'Overdue.' Military members, veterans weigh in on Bragg transition to Fort Liberty
"I think that the name liberty, it embodies everything that Bragg is all about."
The big countdown is on for Fort Bragg's transition to becoming Fort Liberty. The transition has long been a point of contention for people in the area's military community. Some say they're all for the change while others say it's taken them some time to come around to the idea.
Kim Gilley, the president of the Patriot Foundation, told ABC11 that initially, the price tag gave her pause. Congress has estimated it is costing more than $6 million in taxpayer money to roll out the transition.
"At first I was like this just seems like an awful lot of money that we're spending to change this name," Gilley said.
However, it was hearing a military mom's testimony during a meeting with the installation's leadership that gave Gilley a change of heart.
"A Gold Star mother stood up in the back of the room and said, 'My son did not live and fight and die for a man's name. He fought and died for liberty.' And just in saying that it gives you goosebumps. And suddenly everyone acquiesced around that. And I, too, felt like gosh, isn't that the truth?" she recalled.
"As a service member, I expected a name and so it was a little strange to me," said Sgt. Jameson Harris of the U.S. Army 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. "But then after hearing all of the stories, and then hearing everything that went into Fort Liberty, I think it's absolutely fantastic that the United States Army has an installation dedicated completely to a value, rather than a single person."
Others told ABC11 that they didn't need so much convincing.
"I thought it was overdue. There's a lot of people out there that have strong opinions about the name change from Fort Bragg to Liberty, but I think that the name liberty, it embodies everything that Bragg is all about. So, I don't think that there is a better name," said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Allen of the Sergeants Major Association.
"Liberty can mean a lot to a lot of different people. It's what you make of it, and every day we get up and we try to make the Army a little better," said Spc. Casey Brumbach of the U.S. Army 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. "There are so many people on this installation, in the history of this installation that it could have been named after. But liberty is a value that we can all get behind."
Staff Sgt. Larry Barnhill of the U.S. Army 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment acknowledged there are still others in the military community pushing back against the transition, but say they think they'll come around, too.
"It's going to take some getting used to as with any change and in time, people, they'll come to understand and embrace it more," Barnhill said.
Fort Bragg will be redesignated as Fort Liberty on Friday morning.
The history behind the naming of Fort Bragg
