FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 29, 2019) — Prepare for the boom! Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood are scheduled to demonstrate the Linear Demolition Charge System launching a live Mine Clearing Line Charge at about 9 a.m. during the Combat Engineer Heavy Track Course Thursday. The exercise is expected to create a much louder boom than normal. Thank you for your patience as we give combat engineer students the chance to see and experience the effects of the blast.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 24, 2019) — The following Fort Leonard Wood announcements are for the week of May 27-31.

May 20 through August 19
A project to repair and upgrade the Engineer Trail kicked off May 20 and will continue through August 19. The lower half of the trail will be closed to runners and walkers Mondays through Fridays now through mid-July, as crews install new culverts, clean existing culverts, clean and install new drainage ditches and reshape and resurface the trail with fresh gravel to correct drainage issues. The upper half of the trail will be closed in a similar fashion from mid-July through August 19. Runners and walkers are asked to respect safety signage on and in the construction area for their own safety as there will be heavy equipment moving along the trail and space is limited.

May 25
Pool season is finally here and Wallace Pool, located at the MWR Rec Plex, is now open for the summer. Beginning May 25, Rec Plex hours are noon to 7 p.m. every day. The Splash Park & Kiddie Pool is currently closed until further notice in order to make improvements to the splash pad. For more information, call 573.596.0843.

May 27 – Memorial Day
On May 27, the United States will observe Memorial Day, an annual observance honoring the military men and women who gave their lives in defense of our nation and its values. Several Memorial Day ceremonies around the area are planned today including the Missouri Veterans Cemetery located at Highway H in Waynesville, at 1 p.m. where Fort Leonard Wood service members will be participating. The American Legion Post 297 out of Union, Missouri, has requested a color guard for their Memorial Day parade at 10 o’clock this morning; and American Legion Post 624 plans to hold a Veteran’s Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at Sunrise Beach, and is expected to have a speaker from Fort Leonard Wood.

May 28-31
The west parking lot of the Main Post Exchange is scheduled to be paved from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 28 through May 31. Please proceed through this area with caution and thank you for your patience during this time.

May 30
The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Instructor of the Year and Annual Civilian Awards Ceremony is planned from 2 to 3 p.m. May 30, in Lincoln Hall Auditorium. Everyone is welcome to attend and recognize our distinguished instructors for their accomplishments and dedication.

May 31
The annual Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month observance is planned for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 31 at the Pershing Community Center. Tickets are $12 for those who wish to participate in the lunch, or free for those who just wish to attend without lunch.

June 1
The annual Springfield Cardinals Military Appreciation Night at Hammons Field is set for June 1 when the Cardinals host the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The event presented by Infuze Credit Union and Fort Leonard Wood, includes a Saturday night fireworks celebration. Game time is 6:10 p.m. and gates open at 5:10. Tickets may be picked up between 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Infuze Credit Union located on post at 5000 Illinois Avenue, Building 494. A voucher for a free hot dog and Cardinals baseball hat is slated to accompany each ticket. A military ID must be presented at the time of pick-up.

The U.S. Marine Corps 20th annual Volkslauf extreme 10K Fun Run is scheduled to kick off at 8 a.m. June 1 from “Car Wash Hill” on Fort Leonard Wood. There’s still time to register completed online or in person during business hours at the U.S. Marine Corps Detachment Headquarters, Building 1704. For more information, visit the @2019VolkalufMudRace Facebook page.

June 4
The 368th Training Squadron, U.S. Air Force Detachment, will host an opportunity to hear from a World War II Veteran, from 1 to 2 p.m., June 4 at Baker Theater. The Veteran is Mr. Ralph Goldsticker, a First Lieutenant, who served as an Army Air Corps Bombardier and completed 35 missions, with two of those being on D-Day. Everyone is welcome to attend and we hope to have a great turnout to honor Mr. Goldsticker and gain a better understanding of the Greatest Generation.

