Department of War Name Set in Bronze at Pentagon Entrances

 Nov. 13, 2025 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

At the Pentagon today, facilities personnel took down outdated bronze plaques at two of the building's entrances and replaced them with recently minted plaques bearing the new name of the federal agency that leads America's fighting force: "Department of War."

One of those new plaques was put up at the River Entrance, which faces the Potomac River and serves as the Pentagon's grand entrance. It's where Secretary of War Pete Hegseth greets counterparts from partner and allied nations, as well as other dignitaries and distinguished visitors. 

The Mall Entrance, which faces north toward the National Mall in Washington, also got a new sign. Outside that entrance are the Pentagon's helicopter landing pads. 

"We wanted to replace [the old signs] because we want everybody who comes through this door to know that we are deadly serious about the name change of this organization," Hegseth said. 

In early September, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order changing the name of the Defense Department back to the War Department — a name the department held for more than 150 years, from 1789 to 1947. 

Construction on the Pentagon began in 1941 and was completed in 1943. When the building opened that year, it housed the Department of War. In fact, the dedication stone on the Pentagon — located outside the Mall Entrance — has "War Department" engraved at the top, along with the names of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president at the time, and Henry L. Stimson, who served as Secretary of War from 1940 to 1945. 

Now, the Pentagon again houses the War Department. 

"We love everything that the Department of Defense represented," Hegseth said. "But this is a new era of the Department of War that is focused on winning wars ... and making sure that we know exactly what the mission is and that the troops are sent there to succeed and win." 

The name "Department of War," Hegseth said, harkens back to America's founding. 

"[We are] reestablishing [the department] back to Henry Knox and George Washington and the founding of our nation — to fight and win our nation's wars if called upon," he said. "And of course, the whole goal is to deter wars in the first place ... to establish peace." 

The new name also reflects a new ethos for the department, Hegseth said, after he personally fastened the last screw on the new River Entrance plaque. 

"We are rebuilding it; we are reestablishing deterrence — it's based on America first, peace through strength and common sense," he said. "And now everybody that enters this building, whether it's generals or civilians or foreign leaders, is going to see: this is not just on paper. This is not just a title. This is exactly who we are." 

The new bronze plaques are each roughly 30 by 20 inches and weigh about 60 pounds. 

The old plaques, which say "Department of Defense," had been on the building for more than 70 years, Hegseth said. 

NAVSUP Echelon III and IV Command Names to Change

From Naval Supply Systems Command Corporate Communications

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (NNS) -- Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) announced an initiative to provide customers and stakeholders a clearer understanding of the capabilities of all NAVSUP organizations, March 28.

"'ONE NAVSUP, One Enterprise' connects our Global Logistics Support Network construct where each activity executes its mission as a node of the network, vice an individual entity," said Rear Adm. Mike Lyden, commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. "As a result, new names are being given to our activities, better emphasizing their specific role in NAVSUP's support of the Fleet around the world. In addition, the names emphasize the capabilities in our weapon system support and global logistics support business lines, helping customers easily navigate the products and services available within our organization."

While transition actions will be ongoing, the new names will become effective July 1.

The new names for the NAVSUP Echelon III activities will be:

- NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (formerly Naval Inventory Control Point – NAVICP)

- NAVSUP Business Systems Center (formerly Navy Supply Information Systems Activity – NAVSISA)

- NAVSUP Logistics Operations Center (formerly Naval Operational Logistics Support Center – NOLSC)

- NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (Formerly Commander, Fleet & Industrial Supply Centers – COMFISCS)

The new names for the NAVSUP Echelon IV activities, formerly known as Fleet & Industrial Supply Centers, or FISCs, will be:

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Jacksonville – FISC Jacksonville)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Norfolk – FISC Norfolk)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Pearl Harbor – FISC Pearl Harbor)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Puget Sound (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Puget Sound – FISC Puget Sound)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center San Diego (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center San Diego – FISC San Diego)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Sigonella – FISC Sigonella)

- NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka (formerly Fleet & Industrial Supply Center Yokosuka – FISC Yokosuka)

NAVSUP's primary mission is to provide U.S. naval forces with quality supplies and services. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP oversees logistics programs in the areas of supply operations, conventional ordnance, contracting, resale, fuel, transportation, and security assistance.

In addition, NAVSUP is responsible for quality of life issues for our naval forces, including food service, postal services, Navy Exchanges, and movement of household goods.