Naming Commission

On June 9, 2020, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced that she had "filed an amendment to the annual defense bill last week to rename all bases named for Confederate generals."{{Cite tweet |user=senwarren |number=1270448087220314113 |title=As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I filed an amendment to the annual defense bill last week to rename all bases named for Confederate generals. |first=Elizabeth |last=Warren |author-link=Elizabeth Warren |date=June 9, 2020 |access-date=2021-08-07}} On June 11, 2020, Reps. Anthony Brown (D-MD) and Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced H.R.7155, National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation Designations Act.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-11 |title=Brown - Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Rename Military Installations Honoring Confederate Leaders |url=https://anthonybrown.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=963 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611205028/https://anthonybrown.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=963 |archive-date=2020-06-11 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=U.S. Representative Anthony Brown |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Anthony G.|date=2020-06-11|title=H.R.7155 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): National Commission on Modernizing Military Installation Designations Act|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7155|access-date=2021-08-07|website=United States Congress}} The bill received support from 30 total co-sponsors, including 3 Republicans.

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) completed its markup of the FY2021 NDAA on June 11, 2020, and the bill reported out by committee included Warren's provision.{{Cite press release |title=SASC Completes Markup of Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act |date=June 11, 2020 |url=https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/press-releases/sasc-complete-markup-of-fiscal-year-2021-national-defense-authorization-act |access-date=2021-08-07 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20200616214135/https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/press-releases/sasc-complete-markup-of-fiscal-year-2021-national-defense-authorization-act |archive-date=16 June 2020 |work=United States Senate Committee on Armed Services}} Warren's provision to direct the renaming of the bases was altered to an approach that used a commission after Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) indicated her support to remove the names.{{Cite web|last=Swanson|first=Ian|date=2020-06-14|title=Cotton emerges as key figure in base renaming fight|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/502551-cotton-emerges-as-key-figure-in-base-renaming-fight|access-date=2021-08-07|website=TheHill|language=en}} Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) publicly said that they supported the amendment to change base names.

During consideration of the FY2021 NDAA by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) on July 1, 2020, Brown offered an amendment, which was co-led with Bacon, to directly require the Secretary of Defense to rename any defense property that is named after any person who served in the political or military leadership of any armed rebellion against the United States.{{Cite web |title=H.R. 6395 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 {{!}} Committee Repository {{!}} U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=110784 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20200716201019/https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=110784 |archive-date=16 July 2020 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=docs.house.gov}}{{Cite web |title=Amendment 6 Revision 1, House Armed Services Committee Markup of FY2021 NDAA |url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20200701/110784/BILLS-116-HR6395-B001304-Amdt-6r1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201001051441/https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20200701/110784/BILLS-116-HR6395-B001304-Amdt-6r1.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2020 |access-date=August 7, 2021 |website=House Repository}} The amendment offered by Brown passed by a vote of 33–23, with Republicans Bacon and Paul Mitchell (R-MI) joining in support.{{Cite web|title=Vote on Amendment 6r1|url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20200701/110784/CRPT-116-AS00-Vote006-20200701.pdf|access-date=August 7, 2021|website=House Repository}} The committee unanimously voted to report the NDAA favorably to the House.{{Cite web|date=July 1, 2020|title=Final Passage, FY2021 NDAA|url=https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20200701/110784/CRPT-116-AS00-Vote013-20200701.pdf|access-date=August 7, 2021|website=House Repository}}

At a July 9, 2020, hearing in HASC, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said, "I personally think that the original decisions to name those bases after Confederate bases were political decisions back in the 1910s and '20s....The American Civil War was fought, and it was an act of rebellion. It was an act of treason at the time against the Union. Against the stars and stripes. Against the U.S. Constitution. And those officers turned their backs on their oath."{{Cite web|date=2020-10-14|title=The secret history of Confederate post names the Army never wanted you to see|url=https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-confederate-post-study/|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Task & Purpose|language=en-US}}

On November 18, 2020, Speaker Nancy Pelosi named the House Democratic members of the conference committee for the NDAA and in doing so stated that "this summer, the House and Senate on a bipartisan basis passed NDAAs with provisions to begin the process of changing the names of military bases and infrastructure named after individuals who served in the Confederacy. It is imperative that the conference report include provisions that secure this essential priority. Our bases should reflect our highest ideals as Americans."{{Cite web|date=2020-11-18|title=Pelosi Names Conferees to National Defense Authorization Act Conference|url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/111820-0|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Speaker Nancy Pelosi|language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807205206/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/111820-0 |archive-date=2021-08-07 }}

Conference negotiations over the provisions were tense and threatened a failure to pass the NDAA for the first time in its 60-year history.{{Cite web |last1=Caygle |first1=Heather |last2=O'Brien |first2=Connor |last3=Ferris |first3=Sarah |date=November 23, 2020 |title=Dem divide over Confederate bases threatens massive defense bill |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/23/confederate-bases-democrats-defense-bill-439818 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201124003836/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/23/confederate-bases-democrats-defense-bill-439818 |archive-date=24 November 2020 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=Politico}}{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Connor |title=House Democrats consider slower timeline for renaming bases that honor Confederates |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/20/house-democrats-confederate-bases-renaming-438784 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=Politico |date=November 20, 2020}} On November 20, 2020, the Congressional Black Caucus adopted a formal position that the final conference report for the NDAA "must include a provision mandating the redesignation of Department of Defense property honoring the Confederacy."{{Cite web|date=2020-11-20|title=Congressional Black Caucus|url=https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2249|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Congressional Black Caucus|language=en}}

On December 2, 2020, the conference committee reported out the conference report, which receded to the Senate language without amendment and incorporated the text as section 370 in the final bill.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-02|title=Smith and Thornberry Statement on FY21 NDAA|url=https://armedservices.house.gov/2020/12/smith-and-thornberry-statement-on-fy21-ndaa|access-date=2021-08-07|website=House Armed Services Committee - Democrats|language=en}} The House of Representatives agreed to the conference report by a vote of 335–78 on December 8, 2020, and the Senate followed suit on December 11, 2020, passing it 84–13.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Adam|date=2021-01-01|title=Actions - H.R.6395 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6395/all-actions|access-date=2021-08-07|website=www.congress.gov}} On December 23, 2020, President Trump vetoed the legislation, saying, "These locations have taken on significance to the American story and those who have helped write it that far transcends their namesakes...I have been clear in my opposition to politically motivated attempts like this to wash away history and to dishonor the immense progress our country has fought for in realizing our founding principles."{{Cite web |title=Presidential Veto Message to the House of Representatives for H.R. 6395 – The White House |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/presidential-veto-message-house-representatives-h-r-6395/ |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov |date=December 23, 2020 |first=Donad J. |last=Trump}}

On December 28, 2020, in the last vote of the 116th Congress in the House of Representatives, the House voted to override President Trump's veto by 322–87, including 109 Republicans and 1 Independent who voted yea.{{Cite web|last1=Washington|first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154|last2=p:225-7000|first2=DC 20515-6601|date=2020-12-28|title=Roll Call 253 Roll Call 253, Bill Number: H. R. 6395, 116th Congress, 2nd Session|url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2020253?Date=12/28/2020|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives|language=en}} On January 1, 2021, in the last vote of the 116th Congress, the Senate voted to override President Trump's veto by 81–13, passing the commission into law.{{Cite web|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress - 2nd Session|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=2&vote=00292|access-date=2021-08-07|website=www.senate.gov}} The passage of the FY2021 NDAA was the 60th consecutive time that such legislation{{clarify|reason=What does 'such legislation' have in view? This specific bill? A renaming proposal? How wide or how narrow is 'such legislation'? Replace with specific language.|date=April 2024}} had been passed and is the only instance in which it was enacted over the objection of the president.{{citation needed|reason=A citation here will allow editors to clarify the vague 'such legislation'|date=April 2024}}

The commission was chartered with five primary activities:

1. Assessing the cost of renaming or removing names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia that commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America.
2. Developing procedures and criteria to assess whether an existing name, symbol, monument, display, or paraphernalia commemorates the Confederate States of America or person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America.
3. Recommending procedures for renaming assets of the Department of Defense to prevent commemoration of the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America.
4. Developing a plan to remove names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia that commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America from assets of the Department of Defense, within the timeline established by this Act.
5. Including in the plan procedures and criteria for collecting and incorporating local sensitivities associated with naming or renaming of assets of the Department of Defense.

