Columbus, Ga. — Fort Benning has carried three official names since its establishment in 1918: Camp Benning, Fort Benning and Fort Moore. In 2025, the Army restored the Fort Benning name after nearly two years as Fort Moore, but the installation now honors a different soldier than the Confederate general for whom it was originally named.

The changes reflect more than a century of military history, including two world wars, the development of airborne forces, major changes in military training and a national debate over Confederate names on Army installations.

Today, Fort Benning remains one of the Columbus area's most significant institutions, supporting more than 120,000 military personnel, family members, retirees and civilian employees daily.

How the name changed three times

The installation's naming history begins in 1918 and includes two changes within less than two years.

The distinction between the original Fort Benning and the current name is important.

Henry L. Benning was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army who fought against U.S. Army troops during the Civil War.

Fred G. Benning, the installation's current namesake, served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism during combat in France in 1918.

Although the name returned in 2025, the person being honored changed.

Why Fort Benning became Fort Moore in 2023

The movement to rename military installations associated with the Confederacy gained momentum following national protests over the May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Congress began examining proposals to remove Confederate names from military installations. Fort Benning was among 10 Army posts named for former Confederate generals.

A congressionally mandated Naming Commission recommended honoring Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore. Both are buried on the installation.

On Oct. 6, 2022, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin accepted the recommendation and directed that the change occur no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

The official redesignation ceremony took place May 11, 2023.

Fort Benning became Fort Moore that day, replacing a Confederate namesake with a military couple.

Why the Army restored Fort Benning in 2025

On March 3, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Army to change Fort Moore back to Fort Benning.

The order did not restore Henry L. Benning as the installation's namesake. Instead, the Army designated Cpl. Fred G. Benning, the World War I soldier awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

By March 4, 2025, the Fort Benning name and logo had returned to portions of the Army's official website.

The change meant the installation could retain its longtime familiar name without again honoring the Confederate general.

From a World War I camp to a permanent Army post

Camp Benning was established Oct. 19, 1918, initially providing training for World War I units.

Future President Dwight D. Eisenhower served there from Dec. 24, 1918, until March 15, 1919, accompanied by approximately 250 tank personnel transferred from Camp Colt, Pennsylvania.

In February 1920, Congress declared Camp Benning a permanent military post and approved more than $1 million in additional construction funding for the Infantry School of Arms.

By fall 1920, the installation housed more than 350 officers, 7,000 troops and 650 student officers.

In 1922, Camp Benning officially became Fort Benning.

The Benning Revolution changed Army training

One of the installation's most important educational developments began in 1927, when Lt. Col. George C. Marshall became assistant commandant.

Marshall believed insufficient training had contributed to heavy American casualties during World War I.

He and his subordinates reorganized the education system to improve military preparation.

Those reforms became known as the Benning Revolution.

Marshall later served as Army chief of staff during World War II, developed the Marshall Plan for Europe's postwar recovery and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.

Earlier, Brig. Gen. Briant H. Wells had introduced a permanent construction program emphasizing outdoor recreation.

Facilities developed during his tenure included Doughboy Stadium, Gowdy Field, the post theater and Russ swimming pool.

World War II brought airborne training and the Triple Nickels

In August 1940, 48 volunteers, including two officers and 46 enlisted personnel, made their first airborne training jump over Lawson Field.

The group became the foundation for the development of America's airborne infantry.

During World War II, Fort Benning expanded to 197,159 acres, with accommodations for thousands of officers and enlisted personnel.

The installation also trained the 555th Parachute Infantry, nicknamed the Triple Nickels, an important milestone for Black Americans serving in the military.

Training began in December 1943. The unit later became the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion.

Although it did not deploy overseas or see combat during World War II, its members conducted more than 1,000 parachute jumps while performing firefighting duties in the Pacific Northwest.

The post's history also includes racial violence. Pvt. Albert King was killed by a white military police sergeant in March 1941, and Pvt. Felix Hall's body was found that same month. Hall's death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was charged.

In 2021, the Army unveiled a marker honoring Hall.

The Cold War and the modern training mission

Fort Benning continued developing specialized training during the Korean War, when an Airborne Ranger Training Center was established.

The installation also trained military scout dogs during the Vietnam War and developed facilities for urban combat training.

In 1984, the School of the Americas relocated from Panama to Fort Benning. Following criticism involving human rights violations by graduates, it was renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

A major transformation followed the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission's decision to consolidate Army schools.

The Armor School moved from Fort Knox, Kentucky, joining the Infantry School at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. The transformation was completed in September 2011.

What Fort Benning is today

Fort Benning remains home to the Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Infantry School, Armor School, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade.

Its mission includes preparing combat-ready forces that can deploy by air, rail or highway.

For Columbus, the installation's importance extends beyond its changing name. The post supports more than 120,000 active-duty soldiers, family members, reservists, retirees and civilian employees every day.

The installation has changed substantially since 1918, but its role in Army training remains central to its history.

How we did this

This report uses the historical timeline, installation information and military unit records compiled in the Wikipedia article "Fort Benning," reviewed Oct. 23, 2026. The account focuses on documented naming decisions and major historical milestones, without adding unverified local economic estimates or additional historical claims.