Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 18, 2020) — Fort Leonard Wood plans to hold its traditional Thanksgiving Day celebration Nov. 26 in 13 of its dining facilities on post, with meals for service members, as well as a specific time and location for retired service members.
According to William Moffitt, Installation Food Program manager, plans are set to serve more than 12,000 meals during the lunch celebration and 30,000-plus meals throughout the day — utilizing 7,000 pounds of turkey, 1,200 pounds of shrimp, 2,000 pounds of beef and 2,000 assorted cakes and pies with all the accompaniments.
More than 300 food-service employees prepare the feast and serve it alongside teams of unit leadership.
“Thanksgiving meal on Fort Leonard Wood will always be one of my most memorable experiences in my food service career,” Moffitt said. “Our highly talented food service professionals like to flaunt their talents for this meal, but what truly stands out is that those products and flavors are being served to the strongest, most diverse, appreciated and prepared military on the planet.”
To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the meal will be different this year, Moffitt said.
“With that danger, additional social distancing and sanitation measures are being implemented,” he said.
The Thanksgiving Day meal this year is restricted to Department of Defense ID cardholders. Retirees, Gold Star family members, and veterans with access to the installation are welcome to dine from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Bldg. 6111.
“One of the DOD’s largest dining facilities,” Moffitt added.
The Logistics Readiness Center, Bldg. 3223, will serve the Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy and Basic Officer Leader Course Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 25 and close Nov. 26 – they will re-open with the breakfast meal Nov. 30.
The Thanksgiving holiday meal rate is $9.20 for all visitors, except spouses and other dependents of service members E4 and below who pay the discount holiday meal rate of $6.85.
“2020 has been a challenge,” Moffitt said. “I’m really happy we are still able to provide this tradition to the Fort Leonard Wood community.”
Dining Facility assignments, Nov. 26:
— DFAC 630 (701st Military Police Battalion), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 653 (2nd Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 754 (2nd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 820 (1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 836 (3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 908 (795th Military Police Battalion), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 930 (787th Military Police Battalion), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 1010 (169th & 554th Engineer Battalions), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 2105 (43rd Adjutant General Battalion), 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
— DFAC 1784 (Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps detachments), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 1792 (84th Chemical Battalion, 58th Transportation Battalion), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— DFAC 6111 (6111 Indiana Ave.), will have two dining rooms open to support retirees, Gold Star family members and DoD ID card holders, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
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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 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