DeSantis vows to restore the name of Fort Bragg, named for confederate
By: Tampa Bay Times
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — President Joe Biden traveled to the recently renamed Fort Liberty in North Carolina on Friday to sign an executive order that aims to bolster job opportunities for military and veteran spouses whose careers are often disrupted by their loved ones' deployments.
Less than 100 miles away at the state's Republican Party convention, GOP presidential contender, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, vowed to restore the former name of the base that until last week was called Fort Bragg in honor of a Confederate general, if voters elect him president.
"It's an iconic name and iconic base, and we're not gonna let political correctness run amok in North Carolina," DeSantis said at the convention in Greensboro hours after Biden's speech and signing ceremony at Fort Liberty.
The installation's former name honors Gen. Braxton Bragg, a North Carolinian, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles that contributed to the Confederacy's downfall. Biden made no mention in his remarks before hundreds of soldiers and their spouses about the renaming of the base which was formally done by military officials last week.
The renaming of the base was part of a broader effort by the U.S. military to confront racial injustice in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. An independent commission last year recommended new names for Bragg and eight other Army posts that commemorate Confederate officers.
The installation is the largest U.S. Army base by population, with roughly 47,000 active-duty soldiers. The recent renaming didn't play a role in selecting the base to serve as a backdrop for Biden to announce his executive order, according to an administration official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In addition to DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and former President Donald Trump, the current GOP front-runner, are scheduled to address delegates on Saturday at the state convention in Greensboro. Trump, who has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, is also slated to speak on Saturday to the Georgia Republican Party's convention.
The order Biden signed on Friday directs agencies to develop a federal government-wide strategic plan on hiring and job retention for military spouses; bolster child care options; improve the collection of data on military and veteran spouses, caregivers and survivors in the federal workforce; and more than a dozen additional actions.
In remarks shortly before signing the order, Biden noted that the U.S. next month will mark 50 years of the all-volunteer force, which the president proclaimed the "greatest fighting force in the history of the world, bar none."
"The reason we've been able to sustain that force year after year, decade after decade, is because military spouses, caregivers and survivors have answered the call as well," Biden said. "You have your loved ones' backs, just like they have the country's back."
Biden was accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, whose "Joining Forces" initiatives focuses on aiding military families. She said that while the new executive order is a step forward, employers must also do their part by hiring military spouses and offering their families support.
"Spouses bring experience and adaptability that really can't be taught," Jill Biden said. "And when they get the opportunities that they deserve, our service members can do their duty knowing that those they love most are able to thrive"
The order was largely framed by conversations through the first lady's initiative, which looks to support families, caregivers and survivors of members of the U.S. military, Jill Biden said on a call with reporters previewing the order.
With nearly one in five military families citing challenges with spousal employment as a reason for considering leaving active-duty service, the issue is no small matter for the military's recruitment and training efforts, according to the White House. More than 16,000 military spouses work within the federal government.
"We're asking agencies to make it easier for spouses employed by the federal government to take administrative leave, telework and move offices," the first lady said. "We're creating resources to support entrepreneurs. And the executive order helps agencies and companies retain military spouses through telework or when they move abroad."
Before their visit to Fort Liberty, the Bidens took a tour and met with students at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The school is part of a coalition that received $23.7 million to train students for clean energy jobs from Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.
Biden said the job training effort is part of a strategy to "make us once again the most competitive nation in the world."
— By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press
Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Greensboro, N.C.., and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
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DeSantis is trying to pry away key elements of the white supremacist vote from Trump.
Such lofty goals for DeSantis. He needs to come across as less racist to expand his base though. Maybe he should also vow to pardon Bill Cosby or something.
Wanting to return the name to Bragg a loser is fitting for DeSantis another loser.
Why does DeSantis have an official DNC hat?
You're not even remotely funny.
Keep your day job
Why would the Army name a post after a loser.
"It's an iconic name and iconic base, and we're not gonna let political correctness run amok in North Carolina," DeSantis said at the convention in Greensboro hours after Biden's speech and signing ceremony at Fort Liberty."
