The Pentagon plans to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, named after the late gay rights leader, and is reviewing the names of a class of ships named after Black and Hispanic civil rights leaders and prominent women, officials say.
The USNS Harvey Milk is named after the Navy veteran and San Francisco politician who was assassinated in 1978.
These are John Lewis-class ships, meant to be named after civil rights leaders and activist icons.
The lead ship in the group is named after the noted American politician and civil rights leader.
The announcement follows a flurry of activity by Pentagon leaders to end what they say is a “woke” military that’s too focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
According to officials, the Pentagon is considering renaming a class of ships after notable women and Black and Hispanic civil rights leaders, and it intends to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, which was named after the late gay rights leader.
In honor of the 1978 assassination of the San Francisco politician and Navy veteran, the USNS Harvey Milk bears his name. The fleet replenishment oiler’s new name and renaming timeline are unknown. The suggested renaming was initially reported by CBS News.
The Navy only issued a brief statement, referring all comments to the office of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, “Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos.”. “Once internal evaluations are finished, any possible renaming will be disclosed. “..”.
The USNS Thurgood Marshall, named for the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court; USNS Ruth Bader Ginsberg, named for the late Supreme Court Justice; USNS Harriet Tubman, named for the woman who aided slaves in their 19th-century escape to freedom; USNS Dolores Huerta and USNS Cesar Chavez, both Hispanic labor leaders; USNS Lucy Stone, a suffragette from the 19th century; and USNS Medgar Evers, the assassinated civil rights leader of the 1960s, are among the other ships being reviewed, according to officials. These ships are of the John Lewis class, which is intended to honor notable civil rights activists and leaders. The renowned American politician and civil rights activist is honored by the group’s lead ship’s name.
“The Trump administration’s purported decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk and other vessels in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to make it possible for everyone to pursue the American Dream,” Democratic Rep. The former speaker of the House was Nancy Pelosi of California. Despite the fact that our military is the most formidable in the world, neither our national security nor the spirit of the “warrior” are enhanced by this spiteful action. Rather, it is the renunciation of a core American ideal: respecting the legacy of those who fought to improve the nation. “.”.
The “Culture of Excellence.”.
It is uncommon for the Navy to rename a ship. Following the recommendation of a congressional commission to eliminate names associated with the Confederacy, the Navy renamed the USS Chancellorsville and the USNS Maury two years ago. The Maury was renamed the USNS Marie Tharp in honor of a trailblazing female oceanographer, and the Chancellorsville was renamed the USS Robert Smalls in honor of a former slave who seized a Confederate ship during the Civil War.
Following a rush of actions by Pentagon officials to curb what they claim is a “woke” military that is overly preoccupied with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the announcement was made. Prominent Black and female officers were dismissed by Hegseth shortly after he joined the Pentagon, raising doubts about whether their promotions were due to their qualifications or to their gender or race. One of them, Air Force Gen. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and Adm. CQ Brown was the second African American to hold the position. The first woman chosen to be a top officer in the Navy was Lisa Franchetti.
Additionally, the Trump administration sought to reorganize or discontinue classes at the U. A. the Naval Academy and West Point that dealt with issues of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Books on these subjects have also been taken out of libraries or are being reviewed.
Additionally, Hegseth directed the military academies to stop taking race, gender, and ethnicity into account when making admissions decisions last month. Hegseth claimed at the time that “choosing anyone but the best undermines the culture of excellence in our armed forces, erodes lethality, and our warfighting readiness.”.
