Central Texans Reaction to Congress Moving to Bring Back Fort Cavazos

Conversations have resurfaced after a 29–27 vote in the House Armed Services Committee to once again rename Fort Hood as Fort Cavazos, according to KWTX. If approved, this would be the second time Fort Cavazos replaces Fort Hood.

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You Won't Believe How Central Texas Residents Are Reacting to the New Fort Cavazos Vote

Pat Flavin, a professor of political science at Baylor University, stated that this move is somewhat of a workaround or unconventional approach. However, it adheres to the spirit of the law, which aims to revert installations back to their previous names, but under different historical contexts. For example, Hood was originally named after a soldier named Hood, but not after a Confederate soldier.

Do Texans Even Care About The Name Change?

Having lived in the city of Killeen, just moments away from the military base, and having been born at the original Darnall Hospital on Fort Hood, this topic feels personal. Like many others, I am a first-generation “Fort Hood baby.” So, I asked Central Texans for their opinions. To be honest, some responses made a lot of sense, some were humorous, and some people simply didn’t care.

Here Are Some Opinions From Central Texans

I spoke with a young woman who wished to remain anonymous, but her statement truly stood out to me. She is not only a veteran, but she was also raised and retired in Central Texas. When I asked her about the name change, she looked me in the face and said, “Miss Harris, eggs are almost $13, gas is through the roof. I don’t care what they name it, I think we have bigger fish to fry.” Another Central Texan said the back-and-forth of changing the name seems like the least of the government’s concerns. They believe more attention should be focused on other pressing issues rather than a namesake. “There are so many other things you could put your energy into,” they said.

To be honest, I agree. My birth certificate says Fort Hood, that’s where I’m from. That’s what we’ve always said. But if it becomes Fort Cavazos again, that’s fine too. Changing the name of the military base just doesn’t seem as beneficial to me when there are so many other problems we need to address in the state. But I could be wrong.