Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Army official who oversees the branch’s operations may be coming to Alabama after being invited Thursday to a “critical” base in the state.

Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, wrote a letter Thursday to Hegseth and Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll invited them to Fort Novosel in southeast Alabama “to see firsthand the vital work being carried out at this critical Army installation.”

Fort Novosel had been known as Fort Rucker until 2023, when then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved removing the names of Confederates from nine military bases in the wake of the George Floyd protests.

Fort Rucker was named for Col. Edmund Rucker, a brigade commander in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

The base’s current 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.

Hegseth has reversed some of the renamings made by Austin, including reverting the North Carolina base to Fort Bragg and the west Georgia base to Fort Benning.

The defense secretary chose other military heroes with the same last names as Bragg and Benning for the renamings.

A spokesman for Moore could not be reached on whether the congressman wants Fort Novosel changed to its original name, but Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen pushed Hegseth to do so in February.

“Fort Novosel has long been a cornerstone of our national defense, serving as the home of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and the primary training installation for the Army’s fleet of rotary-wing aircraft,” Moore to Hegseth and Driscoll.

“Its strategic importance and the exceptional work conducted there cannot be overstated, and I believe a visit from both of you would highlight not only the dedication of the service members stationed there but also the significant role Fort Novosel plays in preparing the Army for future challenges.”

A visit by Hegseth and Driscoll, according to Moore, “will underscore the importance of continued investment in Fort Novosel, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of military readiness and innovation.

“The local community is deeply supportive of the base and its mission,” Moore wrote. “I know they would be honored to host you both and show you the important work being done at this vital installation.

“I would be delighted to coordinate the details of your visit and ensure that you can engage with military leadership, visit existing facilities, and speak with the soldiers and civilians who make Fort Novosel such an extraordinary asset to our military and the state of Alabama.”