A ribbon cutting ceremony, Tuesday, brought a decade of planning to fruition as the new Main Post Chapel on Fort Leonard Wood was officially dedicated.
"As our population grew, we outgrew our chapels," said Brig. Gen. Mark Yenter, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. "Every week about 4,000 people come through here."
The sanctuary can seat about 1,200 people. The structure has been in construction for the last two years.
"This is going to be the landmark for Fort Leonard Wood," Yenter said.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Dolan, Army National Guard Assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, gave the dedication tribute during the ceremony. Dolan is a chemical officer, who has trained on Fort Leonard Wood.
"It's a delight for me to be back on Fort Leonard Wood. I spent some time here," Dolan said.
Dolan said the new chapel is more than an assembly hall.
"It's a place to instruct; it's also a place for refuge. Particularly for a lot of our basic trainees, it's the one time of the week they can come and not feel that they are going to get into trouble," Dolan said.
Dolan said the physical building alone can't lift people's spirits, but having such a magnificent structure helps.
"The building itself helps spirits soar the minute you walk into it. It reminds us that there is a higher power," Dolan said.
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