Fort Hood Should Be Renamed After The First Hispanic 4-Star General, Lawmakers Say

Enlarge this image

The late Gen. Richard E. Cavazos was the first Hispanic American promoted to the rank of four-star general.

C.R. Bruce

hide caption

toggle caption

C.R. Bruce

Live Updates: Protests For Racial Justice
Despite Trump’s Veto Threat, Senate Approves Provision To Rename Military Bases

«Latinos make up almost 19% of the country now — so almost a fifth of the country — and have served proudly over the generations in the armed forces,» Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat and a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told NPR.

«We think it’s only right that the contributions of different Latinos be recognized on these bases,» Castro added.

According to Castro, there isn’t a single military base on the mainland U.S. named after a Latino service member.

The government is deciding how it will rename bases named after Confederate figures

The ask comes as the federal government continues to decide how it will rename bases across the U.S. that were named after Confederate service members, a mandate included in the defense appropriations bill approved by Congress in January.

Enlarge this image

Fort Hood, in Killeen, Texas, is the largest active duty armored post in the U.S. Armed Forces, with some 40,000 soldiers.

Tony Gutierrez/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Tony Gutierrez/AP

National
With Robert E. Lee’s Statue Gone, Virginia Reveals Some New Plans For Its Pedestal

Cavazos won the Silver Star and two Distinguished Service Cross awards for his service during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In one instance, he was was recognized for exposing himself to enemy fire and exploding grenades.

«I truly believe that a lot of us got home because of the way he conducted himself,» Melvin «Brave» Brav, who served under Cavazos, told the San Antonio Express-News.

Cavazos died of Alzheimer’s disease in 2017. He was 88.

What’s next for the naming commission

The Naming Commission — a congressional commission that reports to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees — is currently taking suggestions from the public on what to rename some of the military installations with titles linked to the Confederacy.

Nine Army posts named for Confederate officers, another named for a former slave plantation and two ships are under consideration for renaming.

The commission says it will deliver a report to Congress by October 2022, and the defense bill stipulates that the Secretary of Defense will implement the plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

• Fort Hood