WHAT IS THE PROPRIETY OR OTHERWISE OF NAMING MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AFTER INDIVIDUALS – DEAD OR ALIVE?
Typically, only past events or dead people are memorialized. However, the living can be honored with gestures of appreciation for unusual contributions or sacrifice, such as when we award certain categories of medals for gallantry or accelerate promotions, among numerous other devices at a personal level. However, to physically name an entire military installation after an individual for the rest of eternity demands much higher standards. The overwhelming majority of Barracks and Military Bases in the world are not named after living individuals in part because a soldiers unique role in society is to kill when legally required to do so, and thus, risk his or her own life in the process. The ultimate individual military sacrifice, therefore, is death. Even when there is intent to so name an installation based on unusual professional contributions, the actual naming process usually awaits the individuals transition at which point the institution takes a step to immortalize him or her. Th
