Overview

• The Defense Department will restore the original names of Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Lee over the next several months.
• Officials say each installation will officially commemorate a different service member who shares the same surname as its former Confederate honoree, including Union soldiers and 20th-century Medal of Honor recipients.
• The decision reverses the Biden administration’s 2023 renaming effort, which followed national protests over racial injustice and aimed to reflect values of courage and service.
• Retired Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule and lawmakers from both parties warn the workaround violates the spirit of the 2021 law that mandated removal of Confederate names.
• Critics contend the move is part of a broader rollback of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the military.