Two Florida military bases involved in Space Force operations may be renamed by order of top Trump administration officials.
A renaming ceremony was ordered to coincide with Space Force’s first birthday, according to a report by Defense One.
U.S. officials are pushing back on the U.S. Air Force plans because the changes reportedly violate a “gentleman’s agreement” with congressional staffers who asked the military not to rename any bases until after Donald Trump signs the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Defense One reported.
The bill also contains legislation to create a commission to oversee the renaming of bases named after Confederate soldiers.
One of the proposed bases up for a change is Patrick Air Force Base, which would be renamed Patrick Space Force Base. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station would become Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Defense One reported.
New signs at the bases are expected to cost taxpayers $50,000.
Base operations are to be overseen by the Department of the Air Force.
Military officials reportedly are onboard with the name changes, but are concerned about the timing of the event.
___
(c) 2020 The Orlando Sentinel
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