The Dental Assistant Program, offered by the American Red Cross, in partnership with the Dental Activity, Fort Leonard Wood, is scheduled to begin October 2019. The program is a 6-month, 40 hours per week combination classroom and hands-on basic education and clinical skills program. Participation selection will be determined through interview. Those selected will receive intense training in all aspects of dental assisting — from dental radiology to dental anatomy, and from sterilizing dental instruments to chair-side clinic rotations. The program is open to military, dependents, retirees and DOD ID card holders ages 18 and older, who are U.S. citizens. Application packets for the Dental Assistant Training Program are now available through June 4 in Building 470, Room 1130. For more information, call 573.596.0300.

June 8
A Kid’s Catfish Derby is set for June 8 at Fort Leonard Wood Pond 228, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Catfish Derby is free and open to the public, ages 2-15. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. There will be great prizes for tagged catfish, with a limit of four catfish per angler. Registration will be on-site between 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on June 8. For more information call 573.596.4223.

Ongoing
Did you know the Career Skills Program is a component of the Soldier Life Cycle that encourages and prepares Soldiers for civilian employment? Transitioning service members who have or are currently in the process of transitioning and are interested in pursuing an internship in an industry of their choice should visit the Career Skills Program Administrators in Building 499, Room 24. For more information, call 573.596.1810.

By Amanda Sullivan
Public Affairs Office volunteer

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 23, 2019) – The transition from civilian to Soldier can be a culture shock, but for one new Soldier, the challenge of adapting to a new culture is far from a unique experience.

Ten years ago, with only an 8th-grade education, and the drive and motivation to start a new life, Pvt. Malinda Dennison left her small Amish community in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. With the help of friends, she started on the path that led her to graduate from Fort Leonard Wood today as a military police Soldier with Company E, 795th Military Police Battalion.

Her journey from Amish to Army has been full of challenges, but using skills derived from her upbringing, she has achieved goals she never thought possible.

These goals included obtaining her GED and drivers license, and starting a career.

“I got my Certified Nursing Assistant certification, and I got a new vehicle. After six months I moved into my own apartment. After that everything fell into place,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave (my community) and not have anything besides being a mom.”

While enrolled in college, she met her husband, Sgt. 1st Class, Ross Dennison, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, who she said inspired her to join the Army through his service.

“That’s where I got to know about the military. My husband was an inspiration.” Malinda said. “I don’t think I ever would have joined if it wasn’t for being around the Army already.”

She wanted to join the Army seven years ago, but the timing wasn’t right. She had two more children and continued her career in the medical field. As the age cut-off for enlistment approached, her husband told her it was now or never.

“My husband said if you’re going to do it, you’ve got to do it now,” she said.

During the enlistment process, with support and encouragement from her husband, she took the opportunity to prepare herself for the challenges she would face. She hired a personal trainer and studied for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

Malinda said her Amish upbringing helped make the transition to Army life a smooth one.

“We were taught to get up early in the morning and work, and that is what we do here,” she said.

Ross agreed that her Amish background has its advantages when adapting to new situations like initial entry training.

“I think it gives her a mental advantage over the culture shock most experience when they first join. Malinda grew up with a strong work ethic, and a great desire to succeed. She doesn’t like the idea of giving up,” he said. “Her upbringing gave her the ability to adapt and excel in everything she does.”

According to Capt. Joseph Lonergan, Co. E. 795th MP Bn. Commander, a spectrum of new skills are needed in the Army, and these skills are more likely to be met by recruiting trainees from a diverse representation of America.

“Varied perspectives help Soldiers generate more ideas when working as a team.  Looking at solutions from all angles is critical to problem-solving and mission success,” Lonergan said.

Malinda hopes to inspire others, especially her children, through her accomplishments. She has advice for those who want to join.

“Anyone can do it. I believe it is all in the mindset and how you look at it. If you say you can’t do it, you’re not going to be able to do it,” she said. “There are some things I felt like I couldn’t do in the beginning, I was not as confident as I am now. I learned a lot and did things I never thought I would do.”

When asked which Army Values best describe Malinda, Ross cites duty and integrity.

“She loves to learn and constantly seeks out new things to try. She isn’t afraid to fail and learn from it,” Ross said. “She is very curious. She is honest and isn’t afraid to do the right thing. Malinda will do her best to get the job done to the best of her ability.”

