Range Operations, as part of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, manages 54,000 acres of 28 small-arms ranges, six demolitions ranges, the hand grenade range and various training areas across Fort Leonard Wood.
A major part of keeping those ranges and training areas active is the Range Maintenance section within Range Operations, said Keith Campbell, Range Operations officer.
Terry Moore, Range Maintenance supervisor, calls the work his department does, "extensive" because of the "wide variety of projects to support the ranges and training."
The two-man target section manages all range related electronic items, including 1,400 electronic-target enclosures, amplifiers and range public address systems.
There are three equipment operators within maintenance who maintain the roads on and around the ranges.
Moore also has four carpenters who are responsible for the construction and maintenance of all wood items as well as mowing and maintaining landscaping on the ranges and training areas.
Stephen White, one of the carpenters in maintenance, estimates their shop has constructed more than 600 target frames, 450 picnic tables, 100 serving tables and 50 ammunition sorting tables since January.
"There is a lot to accomplish, and with ranges going hot more, maintenance days are limited," he said.
Moore said with millions of rounds going down range every year, keeping up with maintenance is sometimes a balancing act.
"We have to keep the ranges up and running at a very high level," Moore said.
The challenges and variety of the job are what keeps it interesting, Moore said.
"I love it," White, a former Army combat engineer who has been with maintenance nearly five years, said. "It's not the same thing every day."
Moore credits his section for helping to keep training going.
"They do an incredible amount of work," he said. "If Soldiers are not putting rounds down range, they are not qualifying and not graduating."
To contact Range Control for information, call 573.596.0131, ext. 60171.
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