Date set for Fort Rucker name change
The U.S. Army has set the date for the renaming of Fort Rucker.
Fort Rucker will officially be redesignated Fort Novosel during ceremonies April 10 at Veterans Park on post. The ceremony isn’t open to the public but will be livestreamed on the fort’s Facebook page.
The new name honors Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr., a Medal of Honor recipient with ties to Army Aviation, the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, and the Wiregrass region in southeast Alabama. “Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr., epitomizes what an Army Aviation Soldier should be,” said Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker commanding general. “His legacy of courage under fire in support of soldiers on the ground is what we train for and expect of our soldiers. It is an honor for the Home of Army Aviation to bear his name.”
The post is one of nine Army installations that currently bear the names of those with ties to the Confederacy. Rucker is named for Col. Edmund Rucker, a brigade commander in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Renaming Rucker will cost the Army some $1.5 million dollars, according to Congressional reports.
Other bases with new names will be Fort Benning, Georgia, renamed Fort Moore after Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore; Fort Bragg, N.C., renamed Fort Liberty; Fort Gordon, Georgia, renamed Fort Eisenhower for Gen. Dwight Eisenhower; Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia renamed Fort Walker for Dr. Mary Walker; Fort Hood, Texas, renamed Fort Cavazos after Gen. Richard Cavazos; Fort Lee, Virginia, renamed Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams; Fort Pickett, Virginia renamed Fort Barfoot after Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot; and Fort Polk, Louisiana renamed Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson.
Fort Saban? Nick Saban shows up on list of proposed names for U.S. Army bases
Fort Rucker to be renamed to honor Alabama man, Medal of Honor recipient Michael Novosel
85 names under Army consideration in renaming Fort Rucker, other Confederate bases: Here’s the list
60-plus names on Alabama military bases, from Redstone library to Mother Rucker bar, under review
Department of Defense commission evaluating renaming Confederate bases to visit Alabama