Malinda said she could not have done this without the help of the drill sergeants in her company.

After graduation, she will be assigned to a Military Police Reserve Unit in Nashville, Tennessee.

She chose the Army Reserves so she can work and continue her education while serving her country, and she plans to go active when her husband retires.

“My plan is to retire from the Army. I’m not going to go through this and get out. In five years, hopefully, I’ll be in the Active Guard Reserves,” Malinda said.

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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 82,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps and Air Force detachments on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission.

By Dawn Arden
Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 23, 2019) – 1st Lt. Ralph Goldsticker had never been in a plane before he enlisted in the U.S. Army Aviation Cadet Corps in July of 1942 at the age of 20. He would go on to fly on 35 missions, in some of the most noted battles of World War II.

Goldsticker will speak to Fort Leonard Wood service members and community members, at 1 p.m. June 4 in Baker Theater about his time spent with the 452nd Bombardment Group, 728th Squadron.

Air Force Lt. Col. Josh Aldred, 368th Training Squadron commander at Fort Leonard Wood, first heard Goldsticker’s story while listening to a radio interview. He said the interview demonstrated that Goldsticker had some “amazing” experiences he felt were important for those just beginning their careers to hear.

“I wanted to open the event to the whole community because there are so few WWII veterans left to tell their stories,” Aldred said. “Mr. Goldsticker is 97 years old, and we truly want to honor his service by having a packed house in Baker Theater. We could all learn something from Mr. Goldsticker’s resiliency and resolve in combat.”

During his visit, Goldsticker will talk about his part in the D-Day Invasion, in which he spent 14 hours in the air between two bombing missions.

Goldsticker also shares about being stranded in Russia for two weeks during a mission, his most memorable mission, his worst mission and his experiences during the Battle of the Bulge.

“I’m hopeful that Mr. Goldsticker’s story will be inspirational to all who attend,” Aldred said. “We welcome everyone to hear an amazing story from a true American hero.”

The event is open to the public.

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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 82,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps and Air Force detachments on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission.

By Amanda Sullivan
Public Affairs Office volunteer

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 16, 2019) – More than 80 students from Thayer Elementary School filed into the courtroom May 7 to witness a mock trial put on by the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate in recognition of Law Day 2019.

“Law Day is a national day set aside to celebrate the nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” said Capt. Majessire Smith, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate administrative law attorney. “The purpose of Law Day is to provide an opportunity to reflect and to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty.”

“Each year the American Bar Association chooses the Law Day Theme,” Smith said. “This year’s theme — ‘Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society’ — was chosen because this year marks the centennial of Abrams v. United States, a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the concept of the marketplace of ideas first entered American jurisprudence in Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous dissent.”

She said her office wanted to give the children a fun and relevant demonstration of what it might look like for someone to be sued in court for exercising their freedom of speech in a way that is not protected by the first amendment.

Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, gave opening remarks encouraging the children to pay attention to the message being delivered and stressed the importance of understanding and exercising the rights Americans have.

“What you’re going to experience today is attorneys at work” Martin said, “What I want you to really understand is, America is one of those few countries where we have rights, and so today you are going to see one of our fundamental rights exercised.”

Twelve of the 4th and 5th graders were selected as jurors in the mock civil trial between the plaintiff, Mr. Alexander T. Wolf, played by Spc. Wayne Chambers, and the defendant, Ms. Georgia Piggly, played by Spc. Summer Wright.

Piggly was accused of defaming Wolf on social media by calling him a bully and a monster because he destroyed her siblings’ homes before “gobbling them up.” Wolf, a social media influencer, claimed Piggly’s statements were untrue and that she caused him to lose part of his fan base with her lies.

The jury returned a not guilty verdict after hearing testimony from both sides and a five-minute deliberation, deciding Piggly’s statements were covered under freedom of speech because her statements were true; therefore, she did not defame Wolf.

The students in the audience were given the opportunity to discuss their opinions during the jury’s deliberation.

