The members of the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America — better known as the Naming Commission — want to hear the public’s suggestions on how to rename nine Department of Defense installations and one U.S. Navy ship.
Two Georgia posts — Fort Gordon and Fort Benning — are among those that may be renamed. The others are Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Bragg, Fort Rucker, Fort Hood, Fort Lee, Fort Polk, Fort Belvoir and Fort Pickett. The lone ship is the U.S.S. Maury.
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The commission has added a link on its website for people to make suggestions on new names.
The commission is chaired by Adm. Michelle Howard, U.S. Navy, Retired. Other members are Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, U.S. Army, Retired, Vice-Chair, Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, U.S. Army, Retired, Jerry Buchannan, Gen. Robert Neller, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, Lawrence Romo and Dr. Kori Schake. The only elected official on the commission is Georgia Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA8).
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The commission visited Fort Gordon earlier this year. Deputy Public Affairs Officer Anne Bowman said they were here July 19 and 20.
“This was not an ‘open’ visit. They were meeting with senior leadership only,” she explained. “There is currently no planned date for the naming commission to return to Fort Gordon.”
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Fort Gordon was founded as Camp Gordon. It is named for John Brown Gordon, a major general in the Confederate Army who later served as governor of Georgia and as a U.S. senator.
The commission will update the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee on its progress by Oct. The final report is due by Oct. 1, 2022.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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