate General John Bell Hood. It was originally built to test and train soldiers to use World War II tank destroyers Fort Rucker, Alabama - established in 1942, the fort is named for Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The fort is primarily used for flight training for US Army Aviators Fort Polk, Louisiana - established in 1941, the fort was named for Confederate General Leonidas Polk, who was also the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana and subsequently the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia - established in 1941, the fort was named for Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, a native Virginian who fought in the Mexican-American war and the Seminole Wars before he joined the confederacy Fort Pickett, Virginia - established in 1941, fort was named for Confederate General George Pickett, who is best know for leading the futile battle offensive on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg Fort Lee, Virginia - established as Camp Lee in 1917, the fort was named for famed Confederate General Robert E. Lee and is located on the historic grounds where Captain John Smith established some of the first plantations along the James River in the 17th century Advertisement The committee initially offered a number of recommendations for names to be given to the bases as replacements. They included World War Two hero Audie Murphy, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and ex-President Dwight Eisenhower, among others. Murphy, a former US Army soldier, became the most-decorated serviceman of World War Two. Powell was the first black person to serve as Secretary of State, between 2001 and 2005, and died last year. Eisenhower was a hero World War Two commander who later served as president between 1953 and 1961. He is credited with a series of public works programs - including the Interstate system - that helped transform America into the world's only hyper-economy. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility