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Official Government Press Center for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

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Archives for January 2018

Military personnel office at reduced operations this week

 

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo., (Jan. 31, 2018) — Officials with Fort Leonard Wood’s Directorate of Human Resources, Military Personnel Division, announced this week that MPD operations will be impacted Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 due to branch mission requirements.

The ID Card Facility will be minimally staffed this Wednesday through Friday; and In-/Out- Processing will be minimally staffed Wednesday and Thursday, and closed Friday.

MPD also announced functionality of the DEERS/RAPIDS system at Building 470 is experiencing sporadic outages, which may impact the ability of ID Card Facility staff to process identification cards. The Defense Management Data Center Support Office is aware of the situation and working to provide resolution. Customers with appointments from Jan. 26, 29 and 30 are currently being serviced, and walk-in service will be conducted Jan. 31, as long as the RAPIDS system is working. Patrons should be aware that if the system shuts down, the DEERS actions being processed may be lost. Currently, all appointment openings for the month of February are booked and appointment openings for March will be available beginning Feb. 1. Appointments may be made through the online appointment scheduler at https://rapids-appointments.dmdc.osd.mil.

For more information, call the ID Card Facility at 573-596-0744.

The Military Personnel Division regrets any inconvenience this may cause, and appreciates customer patience during this time.

 

Fort Leonard Wood’s MWR to host watch parties Sunday

By Matt Decker

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 31, 2018) — Fans can catch the biggest pro football game of the year at BlackJack Bar and Grill and at Morelli Heights Bar and Grill.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with the kickoff at 5 p.m.

Blackjack Bar and Grill, located at 16593 Piney Hills Drive inside Pershing Community Center, will offer a buffet for $12 per person.

Morelli Heights Bar and Grill, located at 3404 Nebraska Ave., will have its regular menu available.

Events at both venues are open to the public, ages 21 and older.

For more information, visit the event listing at https://leonardwood.armymwr.com.

‘Dueling Pianos’ returns to post Friday

By Matt Decker

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 31, 2018) — Got a favorite song? Chances are, the performers with “Dueling Pianos” can play it, but maybe not the way you expect it.

The all-request show, which features adlibs, comedy and plenty of audience participation, will return to the installation at 7 p.m. Friday at Pershing Community Center.

Dueling Pianos has been a favorite of Fort Leonard Wood audiences for more than a decade. Audience members must be ages 18 or older.

Tickets are $15 at the door.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and no reserved seating is available.

Pershing Community Center is located at 16593 Piney Hills Drive. For more information, call 573.596.6913 or visit https://leonardwood.armymwr.com.

Do you have what it takes to be the next Best Sapper? Competition registration opens Thursday

By Marti Yoshida
Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo., (Jan. 29, 2018) — The U.S. Army Engineer School is gearing up to host the 12th annual Best Sapper Competition April 14 – 20 at Fort Leonard Wood. 

Registration for the Best Sapper Competition opens at 9 a.m. February 1 and closes at 5 p.m. March 1 CST.

The purpose of the physically and mentally demanding competition, which takes 50 teams, across more than 50 miles, in 50 hours, is to determine the next “Best Sapper” team and allow elite members of the Engineer Regiment the chance to test their skills.

In addition to Army personnel, this year the competition is open to Marines and cadets who are Sapper-tab qualified.

To be eligible to compete, teams must consist of two military personnel in the grades of E4 and above, and both competitors must be graduates of the Sapper Leader Course. Any person who wishes to compete without graduating SLC, must obtain a waiver through the U.S. Army Engineer School commandant.

Competitors will need to report by 9 a.m. April 14 to in-process for the event that officially kicks off April 16.

For registration information, visit http://www.wood.army.mil/sapper/BSC.html.

The public will be able to follow the Best Sapper Competition on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BestSapper/, or by using #BestSapper on social media.

 

Fort Leonard Wood report for the week of Jan. 29

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 26, 2018) – The following Fort Leonard Wood announcements are for the week of Jan. 29 through Feb. 2.

Jan. 27

Missouri S&T military appreciation basket ball games

Missouri University of Science and Technology is scheduled to host military appreciation basket ball games beginning at 1 p.m., Jan. 27, at the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building, in Rolla, Mo. The Missouri S&T Miners are slated to host the Rockhurst Hawks. The Lady Miners begin play at 1 p.m. and the Miner Men tip off at 3 p.m. Entry is free for military ID card holders.

Feb. 2

Committee of 50 honoree luncheon

The Committee of 50 is hosting their honoree luncheon honoring an exceptional Fort Leonard Wood service member at 12 p.m., Feb. 2, at the Hampton Inn, located in St. Robert, Mo. At the luncheon the committee will be honoring Staff Sgt. James Sheppard, the 2017 3rd Chemical Brigade Instructor of the Year.

