All posts tagged "Bases"

Washington (AFP) - The United States on Friday renamed a military base to honor a decorated Native American soldier instead of a general who fought for the pro-slavery breakaway Confederacy. Previously called Fort Pickett, the 41,000-acre Virginia National Guard installation is the first of nine bases to drop the name of a figure who served the Confederate States of America, which was made up of southern states that seceded and were defeated in the 1861-1865 US Civil War. The base was renamed after Colonel Van T Barfoot, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, its commander, Colonel James Sha......

Washington (AFP) - The United States will rename nine army bases that honor figures from the pro-slavery Confederacy by the beginning of 2024, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday. Nationwide protests against racism and police brutality that were sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd reignited calls to rename the bases, and Congress mandated that they be changed despite opposition from then-president Donald Trump. "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 comme......