Hegseth Orders Fort Moore Be Changed Back To Fort Benning

The Pentagon will change the name of the Georgia military base Fort Moore back to Fort Benning, formerly named after a Confederate general, though this time it will honor a different man.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday signed a memorandum to restore the name of the Army base to Fort Benning after it was renamed Fort Moore in May 2023, one of nine military installations honoring Confederate generals that Congress mandated be changed. 

Hegseth said the new moniker pays tribute to Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during World War I while serving with the U.S. Army in France in 1918. The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general who opposed freeing slaves.

“This change underscores the installation's storied history of service to the United States of America, honors the warfighter ethos, and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades and will continue to train on its storied ranges,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

Hegseth’s order further fulfills a campaign pledge by President Trump, who vowed to revert bases back to their original names.

The Pentagon in February switched the North Carolina military base Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. In that case, Private First Class Roland Bragg, a decorated World War II veteran, was chosen as the namesake, in lieu of Braxton Bragg, another Confederate general.

On his first official day at the Pentagon, Hegseth had signaled the changes were coming when he called Fort Liberty and Fort Moore by their previous names, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning.

One of the largest military installations in the country, Fort Benning sits on Georgia’s border with Alabama and supports roughly 120,000 active-duty service members, their families, and civilian employees. Established during WWI, it is home to the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, U.S. Army Armor School and the U.S. Army Infantry School. 

It was renamed Fort Moore to honor Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julie Moore, who committed their lives to the service and helping Army families.

While Hal was deployed during the Vietnam War, Julie became frustrated with how the news of the death of a loved one was delivered via telegram, leading her to personally deliver notices. Her efforts led to the establishment of survivor support networks and casualty notification teams that are still used today. 

Hegseth, though ordering the Moore name be replaced, also directed the Army to honor the Moores’ legacy in “in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army.”

But Steve Moore, one of the couple’s sons, last month wrote an essay in the War Horse, saying he was “disappointed” at Fort Bragg’s name change calling the decision “so wrong.”

“Those who advocate for changing the name to honor a person solely because they happen to be named ‘Benning’ ignore the values and character of Hal and Julie Moore as well as their courage, competency, and dedication to the nation and Army families,” he wrote.