Feb. 3

Job Fair

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation is hosting a job fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 3, at the Waynesville Career Center located at 400 GW Lane, Waynesville, Mo. The job fair is open to all job seekers. There will be some on the spot interviews and job offers.

Agencies are hiring for the following permanent and summer positions:

  • Recreation Aide
  • Facility Aide
  • Lifeguards
  • Food Service Workers
  • School Bus Drivers
  • AMERICORP
  • VISTA

Some positions require applicants to be 16 years old and above, or 15 years old with consent of legal guardian and a work permit. For more information, contact 573.596.0283.

Feb. 14

Candygrams

In preparation for Valentine’s Day, candygrams are on sale now through Feb. 12. Candygrams will be delivered on post Feb. 14 during duty hours within the cantonment area. Buy one for a veteran and the BOSS Program will deliver them to the St. James Veterans Home on Feb. 17. Cost is $5 for sweets and a card or $10 for a teddy bear, sweets and a card. Candygrams may be purchased through any BOSS representative or by stopping by building 496 during duty hours. For more information, call 573.563.5967.

 

 

Feb. 15

New program brings focus on S.T.E.M. education

The Bruce C. Clarke Library hosted a Mad Scientist S.T.E.M. Lab Jan. 18, kicking off a new program designed to boost science, technology, engineering and math concepts among children. The kick off gave community members an idea of what is coming in 2018. “We had a bit of everything during that program to show what types of projects we will be doing in the future. We will only be covering one subject at a time, for example, month one, we could cover magnets; month two, we cover measurements; month three, we build robots, and so on,” said Tyffany Hollenbeck, library technician. Claretta Crawford, library director, said the community has embraced the program. “We had more than 150 people that attended the S.T.E.M. lab event,” Crawford said. The program, open to children and teenagers, featured food, projects, games and crafts — all with a S.T.E.M. theme. “We want to promote the program and get the word out. We want to help children grow and learn, we also want to get the kids interested in new things,” said Amanda Williams, library technician. The regular monthly S.T.E.M. Labs will be held in the Bruce C. Clarke Children’s Room from 5 to 5:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month. The next program is scheduled for Feb. 15. Programs will be open to all ages and can cater to all learning types and levels. Anyone interested in the program is welcome without signing up in advance. For more information, contact the library at 573.563.4113. Read the full article at https://www.army.mil/article/199601/.

Feb. 24

Kid’s Trout Fishing Derby
 The Outdoor Adventure Center and the Natural Resources Branch will hold the annual Kid’s Trout Fishing Derby Feb. 24 at Stone Mill Spring Recreation Area, located on Fort Leonard Wood Route 26, just past the Piney Valley Golf Course. Children ages 15 and younger can participate with supervision of a parent or guardian. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will continue until noon. Fishing will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. There are no fees or pre-registration requirements to participate, and all fishing permit requirements have been waived for this derby. Participants should bring their own bait, tackle and equipment. For more information, call the Outdoor Adventure Center at 573.596.4223.

 

Fort Leonard Wood USO to begin spouse programs

The Fort Leonard Wood USO is bringing on a new slate of programs geared toward military spouses during 2018. The organization will begin offering spouse craft socials, USO Coffee Connections and USO Military Spouse Networking events. “All of our USO spouse-related events are geared towards bringing our spouses together and creating a community bond,” said Kelly Brownfield, USO of Missouri, Inc. – Fort Leonard Wood center director. “We hope that the spouses who participate will meet new friends, which can be key within a military community as families move or significant others deploy. By bringing spouses together we hope to give them another network in which they can reach out to for support,” Brownfield said. Read the full story at: https://www.army.mil/article/199602/.

 

Spotlight on education: Career Skills Program

The Career Skills Program is part of the Soldier Life Cycle that encourages and prepares Soldiers for civilian employment through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, job shadowing, internships and employment-skills training. Currently, the program stretches across several installations in the continental U.S. and is split up into six different regions. At each program location administrators help connect Soldiers with different companies to establish an internship opportunity.
Here, there are two CSP installation administrators, Walter Harris and Kelli Lindsay. Harris is a retired military police officer with 22 years of service. Lindsay is a veteran and former military police officer with more than six years of service. She is also a military spouse. In addition to the two CSP administrators, Fort Leonard Wood has a state representative CSP coordinator, Gary Jensen. Jensen is a retired veteran who served several different periods of time at Fort Leonard Wood during his 23 years in the Army.

Those eligible for the program must:

  • Be within 180 days of discharge or release from military service
  • Participate 120 days max under an internship in the program
  • Anticipate Honorable or Under Honorable Conditions Discharge
  • Must complete Soldier For Life-Transition Assistance Program completely before entering the program

The goal of CSP is to provide service members an opportunity to gain new skills and to give employers a chance to evaluate the service member’s skills and fit with the organization. Ultimately, this will result in a smooth transition from the military to civilian life for the service member.

