FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — At a virtual town hall event livestreamed on the Fort Leonard Wood Facebook page today, Maj. Gen. James Bonner, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, gave updates on in-person graduations, the COVID-19 vaccination program, and reopening of on-post services.
“We are extremely pleased that, starting this month, Army training centers, including Fort Leonard Wood, are beginning to safely reopen our training graduations to family members and loved ones while taking appropriate precautions,” he said.
Bonner added Department of Defense priorities regarding public health measures — to include mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing — remain in effect here.
“The Army puts its people first,” he said. “To protect our people is to protect Fort Leonard Wood’s mission, part of which is to train, inspire and lead 80,000 of America’s sons and daughters each year.”
In-person graduations are being carried out in a phased approach. Graduations for functional courses, basic officer leadership courses, captains career courses and NCO Academy courses are now open to in-person visitors; One Station Unit Training and Advanced Individual Training graduations will open up to in-person visitors May 20; and Basic Combat Training graduations open up May 27.
Soldiers in training will contact their family and loved ones to provide information about their specific graduations. Units will also provide updates and additional information on their social media sites, and will also continue to provide graduations virtually on their social media sites. A list of unit social media pages is available here.
Bonner said General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital personnel have delivered more than 14,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to service members, DOD civilians and contractors, and other beneficiaries who have volunteered to receive it.
Due to the successes in reducing the impact of COVID-19 here, many garrison amenities are now open or will open soon.
The Outdoor Adventure Center and Piney Valley Golf Course are both open; the RecPlex is scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend; and a Fourth of July “extravaganza” is being planned.
Visit the Fort Leonard Wood Facebook page for updates.
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