Reclaiming History: Rucker Krepp’s Journey to Remove Confederate Namesakes from Military Bases

The article is an op-ed by K. Denise Rucker Krepp, who shares the same surname as Confederate figures such as Col. Edmund Rucker and Howell Cobb. The military bases Fort Benning in Georgia and Fort Rucker in Alabama were named after these relatives during a time when honoring Confederates was commonplace. However, with increasing awareness of systemic racism and calls for social justice, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 which included a commission tasked with removing assets named after Confederates from military bases. Rucker Krepp became part of this process as she was assigned to assist in identifying these Confederate namesakes within different branches of service including Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force installations worldwide. The article explores the complex emotions that come with being a descendant of Confederates while also serving in the military or working for federal agencies today. Rucker Krepp shares her personal experiences growing up as an Army brat, attending Coast Guard Academy before becoming a civilian lawyer at Maritime Administration and later joining Navy’s legal department. She discusses how her family legacy affects interactions with Black American military personnel who served on bases named after Confederates or wore shirts emblazoned with these figures. Although many descendent members feel that Confederate naming is an honor, Rucker Krepp explains the historical context behind it and argues for renaming to reflect a more accurate representation of history. She shares her support for Army Chief Warrant Officer Michael Joseph Novosel Sr., whose name replaced Edmund Rucker’s at Fort Rucker in Alabama last year due to his heroic actions during three wars, including Vietnam where he was awarded the Medal of Honor and helped evacuate thousands of wounded personnel. The article concludes with a reflection on visiting Caernarfon Castle while observing the ceremony from Wales and acknowledging that it marks “a new page” in American history for her family’s legacy.