Free Tax Filing Software Available to Military Members

With the new year bringing a new tax season, Military OneSource has launched its free tax software to support military members and their families in the annual task of filing. The MilTax software is available through the Military OneSource website, and walks military families through a variety of filing scenarios, explained Erika Slaton, program analyst for the Defense Department’s Military OneSource program. “Service members and their families have unique tax filing situations,” she said. “There are frequent moves, deployments, or multistate filings; there are a host of considerations that military members and their families face.” The tax software allows users to submit a federal and up to three state tax returns at no cost Slaton said.

Tax Experts Available in Person, Via Phone

Military members and their families can speak via phone with a Military OneSource tax expert, and in-person tax filing assistance is available on military installations at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance location.

Eligible for Free Tax Services

The Military OneSource tax resources are available to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and National Guard, as well as Coast Guardsmen serving under Title 10 authority, Slaton said. Other eligible personnel include retired and honorably discharged members up to 180 days past their separation, as well as spouses, dependent children and survivors. Further information on eligibility, people in the United States can call Military OneSource at 800.342.9647 or visit the website, Slaton said. The site also provides calling options for people living overseas. To read the full article by Lisa Ferdinando, DOD New, visit https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1418017/free-tax-filing-software-available-to-military-members/.

For more information, contact the Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office at 573.563.4145.

Certification course brings new techniques to Fort Leonard Wood

By Dawn Arden

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 25, 2018) — Cadre assigned to the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, spent Jan. 15 through 19 learning new skills in marksmanship and drill-and-ceremony techniques during a quarterly leader’s certification course.

The training opportunities this quarter featured mobile training teams from U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard.”

Capt. Joseph Brincat, 1-48th’s Company F commander, was the officer in charge of planning and coordinating for the battalion’s training event for this quarter. He said it took six months to get everything planned and in place. He said the effort is worth it to get all cadre “on the same page.”

“Without conducting a consolidated training event (we start to see) the development of bad or incorrect training habits,” Brincat said. “By bringing in the Army’s subject matter experts to train our cadre, we ensure that the most current doctrine, techniques and resources are being utilized within our organization.”

Cadre, consisting of mostly drill sergeants, were split into two groups, with Group A working with USAMU on rifle marksmanship.

USAMU Instructor Training Group Team Chief, Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Rose, said the unit serves a dual purpose.

“The Marksmanship Unit has two primary jobs, to win national and international competitions with the Olympians we have, and then we have our team which is the instructor training group,” Rose said. “Basically what we do is take all of that competition experience, all of those best practices and techniques, and we put it back out to the force by going out and training them.”

Rose said one of the biggest changes in marksmanship training he’s seen during his career is “learning the why behind the what.” He clarified by saying Soldiers were always told where to place their feet and such for certain firing positions but were never told why.

“Now there’s a lot more emphasis on learning the why,” Rose said. “That’s something that we really try to emphasize when we come out and teach others. We’re working on their individual improvement, but we’re also focusing on their articulation on explaining the why behind the what. That will really help them when they run into Soldiers who find shooting challenging.”

Staff Sgt. Mauricio Rios, senior drill sergeant, feels learning to articulate with the proper language will help him better educate new Soldiers.

“There is a lot of stuff we take for granted, like shooting; it’s second nature, but there’s little techniques that can help you improve,” Rios said. “They talk about the common language in the Army. We all have a different language with our MOS, but that basic common language will make you better. The more proficient the drill sergeant is, the better they will be able to educate the Soldiers.”

Group B spent the week learning drill and ceremony with members of the Old Guard.

“The Old Guard is the epitome of professionalism when it comes to drill and ceremonies. Their level of discipline is amazing and inspiring,” Brincat said. “From high-profile ceremonies in Washington, D.C., to conducting funeral services in Arlington National Cemetery, their knowledge of impulse control and precision of execution are exactly what we want to diffuse down to our Initial Entry Training Soldiers in Basic Combat Training.”

Sgt. 1st Class Greg Werthmann, senior drill sergeant, said he participates in a lot of drill and ceremony as the funeral noncommissioned officer in charge and battalion drill master and appreciates the battalion bringing in outside sources for training.

“I picked up a lot of things from the Old Guard as far as techniques and little things they do within the formation where they can kind of mask little mistakes and make corrections within the formation without it being seen,” Werthmann said.

Brincat called the week’s training “invaluable” and said he has received many positive comments from the cadre who attended, along with how they plan to implement the new techniques into their company training plans.

Next quarter the battalion plans to work on physical fitness by bringing in instructors and trainers from the Total Soldier Enhancement Training Program.

Staff Sgts. Jessica Chavez, left, and Steven Lorance, right, practice the new marksmanship techniques they learned during a leader’s certification course held by the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, Jan. 15 through 19 at Fort Leonard Wood. (U.S. Army photo by Chesnee Green/Released.)