FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fort Bragg officially became Fort Liberty Friday in a ceremony with remarks from Lt. Gen. Chris Donahue, XVIII Airborne Corps commanding general.
The change comes from an initiative by the Department of Defense to rename military installations bearing the names of Confederate soldiers. A naming commission created by Congress visited the bases and met with members of the surrounding communities for input.
North Carolina's largest military installation removed the name of a Confederate general from Warrenton and replaced it with a name suggested by a Gold Star mother, one whose son had given his life for the principles she spoke of.
Donahue told the assembled troops and guests that mother had said, "My son died for Liberty. We have to think bigger, be better. This post is more than a name."
"Liberty is in the fabric and the identity of all of our units," he said.
According to a commission report, the changes will cost Fort Bragg about $6.37 million.
In a statement, Fort Bragg said, "The name Liberty honors the heroism, sacrifices, and values of the Soldiers, Service Members, Civilians, and Families who live and serve with this installation. We view this as the next chapter in our history and look forward to honoring the stories of our military heroes from every generation and walk of life."
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