The commission was authorized $2 million to conduct its work,{{cite web|last1=Beynon|first1=Steve|date=December 4, 2020|title=Defense bill directs $2 million to form commission, plan renaming of military bases honoring Confederates|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/us/defense-bill-directs-2-million-to-form-commission-plan-renaming-of-military-bases-honoring-confederates-1.654241|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=Stars and Stripes}} and had to brief the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on its progress by October 1, 2021, and then present a final briefing and written report to the armed services committees by October 1, 2022, which it accomplished while spending less than half the funding it was authorized.{{cite news|last=Vergun|first=David|date=May 21, 2021|title=Naming Commission Chair Details Progress, Way Ahead|work=DOD News|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2627802/naming-commission-chair-details-progress-way-ahead/}} The commission met biweekly and briefed the Secretary of Defense on its progress and recommendations. The commission's focus throughout the summer and fall of 2021 consisted of visiting the nine Army installations named for those who voluntarily served in the Confederacy.{{Cite web|title=Naming Commission Chair Details Progress, Way Ahead|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2627802/naming-commission-chair-details-progress-way-ahead/|access-date=2021-08-07|website=U.S. Department of Defense|language=en-US}} The commission met with installation leadership to gauge their level of planning and their local assessments.

The commission expanded their investigation of military assets to include assets with names that commemorate other Civil War era events or places to see if the name has a connection to the Confederacy. Examples given are USS Antietam (CG-54) and Fort Belvoir.

Until December 1, 2021, the commission had collected suggestions from the general public for possible replacement names for the military assets that the Department of Defense may finally decide to rename.{{cite web |url=https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/recommend-a-name |title=Recommend A Name |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128084623/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/recommend-a-name |archive-date=2021-11-28 }} After receiving thousands of suggestions, the commission posted a list of 90 names in March 2022 that it plans to consider as possible replacement names for the nine Army installations before the list is further narrowed to produce the list of finalists.{{cite web |url=https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/names |title=Army Installations: Potential New Names (as of March 17, 2022) |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318073634/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/names |archive-date=2022-03-18 }}

In March 2022, the commission determined that Fort Belvoir does not meet the criteria provided in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act for a renaming recommendation but the commission recommends that the Department of Defense conduct its own naming review of the post, based on results of the commission's historical research.{{cite news |url=https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/commission-fort-belvoir-s-name-remains-for-now/article_32933ef2-a60b-11ec-aedf-97e407bc184f.html |title= Commission: Fort Belvoir's name remains, for now |first=Paul |last=Lara |date=March 17, 2022 |work=InsideNoVa}} At end of the same month, the commission posted a list of 758 Defense Department items at U.S. military installations in the United States, Germany and Japan with ties to the Confederacy. Many of the items on the list are streets, signs, paintings and buildings.{{cite web |url=https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/inventory |title=DoD Inventory |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401094448/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/inventory |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |access-date=April 2, 2022 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.stripes.com/incoming/2022-03-31/confederate-names-military-bases-defense-department-5539612.html |title=More than 750 Defense Department items with names tied to the Confederacy listed for possible renaming |first=Corey |last=Dickstein

|newspaper=Stars and Stripes |date=March 31, 2022}} Included on the list, Arlington National Cemetery has a memorial dedicated to Confederate war dead which includes "highly sanitized depictions of slavery".{{cite web |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/07/09/army-reviewing-confederate-memorial-featuring-slaves-arlington-national-cemetery.html |title=Army Reviewing 'Confederate Memorial' Featuring Slaves at Arlington National Cemetery |date=July 9, 2020 |work=Military.com |first=Richard |last=Sisk}}

The eight-person commission was composed of four representatives appointed by the United States Secretary of Defense and one appointee each by the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and House Committee on Armed Services.

On January 8, 2021, Christopher C. Miller—the acting Defense Secretary for the outgoing Trump administration—appointed the four DoD representatives: "Sean McLean, a White House associate director; Joshua Whitehouse, the White House liaison to the Defense Department who was involved in some of the post-election purges at the Pentagon; Ann T. Johnston, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs; and Earl G. Matthews, an Army National Guard colonel who previously served as principal deputy general counsel for the Army and on Trump's National Security Council."

On January 29, 2021, following the January 20 inauguration of Joe Biden, the new administration halted all appointments that had not yet completed paperwork, including the four Secretary of Defense appointments to the commission.{{cite web|last1=Kheel|first1=Rebecca|date=January 29, 2021|title=Pentagon halts appointment of Trump loyalists to advisory boards|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/536520-pentagon-halts-appointment-of-trump-loyalists-to-advisory-boards|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=The Hill|language=en}} On February 12, 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced new appointments to the position,{{cite web|date=February 12, 2021|title=Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the Department's Representatives to the Congressionally-Mandated Commission on the Naming of Items in the Department of Defense That Commemorate the Confederate States of America|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2502459/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-the-departments-represe/|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=U.S. Department of Defense}} followed immediately after by the Democratic chairmen and ranking Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.{{cite web|last1=Homan|first1=Timothy R.|date=February 12, 2021|title=Pentagon, Congress appoint panel members to rename Confederate base names|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/538645-pentagon-congress-appoint-panel-members-to-rename-confederate-base-names|access-date=February 13, 2021|website=The Hill|language=en}}

On March 2, it was announced that Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch had to withdraw from the commission for personal reasons prior to the swearing-in ceremony.{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/541292-commissioners-tasked-with-scrubbing-confederate-base-names-sworn-in-at-first |title=Commissioners tasked with scrubbing Confederate base names sworn-in at first meeting |first=Rebecca |last=Kheel |work=The Hill |date=March 2, 2021}} Eight days later, Congressman Smith replaced Bunch with former Obama administration official Lawrence Romo.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latino-civil-rights-leader-lawrence-romo-will-help-remove-confederate-rcna378 |title=Latino civil rights leader will help remove Confederate symbols, names from military bases |website=NBC News |date=March 10, 2021 |first=Suzanne |last=Gamboa}}

Michelle Howard was the chair of the committee with Ty Seidule serving as the vice-chair.{{cite news |last=Kheel |first=Rebecca |date=21 May 2021 |title=Commission chair: 'Hundreds' of military assets could have Confederate names removed |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/554766-commission-chair-hundreds-of-military-assets-could-have-confederate-names |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521175401/https://thehill.com/policy/defense/554766-commission-chair-hundreds-of-military-assets-could-have-confederate-names/ |archive-date=21 May 2021 |access-date=21 May 2021 |newspaper=The Hill}} U.S. Army Major General Deborah Kotulich served as the chief of staff of the Army Support Team to the Naming Commission starting in November 2021 until it was dissolved.{{Cite web |title=Major General Deborah Kotulich – General Officer Management Office |url=https://www.gomo.army.mil/public/Biography/usar-8265/deborah-kotulich |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127190430/https://www.gomo.army.mil/public/Biography/usar-8265/deborah-kotulich |archive-date=27 November 2024 |website=www.gomo.army.mil}}

File:US Navy 100628-N-6854D-001 The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to participate Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010 exercises.jpg was named after a victory by the Confederate Army over the U.S. Army]]

Below is a list of U.S. military assets that may be affected by the NDAA:

• List of U.S. Army installations named for Confederate soldiers
• The United States Military Academy has a dormitory, a road, and an entrance gate that honor alumni who served in the Confederate Army.{{cite news |url=https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/local/2021/01/08/west-point-to-rename-sites-honoring-confederate-generals-robert-e-lee/6592983002/ |title=New law requires West Point to rename dorm, roads and gate named for Confederate generals |newspaper=Times Herald-Record |first=Chris |last=McKenna |date=January 8, 2021}}
• Army National Guard units that can trace their lineage to state militia units that had served as a part of the Confederate Army, such as the 116th Infantry Regiment of the Virginia Army National Guard and the 118th Infantry Regiment of the South Carolina Army National Guard, were allowed under U.S. Army regulations from 1949 until 2023 to carry campaign streamers that commemorate Confederate victories over the United States.{{cite web |url=https://angrystaffofficer.com/2020/08/03/a-tarnished-legacy-confederate-battle-honors-and-the-army-national-guard/ |title=A Tarnished Legacy: Confederate Battle Honors and the Army National Guard |date=August 3, 2020 |work=Angry Staff Officer}}{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/24/army-national-guard-civil-war/29236277/ |title=Guard battle streamers still honor Confederacy |newspaper=USA Today |date=June 24, 2015 |first=Tom |last=Vanden Brook}}{{cite web |title=Civil War Campaigns |url=https://history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/cw.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906024125/https://history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/cw.html |archive-date=6 September 2021 |work=U.S. Army Center of Military History}} In its final report, the Naming Commission recommended that the Secretary of Defense to have the Secretary of the Army revoke the 1949 exemption that allowed the display of campaign streamers not associated with U.S. Army service.{{cite news |url=https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/commission-blue-gray-patch-stays-confederate-campaign-streamers-go |title=Commission: Blue-Gray Patch Stays, Confederate Campaign Streamers Go |date=August 9, 2022|work=National Guard Association of the United States}} The Department of the Army implemented this recommendation the following year.{{cite news |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/03/16/these-southern-national-guard-units-toss-confederate-battle-streamers.html |title=These Southern National Guard Units to Toss Confederate Battle Streamers |first=Steve |last=Beynon |date=March 16, 2023 |work=Military.com}}
• Fort Belvoir was added to the list in May 2021 by the commission since the current name of the base commemorates a slave plantation that previously occupied the site. The base opened in 1917 as Camp A. A. Humphreys, named in honor of Union general Andrew A. Humphreys. The fort was renamed in 1935 at the request of Congressman Howard W. Smith (D-VA), an "avowed white supremacist".{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/18/what-rename-army-bases-that-honor-confederate-soldiers/ |title=What to rename the Army bases that honor Confederate soldiers |date=June 18, 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |first=Ty |last=Seidule |author-link=Ty Seidule}} In March 2022, the commission determined that the fort did not meet the criteria provided in the 2021 NDAA but recommends that the DoD conduct its own naming review of the post.
• Arlington National Cemetery has streets named after Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and the Confederate Memorial which includes "highly sanitized depictions of slavery" (dedicated by President Woodrow Wilson on June 4, 1914, the 106th anniversary of the birth of Jefferson Davis). Recommendation for the removal of the Confederate Memorial was included in the final report and must be complete by the end of 2023. The current plan is to remove of all bronze elements from the statue while leaving the granite base and foundation in place to avoid disturbing surrounding graves.{{cite magazine |url=https://northernvirginiamag.com/culture/news/2023/08/14/arlington-national-cemetery-seeks-public-input-on-confederate-memorial-removal/ |title=Arlington National Cemetery Seeks Public Input on Confederate Memorial Removal |magazine=Northern Virginia Magazine |first=Maggie |last=Roth |date=August 14, 2023}}
• Redstone Arsenal has a laboratory named after CSA general Josiah Gorgas.

• List of United States Navy ships commemorating the Confederate States of America
• USS Chancellorsville, a ship named for a battle in which a larger Union army was defeated by a much smaller Confederate force. As recently as 2016, the ship's wardroom had a painting of Confederate generals Lee and Jackson.{{cite news |url=https://news.usni.org/2020/06/12/senate-bill-to-purge-confederate-names-from-u-s-military-could-affect-two-navy-ships |title=Senate Bill to Purge Confederate Names from U.S. Military Could Affect Two Navy Ships |first=Sam |last=LaGrone |date=June 12, 2020 |work=USNI News}} In February 2023, the Secretary of the Navy announced that the Chancellorsville will be renamed USS Robert Smalls sometime later in 2023 in commemoration of Robert Smalls, a slave who had commandeered a Confederate transport ship, CSS Planter.{{cite news |url=https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-02-28/navy-rename-uss-chancellorsville-confederate-9279900.html |title= Navy to rename USS Chancellorsville after former slave who stole Confederate steamer |first=Alex |last=Wilson |newspaper=Stars and Stripes |date=February 28, 2023}}
• USNS Maury, a ship named for an officer in the Confederate navy.{{cite news |last=Vergun |first=David |date=May 21, 2021 |title=Naming Commission Chair Details Progress, Way Ahead |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2627802/naming-commission-chair-details-progress-way-ahead/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522003248/https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2627802/naming-commission-chair-details-progress-way-ahead/ |archive-date=22 May 2021 |access-date=22 May 2021 |url-status=live |work=DOD News}} In March 2023, the Secretary of the Navy announced that the USNS Maury be renamed USNS Marie Tharp in honor of geologist and oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp who had helped to produce the scientific map of the Atlantic Ocean floor.{{cite press release |title=SECNAV Renames Pathfinder-class Oceanographic Survey Ship USNS Maury after Marie Tharp |date=March 8, 2023 |publisher=Department of the Navy |url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3322038/secnav-renames-pathfinder-class-oceanographic-survey-ship-usns-maury-after-mari/ |access-date=8 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308163050/https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3322038/secnav-renames-pathfinder-class-oceanographic-survey-ship-usns-maury-after-mari/ |archive-date=8 March 2023}}
• USS Antietam, a ship named after the Battle of Antietam. Although considered a Union victory, the battle was tactically inconclusive since General George B. McClellan failed to crush the much smaller Confederate force under Robert E. Lee
• The United States Naval Academy had an engineering building (Maury Hall) and the superintendent house (Buchanan House) that honor naval officers who had served in the Confederate Navy.{{cite news |url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/06/11/naval-academy-board-chair-calls-to-remove-confederate-names-from-buildings/ |title=Naval Academy board chair calls to remove Confederate names from buildings |newspaper=Navy Times |first=Brian |last=Witte |date=June 11, 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/education/naval-academy/ac-cn-naval-academy-buildings-confederacy-20200729-ef2xiiwyafavbnywr2iee55jqq-story.html |title=Naval Academy buildings named after Confederate sailors could be renamed under defense act |newspaper=Capital Gazette |first=Heather |last=Mongilio |date=July 29, 2020}} In February 2023, the Naval Academy officially renamed Maury Hall as Carter Hall in honor of former U.S. president and USNA alumnus Jimmy Carter. In May 2023, the superintendent's house was officially renamed Farragut House in honor of Admiral David Farragut.{{cite press release |title=SECNAV Renames United States Naval Academy Superintendent's Quarters after Admiral Farragut |date=May 1, 2023 |publisher=Department of the Navy |url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3380464/secnav-renames-united-states-naval-academy-superintendents-quarters-after-admir/ |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502211527/https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3380464/secnav-renames-united-states-naval-academy-superintendents-quarters-after-admir/ |archive-date=2 May 2023}}

• Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, has a building named after CSA President Jefferson Davis and a street named after Robert E. Lee.

=== List of considered names ===

In March 2022, the commission published a list of 90 names it considered for use in renaming the nine Army bases:

{{div col|colwidth=16em}}

• John Aiso
• Alexander Augusta
• Vernon Baker
• Van Barfoot
• Powhatan Beaty
• Roy Benavidez
• Omar Bradley
• Ruby Bradley
• William Bryant
• Jose Calugas
• William Carney
• Alwyn Cashe
• Richard Cavazos
• Cornelius Charlton
• Charles Chibitty
• Ernest Childers
• Mary Clarke
• Mitchell Red Cloud
• Harold Cohen
• Felix Conde-Falcón
• Courage
• Bruce Crandall & Ed Freeman
• Benjamin Davis, Sr.
• Ernest Dervishian
• Desmond Doss
• Charity Earley
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Marcario García
• James Gavin
• Eduardo Gomez
• Gary Gordon & Randall Shughart
• Arthur Gregg
• Barney Hajiro
• Kimberly Hampton
• Anna Hays
• Rodolfo Hernández
• Robert Howard
• Lawrence Joel
• William Henry Johnson
• Hazel Johnson-Brown
• Charles Kelly
• Mildred Kelly
• Charles Kettles
• Milton Lee
• José López
• John Magrath
• George Marshall
• Frank Merrill
• Jimmie Monteith
• Hal & Julia Moore
• Sadao Munemori
• Audie Murphy
• Michael Novosel, Sr.
• Elsie Ott
• John Page
• Emmett Paige, Jr.
• Frank Peregory
• Emily Perez
• Pascal Poolaw
• Colin Powell
• Ralph Puckett
• Matthew Ridgway
• Ruben Rivers
• Roscoe Robinson, Jr.
• Tibor "Ted" Rubin
• James Rudder
• Alejandro Ruiz
• Benjamin Salomon
• Ruppert Sargent
• Paul Smith
• Donn Starry
• Freddie Stowers
• Jon Swanson
• Central Texas
• Charles Thomas
• Hugh Thompson, Jr.
• Harriet Tubman
• Humberto Versace
• John Vessey, Jr.
• Francis Wai
• Mary Walker
• George Watson
• Homer Wise
• Rodney Yano
• Alvin York
• Charles Young
• Rodger Young

{{div col end}}

=== List of recommended names ===

On May 24, 2022, the Commission issued its final recommendations:{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=New names for Fort Bragg, 8 other Army bases recommended |url=https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-government-and-politics-2c635453129124a462ea79691e634ce9 |access-date=2022-05-25 |work=Associated Press |language=en}}

• Fort Benning had its name recommended to be changed to Fort Moore, and was renamed on May 11, 2023 for Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julia Compton Moore.{{Cite news |last=Meron |first=Moges-Gerbi |date=May 12, 2023 |title=Georgia's Fort Benning drops Confederacy connection with new name in honor of a military couple |work=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/11/us/fort-benning-georgia-renamed-moore-reaj/index.html}} The name was reverted to Fort Benning on March 3, 2025, for Distinguished Service Cross recipient Fred G. Benning instead of Henry Lewis Benning.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=Base Redesignation |url=https://www.army.mil/article/283484/base_redesignation |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.army.mil |language=en}}
• Fort Bragg had its name recommended to be changed to Fort Liberty, and was renamed on June 2 2023 for the American value of Liberty. (As the only recommendation of a non-person name, this choice attracted both criticism{{cite web |url= https://www.fayobserver.com/story/opinion/2022/05/27/fort-bragg-renaming-liberty-proposed-name-change-congress-fayetteville-nc/9940214002/|title= Fort Liberty? No, let's choose one of our heroes for Fort Bragg's new name|last= Pitts|first= Myron B.|date= 2022-05-29|publisher= The Fayetteville Observer|access-date= 2022-06-14}} and praise{{cite web |url= https://www.fayobserver.com/story/opinion/2022/06/26/retired-general-fort-liberty-perfect-new-name-fort-bragg/7707245001/|title= Retired General: Fort Liberty the perfect new name for Fort Bragg|last= Anderson|first= Rodney|date= 2022-06-26|publisher= The Fayetteville Observer|access-date= 2022-07-22}} in nearby Fayetteville, North Carolina.){{cite web |date=2023-03-28 |title=Guard Installation Officially Redesignated Fort Barfoot |url=https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/guard-installation-officially-redesignated-fort-barfoot |access-date=31 March 2023 |publisher=National Guard Association of the US}} The name was reverted to Fort Bragg on February 10, 2025{{snd}}for Silver Star recipient Roland L. Bragg instead of Braxton Bragg.{{Cite news |last=Ismay |first=John |date=2025-02-11 |title=Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/us/politics/hegseth-fort-liberty-bragg.html |access-date=2025-02-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
• Fort Eisenhower, formerly Fort Gordon, renamed October 27, 2023, for General of the Army, later US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower.{{Cite web

| title = Georgia's Fort Gordon becomes last of 9 US Army posts to be renamed

| last = Frazier | first = Aisha

| work = ABC News

| date = 27 October 2023

| access-date = 27 October 2023

| url = https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgias-fort-gordon-9-us-army-posts-renamed/story?id=104371264

}}

• Fort Walker, formerly Fort A.P. Hill, renamed on August 25, 2023, for Medal of Honor recipient Dr. Mary Edwards Walker{{Cite web |date=2023-08-25 |title=Diversity celebrated as Fort AP Hill is renamed Fort Walker |url=https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/fort-walker-virginia-august-25-2023 |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR |language=en}}
• Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, renamed on May 9, 2023, for Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Richard E. Cavazos
• Fort Gregg-Adams, formerly Fort Lee, renamed on April 27, 2023, for Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.{{cite news |url=https://6abc.com/fort-lee-renamed-in-honor-of-2-black-us-army-trailblazers/13190915/ |title=Fort Lee renamed in honor of 2 Black US Army trailblazers |first=Brittany |last=Gaddy |date=2023-04-28 |work=WPVI-TV}}
• Fort Barfoot, formerly Fort Pickett, renamed on March 24, 2023, for Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Van T. Barfoot{{cite news |last=Vrabel |first=Mike |date=2023-03-24 |title=VNG installation officially redesignated Fort Barfoot |url=https://www.army.mil/article/265145/vng_installation_officially_redesignated_fort_barfoot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025137/https://www.army.mil/article/265145/vng_installation_officially_redesignated_fort_barfoot |archive-date=25 March 2023 |work=U.S. Army}}
• Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk, renamed on June 13, 2023, for Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William Henry Johnson
• Fort Novosel, formerly Fort Rucker, renamed on April 10, 2023, for Medal of Honor recipient CW4 Michael J. Novosel{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/10/us/fort-rucker-name-change-novosel/index.html |title= Fort Rucker was named for a Confederate. The Army post will now be called Fort Novosel, for a Medal of Honor recipient who rescued thousands |first=Phil |last=Gast |work=CNN |date=April 11, 2023}}

