Fort Liberty

Fort Liberty. It is a major United States Army installation located in Cumberland County, North Carolina and Hoke County, North Carolina, adjacent to the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Established in 1918, it is one of the largest military complexes in the world by area and serves as a key power projection platform, notably for the XVIII Airborne Corps and the United States Army Special Operations Command. The installation was known as Fort Bragg for over a century before being redesignated in 2023 as part of a Department of Defense initiative to remove names commemorating Confederate figures.

History

The site was established in 1918 as an Artillery training ground during World War I, named for Confederate States Army General Braxton Bragg. Its role expanded significantly during World War II, becoming a center for airborne training with the activation of the 82nd Airborne Division and later the 101st Airborne Division. During the Cold War, it was a pivotal base for rapid deployment forces and saw major expansions, including the establishment of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. The post was a primary staging area for units deploying during the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Throughout its history, it has also been integral to the development of United States Army Airborne and Special Forces doctrine and tactics.

Geography and facilities

Encompassing over 150,000 acres in the Sandhills region of North Carolina, the installation's terrain includes vast training areas, airfields, and urban combat simulation sites. Key facilities include Pope Field, home to Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft; the Simmons Army Airfield; and the Joint Special Operations Command headquarters. Major training resources are the Joint Readiness Training Center-affiliated Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Range 37 complex. The installation also contains the Womack Army Medical Center and borders the Town of Spring Lake, with its main entrance accessed via All American Freeway.

Units and operations

Fort Liberty serves as the home of the XVIII Airborne Corps, the Army's primary strategic response corps, and houses its major subordinate commands including the 82nd Airborne Division and the 20th Engineer Brigade. It is the headquarters of the United States Army Special Operations Command, overseeing units such as the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) and the 75th Ranger Regiment. The 1st Theater Sustainment Command and the 44th Medical Brigade are also stationed here. These formations routinely deploy worldwide for exercises and combat operations, supporting United States Central Command, United States Africa Command, and United States European Command missions.

Name change and controversy

The renaming process began following the 2020 George Floyd protests and the subsequent creation of the Congressional Naming Commission, which recommended removing names of Confederate figures from DOD assets. The commission's final report, delivered to Congress in 2022, specifically cited Braxton Bragg's legacy. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth announced the change to Fort Liberty in 2023, aligning with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The decision was met with mixed reactions, receiving support from many soldiers and groups like the NAACP but facing opposition from some veterans and politicians, including North Carolina Senator Ted Budd, who viewed it as erasing history.

In popular culture

The installation has been featured in numerous films, television series, and novels, often depicted as the home of elite soldiers. It serves as a setting in films like *Black Hawk Down* and *The Green Berets*, and is frequently referenced in the television series *The Unit*. Author Tom Clancy used it as a backdrop in several novels, including *Without Remorse*. The base and its units are also central to documentaries such as *The Hornet's Nest* and have been featured in video games like the *Call of Duty* series, reinforcing its iconic status in depictions of the U.S. military.

Category:United States Army posts Category:1918 establishments in North Carolina