Soldiers with Company C, 84th Chemical Battalion, take a break from training to enjoy the Asian cuisine offered at the Schrum Dining Facility for lunch on June 13, as part of Army Heritage Month.
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers with Company C, 84th Chemical Battalion, take a break from training to enjoy the Asian cuisine offered at the Schrum Dining Facility for lunch on June 13, as part of Army Heritage Month. (Photo Credit: Photo by Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office) VIEW ORIGINAL
A Commanding General’s Golf Scramble on June 15 at the Piney Valley Golf Course gives golfers a chance to honor Army Heritage Month while spending time on the green.
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Commanding General’s Golf Scramble on June 15 at the Piney Valley Golf Course gives golfers a chance to honor Army Heritage Month while spending time on the green. (Photo Credit: Photo by Brian Hill, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army equal opportunity experts provide information to visitors at the Army Heritage Month open house at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex on June 15.
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army equal opportunity experts provide information to visitors at the Army Heritage Month open house at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex on June 15. (Photo Credit: Photo by Brian Hill, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Fort Leonard Wood celebrated the diverse cultural backgrounds of its Soldiers and their contributions to Army heritage with several events and exhibits on post this month.

Part of Army Heritage Month, the events were organized by Soldiers with the Fort Leonard Wood Military Equal Opportunity Office — AHM was organized under the Army’s equal opportunity program in May 2019, centered around the annual Army birthday celebration on June 14.

This year’s events started on June 2, when more than 100 runners participated in a 5K fun run celebrating Army heritage, equity and inclusion.

Before the run, Col. Aaron Bohrer, 1st Engineer Brigade commander, spoke about the way the Army has “consistently progressed diversity, equity and inclusion among our organizations.”

“Together we deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars,” Bohrer said. “We continue to change with the world, and we have learned that if we keep our formations diverse, equitable and inclusive, our team is more capable of responding to challenges, managing talent and able to meet the demands of our mission.”

The Strength Through Diversity weightlifting competition on June 9 at Swift Gym, featured 42 participants competing in three exercises — the deadlift, bench press and squat.

Taking the overall win was Sgt. Mark Labtingao, with the 795th Military Police Battalion, who lifted a combined weight of 1,320 pounds.

In a tie for first place among female competitors were Lt. Col. Laura Proffit, 14th Military Police Brigade deputy commander, and 1st Lt. Tiffany Burnett, with the 795th MP Bn., who each lifted a combined weight of 650 pounds.

According to Sgt. 1st Class Brandon White, 14th MP Brigade Equal Opportunity advisor and one of the event organizers, the goal of the competition was not merely to see who could lift the most weight.

“We wanted to show that the Army is a unique and diverse organization, and that our true strength comes from our diversity,” White said. “It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you look like, what religion you have — we all play a role in helping the Army move forward.”

Patrons at Fort Leonard Wood’s 12 dining facilities had a special menu last week to highlight culturally diverse foods for the Army Heritage celebration.

“Army Food Service has a unique opportunity when it comes to future Soldiers; we not only introduce them to holistic, nutritionally balanced meals, but we are the door to different and diverse foods,” said Beverly Leggett, Fort Leonard Wood’s food program manager. “I partner with leadership across the installation building a bridge of opportunity — a table if you will — the place where conversations start and considerations of those that stand in our formation to the right and the left begin.”

Leggett said she collaborated with Sgt. 1st Class Brandielyn Agin, an equal opportunity advisor with the U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School, to determine the menu items that would best highlight the designated culture chosen for that day. Menu choices for the week included German potato griddle cakes, egg rolls, burritos and Chinese fried cabbage.

Leggett said Fort Leonard Wood is a melting pot, made up of service members from across the world and she was excited to have the opportunity to share different cuisines with different cultures.

“The commonality between everyone is food. Food is what joins us together,” Leggett said. “When we can partake in different cultures, we become aware that despite our different backgrounds, our commitment to this country is the same.”

The John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex celebrated AHM with an open house on June 15. Subject matter experts from the Army’s Engineer, CBRN and MP schools — all located on Fort Leonard Wood — were on site to answer questions and to speak about the three regiments’ contributions to the Army.

Also on June 15,  Fort Leonard Wood’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation held a Commanding General’s Golf Scramble at the Piney Valley Golf Course in honor of the month.

“We just had the Army’s birthday yesterday and it was Flag Day. The Army does two things well — it fights really hard and it plays really hard,” said Brig. Gen. Sarah Albrycht, U.S. Army MP School commandant, who provided the opening remarks. “Today, let’s play really hard. We appreciate you supporting the installation.”