The recommendations were accepted, and by October 27, 2023, each of the bases had been renamed.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Eleanor |date=2023-10-27 |title=U.S. military finishes renaming bases that previously honored Confederates - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-military-renaming-bases-previously-honored-confederates/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

In 2024, Donald Trump made campaign promises to restore the Confederate names to the bases.{{Cite web |title=Restoring Fort Bragg, other Confederate base names: Can Trump keep his campaign promise? |url=https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-01-16/army-bases-confederate-names-trump-16501423.html |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Stars and Stripes |language=en}}

On February 10, 2025, in the second month of the second Trump administration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Army to revert the name of Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg, saying that the base would now be named for Silver Star recipient Roland L. Bragg instead of Braxton Bragg.

On March 3, 2025, Hegseth ordered the Army to revert the name of Fort Benning, saying that the base would now be named for Distinguished Service Cross recipient Fred G. Benning instead of Henry Lewis Benning.

{{reflist|group="MoH"|refs=

Civil War (1860–1865) Medal of Honor recipient

World War I (1917–1919) Medal of Honor recipient

World War II (1941–1945) Medal of Honor recipient

Korean War (1950–1953) Medal of Honor recipient

Vietnam War (1964–1974) Medal of Honor recipient

Battle of Mogadishu (1993) Medal of Honor recipient

Iraq War (2003–2011) Medal of Honor recipient

}}

{{reflist|group="KIA"|refs=

Died in combat during World War I

Died in combat during World War II

Died in combat during Korean War

Died in combat during Vietnam War

Executed by Viet Cong while POW during Vietnam War

Died in combat during Battle of Mogadishu

Died in combat during Iraq War

}}

{{reflist|group="general"|refs=

War time general

Peace time general

}}

{{reflist|group="other"|refs=

Of the nine U.S. Army forts, only Fort Hood is located in the state of Texas

Harriet Tubman and Mary Walker were civilians who served the U.S. Army in various capacities during the Civil War that put their lives in danger, such as crossing enemy lines, but at the same time were not allowed to enlist because they were women.

One of the few nominees who were still alive at the time of nomination in March 2022

Although Julia Moore was a civilian and never a sworn member of the military, she spent most of her life living on an U.S. Army base as a daughter of colonel and a wife of a general and she had served her country by find ways to improve the lives of the common soldier and their dependents.

}}

{{reflist}}

;Final Report to Congress:

• {{cite report |url=https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/thenamingcommission/20220922214737/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/report |title=Part I: United States Army Bases |date=August 8, 2022 |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221005055119/https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i5pxcq-4zUNbS1yRjZYr9cWmVer0Uu5g/view |archive-date=2022-10-05 }}
• {{cite report |url=https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/thenamingcommission/20220922214737/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/report |title=Part II: U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy |date=August 29, 2022 |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221005060055/https://drive.google.com/file/d/19nhxKfBungsgL1d157vjDUdAlk4V-8g8/view |archive-date=2022-10-05 }}
• {{cite report |url=https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/thenamingcommission/20220922214737/https://www.thenamingcommission.gov/report |title=Part III: Remaining Department of Defense Assets |date=September 19, 2022 |work=The Naming Commission |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221005060337/https://drive.google.com/file/d/17hGFylLlQU52W8JHXXqMo3eEDsf781Ra/view |archive-date=2022-10-05 }}

Category:United States national commissions

Category:Confederate States of America monuments and memorials