Written by: Richard A. de Prieto, Cisneros Scholar ‘24
Last week, the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute and the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies joined forces to commemorate a landmark achievement: the naming of the third largest U.S. military base in Killeen, Texas, after General Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic American four-star general.
This decision stems from initiatives set in motion by Congress in 2021 when a commission was established to oversee the renaming of nine U.S. military bases, ports, ships, and streets that previously honored Confederate soldiers. The event featured retired Admiral Michelle J. Howard, who presided over the Renaming Commission and through careful historical research, community suggestions, and fieldwork was able to change the names of several sites to align with the values of the current Armed Forces and the wider American people. In the event, Howard herself, the first African American woman to command a navy ship, and retired four-star admiral underscored that the changes made since the Union Victory at Appomattox Court House have been positive in reuniting and reconciling all Americans.
Cavazos served in Vietnam and Korea, winning a Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism in the later one. Cavazos, a native Texan and proud Hispanic, represents the values of the U.S. Armed Forces and their commitment to defending and spreading freedom. Honoring people like General Cavazos further reconciles and celebrates our country's greatest strength: its diversity.
Renaming monuments to commemorate figures like General Cavazos ensures that their contributions are not relegated to the shadows of history but are celebrated as an integral part of our history. This shift in perspective is not about erasing the past but about reframing it to reflect the values that reflect America’s commitment to unity in diversity, freedom, and justice.