Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (March 27, 2020) — The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general declared a public health emergency effective today, March 27, due to the evolving threat of COVID-19.

This declaration provides Fort Leonard Wood additional avenues and greater access to health care resources to fight COVID-19, and achieves the greatest public health benefit while maintaining operational effectiveness. It also ensures that commanders have the appropriate and necessary authorities to take all actions required to assure the community’s safety, and establish a total force compliance.

The order is in place for days 30 days, with the option to terminate or extend based on emerging requirements.

“We want to emphasize – this decision is not in response to an increased threat or spread of COVID-19 at Fort Leonard Wood,” said Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. “This is primarily about making sure our commanders have the necessary authorities to issue guidance centered on total force compliance and safety.”

A video of the declaration can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/fortleonardwoodmissouri/videos/2359132767712281/

More information on Fort Leonard Wood’s response to COVID-19 can be found at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/coronavirus.

-30-

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 80,000 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 Detachment and Air Force Squadron 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