One of those students, 4th grader Brinden Wright, agreed with the jury’s decision.

“I feel he blew their house down on purpose,” he said. “If it was an accident, he would not have eaten them.”

Wright said he enjoyed the learning experience, especially learning about the trial process and new terminologies. He shared what freedom of speech means to him.

“I feel it means you have the right to speak for yourself and to express your ideas or thoughts,” Wright said.

Smith expressed how impressed her office was with the quality of the children’s analysis of the evidence.

“The children in the jury box did an outstanding job of analyzing and discussing the evidence during their deliberation,” she said. “The children in the audience had remarkable insight into the evidence as well.”

About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 82,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps and Air Force detachments on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission.

By Dawn Arden
Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 17, 2019) – Maneuver Support Center of Excellence senior leaders announced the winners of the 2019 Best Warrior Competition during a ceremony held Friday on Gammon Field.

MSCoE’s 2019 Best Warriors are: Drill Sergeant of the Year Sgt. 1st Class Marianne Russell, Company C, 58th Transportation Bn.; NCO of the Year Staff Sgt. Anthony Conrado, Co. B, 31st Engineer Bn.; and Soldier of the Year Spc. Jennifer Arnold, 399th Army Band. All will go forward representing MSCoE as they compete at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command competition scheduled to be held in July at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Also earning the honor of being one of MSCoE’s top service members is Joint Service NCO of the Year Marine Sgt. Troy Williams, Marine Corps Detachment; and Joint Service Junior Enlisted Member of the Year Sgt. Jorge Morales, 1st Engineer Brigade.

“What we see in front of us is the finest of Fort Leonard Wood,” said Col. David Caldwell, MSCoE chief of staff. “You really are the best-of-the-best, and the fact that you are sitting there and you were able to gut it out, to work through the unknown and figure out how to navigate that. Really it’s a testament to your professionalism.”

According to Command Sgt. Maj. James Breckinridge, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood, the competitors never knew what was coming next as they endured three straight days of “increasingly tough” mental and physical challenges in austere conditions, all while demonstrating great passion for and pride in their mission.

“Passion is the cornerstone of leadership. How can we expect our subordinates and peers to follow us if we are not passionate leaders? Leaders care and sacrifice for others,” Breckinridge said. “These competitors have embodied passion and the commitment it takes to become the world’s greatest leaders.”

The passion of leading and molding others is what drove Williams throughout the competition.

“I’m big into leadership and making sure that my junior Marines are able to have something to look up to and push forward to,” Williams said. “I want to influence them to be better than myself.”

Concentrating on finishing the competition rather than winning kept Conrado going.

“I never thought I was going to win, or even thought about it, because I didn’t want to get complacent,” Conrado said. “It never really crossed my mind. I was just thinking about finishing and honestly getting back to work. If I would not have won, I still would have come out with a positive outlook on it. I learned a lot about myself in some ways, so I think everyone should at least try it out if they want a challenge.”

Breckinridge said learning what one is capable of and self-growth were some of the things organizers had in mind when creating this year’s competition.

“A competition like this helps to inspire and motivate the next group of NCOs and warriors to chase after your success — to one day surpass you. You encourage them to train harder and stay more focused and they could be standing in your place next year,” Breckinridge said.

He added, “You’re going to take this experience, you’re going to take this knowledge and confidence gained from this competition and take it back to your unit. Use it to build and shape the next generation, and, at the end of the day, we all need to remember to keep growing. I for one cannot wait to see what each and every one of you will do throughout your career.”

Caldwell said the competitors will be better leaders from not only going through the competition, but for the hard work and preparation it took to get this far.

“In the end, what you really represent is the future of our armed services,” Caldwell said. “Personally, and I think I speak on behalf of everybody here, I feel pretty darn confident that we’ve got the right people rising through the ranks and taking charge and leading our Soldiers as we continue to move forward and fight our nation’s battles and wars and deal with all the unknown tasks that will certainly head our way.”

(Editor’s note: Morales was a specialist at the time he was selected to compete and was recently promoted to sergeant.)

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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 82,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps and Air Force detachments on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission.