Renaming Army bases named after Confederate leaders to cost $21M

Giving new titles to nine Army bases named after Confederate generals will cost a little more than $21 million, according to estimates from the commission in charge of overseeing the process. 

The sum, first reported by Politico, is laid out in the first part of the Naming Commission’s final report to Congress, submitted Monday.

The document includes the costs to scrub the names of all nine installations, as well as changing or removing any other Confederate-affiliated symbols, displays, monuments or paraphernalia found on the bases.  

The costs to change the names on each installation varies, with Fort Bragg, N.C., the largest U.S. military base, estimated to cost the most at $6.3 million, followed by Fort Benning, Ga., at $4.9 million and Fort Lee, Va., at $2.4 million.

Fort Pickett, Va., will cost the least to rename, at nearly $323,000. 

In May, the Naming Commission put forward new titles for Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, Fort A.P. Hill, Va., Fort Gordon, Ga., Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Polk, La., and Fort Rucker, Ala. 

All would be renamed for those with ties to the Army’s nearly 250-year history, with the exception of Fort Bragg, which would be changed to Fort Liberty.  

The recommended names do not go into effect until approved by Congress and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.  

A final report from the commission, set up by Congress in last year’s defense bill, is due to lawmakers by Oct. 1, with the bases to be renamed by 2023.