Does anyone doubt that. What do people think of when they think of Fort Bragg? I think most people are like me and they think of the legendary base that trained so many in our military. The last thing I would think of is Braxton Bragg, a military officer who served in three wars (two of them for the US). Right now we have a president who serves the radical left because he made a dirty deal to gain the DNC nomination and thus he needs to make the crazies happy.
Here is the problem:
"Then there are those who do not want Trump for obvious reasons but will vote for him if nominated because they simply cannot even consider allowing a D be elected."
That statement comes from someone who considers himself to be an unbiased critical thinker. The statement implies that Joe Biden has acted as a typical democrat president and Republicans fear any democrat. Clearly, to any objective observer, he has been the most extreme radical human being to ever be elected president. The object is to beat Biden.
That is the 180 degree opposite of being objective.
We should not have the names of confederate generals decorating our military bases. It took a long time for the nation PTB to figure that out, but they eventually did, and there is no reason to go back. If vets want to refer to Ft Bragg in their own conversations, god bless em, but going forward it is Ft Liberty.
Who is "we?" Who voted on it?
We is the United States of America. Do you think every decision by the government and the military should be "voted on"?
We elect representatives who are supposed to do what we want.
The vast majority of Americans don't give a fuck about renaming military bases. Only eternally woke mighty mental midgets hoping to virtue signal their caring are pushing this.
There are far more important things for Brandon and Democrats to get done.
Brandon can start by securing our damn borders and enforcing our immigration laws! Then he can stop funding the money pit that is Ukraine. Russia is not a threat to the US or NATO; except with nuclear weapons. No matter how well we equip and train Ukrainian forces they will not be able to take out Russian nuclear weapons; but they sure as hell might start a nuclear war! Next he can work on the inflation he and the Democrats caused by their bloated spending; and decreasing US oil and gas output. It they have time they can combat the two tier justice system they created- and stop loving their criminals so damn much!
Then why is DeSantis complaining about it?
I'm sure you took his words out of context. You make it look as if the poster would vote for trmp simply because he's not a democrat
What a silly thing for a national candidate to run on.
DeSantis or Biden?
[✘]
Democrats are not descendants of the KKK. That would be the children of klan members, which were largely conservatives.
So, what I get from this is DeSantis hates Liberty and loves those who fight to keep slavery. And people want this guy as president?
I don't think that this would get much traction within the Army.
Sure makes for an easy headline.
How does renaming an Army post bolster job opportunities? Unless it's the temporary jobs that come with removing signage and stuff
A number of bases were renamed, each from a Confederate Officer to men and women that fought for the US and a number of them were recipients of the highest honor for valor that the US can bestow on an American.
I was stationed at old Ft. Benning now renamed Fort Moore after Lt. Col Hal Moore and his wife Julia Moore. The book and movie, ''We Were Soldiers Once...And Young''...The first major battle with NV regulars in Ia Drang (Death Valley) If you've read the book or seen the movie you know why the military chose Lt. Col. Moore to change the name to Fort Moore, and then read what Julia Moore did for the US Army and especially the grunt, the front line soldiers. It was a great choice.
Ft. Moore is known as the ''Home of the Infantry'' with a statute of what is called the ''ultimate weapon'' The Infantryman. It is home to US Army Paratroopers school, and home base for the elite 75th Ranger Regiment.
I have met two Medal of Honor recipients. Col. Van Barfoot was honored to have Ft. Pickett named Fort Barfoot.
Also Senator Daniel Inouye,
No matter how jaded you may be when you meet and shake hands with an MoH recipient you know that you are in the presence of a special person.
So, I am in full agreement with the renaming of the bases to American soldiers many of them recipients of our highest honor for valor.
I have no idea why in the world DeSantis would change the name back, it makes no sense at all.
My uncle did his basic at Ft Benning before he went to Vietnam. I think most of my uncles did but not sure
All I ever hear from him is stupid culture warrior bullshit.
I don't think I have ever heard him say any policy positions other than grievances.
I don't think he has any. I asked about his policies a few weeks ago and his supporters had nothing to tell me