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HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE www.hnmagazine.com
GOVERNMENT
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n 2021, the United States government established the Naming Commission, a congressional commission tasked with pro- viding new names and removing Department of Defense items that commemorate the Confederate States of America. Currently, the commission is looking to rename nine military bases that currently bear the names of Confederate generals. According to the commission, the new names must reflect the courage, values, sacri- ices and demographics of the men and women in our armed forces, with consideration given to the local or regional significance of names and their potential to inspire and motivate ser- vice members. One of the changes proposed, and likely to be enacted, include one of the more popular military bases: Fort Hood. The commission is proposing that the Texas-based military installation be named after General Richard Cavazos as Fort Cavazos. General Cavazos was a United States Army four-star general who served for 33 years in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was the recipient of two Distinguished Service Cross awards, one for the Korean War and one for the Vietnam War, and became the irst Hispanic four-star general for the United States Army. Cavazos additionally became the irst Mexican-American to reach the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army. Though Cavazos military history and accomplishments are extensive, he is best
Fort Hood Likely to be Renamed After Hispanic Hero
known for his leadership with the 65th Infantry Regiment known as The Borinqueneers. The regiment was mostly made up of natives of Puerto Rico and overcame tremendous odds in battle. One such battle, that earned General Cavazos his first Distinguished Service Cross was recounted in the citation below: Lieutenant Cavazos led his men in a raid on the entrenched enemy upon whom heavy casualties were inflicted. When a heavy bar- rage was laid on the position by the enemy, Lieutenant Cavazos withdrew the company
WIKIPEDIA
and regrouped his men. Lieutenant Cavazos three times led the company through the heavy barrage in assaults on the enemy position, each time destroying vital enemy equipment and personnel. When the United Nations ele- ment was ordered to withdraw, Lieutenant Cavazos remained alone on the enemy outpost to search the area for missing men. Exposed to heavy hostile fire, Lieutenant Cavazos located ive men who had been wounded in the action. He evacuated them, one at a time, to a point on the reverse slope of the hill from which they could be removed to the safety of the friendly lines. Lieutenant Cavazos then made two more trips between the United Nations posi- tion and the enemy-held hill searching for casualties and evacuating scattered groups of men who had become confused. Not until he was assured that the hill was cleared did he allow treatment of his own wounds sustained during the action. During his 33 years of service, General Cavazos also faced racism, which he fought to establish the position he came into. His brav- ery and leadership earned him an abundance of military recognitions including, but not lim- ited to, a Silver Star, five bronze medals, the Purple Heart, an Army Distinguished Service Medal and two Legion of Merit awards. Those supporting Fort Hoods name change to Fort Cavazos include Texas Representative Joaquin Castro, a persistent advocate for using the renaming system to honor Hispanic and African American military heroes. Throughout our nations history, Hispanic and Latino service members have served with valor and distinction - despite, at times, facing discrimination at home and abroad, Castro stated according to NBC News, These courageous men and women have played essential roles in our most defining battles and protected freedom across the world. Though no official name changes have taken place at the time of writing, all of the name changes are believed likely to be offi- cially approved by the Secretary of Defense upon receiving the commission's final report. Representative Castro additionally stated of the name change: I hope the new Fort Cavazos will be a welcoming community that our service members and military families are proud to call their home.
Sources: NBC, Wikipedia
DREW ANTHONY SMITH/GETTY IMAGES
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