DATE: March 16, 2018 9:40:09 PM CDT

Fort Leonard Wood report for the week of March 19

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (March 16, 2018) – The following Fort Leonard Wood announcements are for the week of March 19 through 23.

March 19

Registration ends March 19 for The Directorate of Family & Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s lifeguarding certification class beginning April 13. The certification starts with a pretest from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., April 13 at Davidson Fitness Center pool. Class candidates must pass this test to continue with the classes that will be held on April 14, 15, 21 and 22. There is a minimum of four students and maximum of 10. Participants must attend all classes for certification. This class is open to the public, ages 15 1/2 and up. For cost and other details about the class, call 573.596.4359.

March 20

The Bruce C. Clarke Library Collaboration Area Ribbon Cutting Ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m., March 20 at the library. The collaboration area will offer video gaming, board games, magazine racks and bistro tables for reading. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 573.563.4113.

March 24

The Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for 9 a.m., March 24 at Gammon Field. There will be various activities including music, face painting, a balloon artist, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. This free event is open to the public, ages 0 to 12 years old. No strollers are allowed in the egg hunting areas. No pets are allowed. In case of rain, the event will be moved to March 31. Activities begin at 9 a.m. and the Easter Egg Hunt will begin promptly at 10 a.m. For more information, call 573.596.6913.

March 27

Armed Services Blood Program Blood Drive, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Davidson Fitness Center, Court 1. For more information, call 573.596.5385.

March 28

Exchange Women’s History Month Book Signing, noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Bookstore. This event will feature author Ruth VanDyke. For more information, call 573.329.2200.

March 29

Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood Women’s History Month Observance, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pershing Community Center. Ruth VanDyke will serve as guest speaker. Tickets are $12 and are available from brigade Equal Opportunity advisors of a the installation EO office. For more information, call 573.596.0601.Bruce C. Clarke Library World War 1 Book Club, 11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The book is “All Quiet on the Western Front,” by Erich Maria Remarque. For more information, call 573.563.4113.Exchange Women’s History Month Book Signing, 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Exchange. This event will feature author Ruth VanDyke. For more information, call 573.329.2200.

Guidon stories

MSCoE welcomes new Deputy to the CG

The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood welcomed Michael McCarthy as the Deputy to the Commanding General in a ceremony March 7 at MSCoE Headquarters. Mr. McCarthy comes to Fort Leonard Wood from the Training and Doctrine Command’s Army Capabilities Integration Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He lived on Fort Leonard Wood as a child and attended Thayer Elementary School; additionally, Mr. McCarthy spent several years as an enlisted Soldier before being commissioned as a field artillery officer. The deputy to the commanding general assists the senior commander in all roles while serving as the commander’s civilian advisor. We welcome Mr. McCarthy to Fort Leonard Wood. https://www.army.mil/article/202238/

Fire department wins big in IMCOM competition

The Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department recently competed in Installation Management Command’s annual Fire and Emergency Services Awards and won top honors in three of the five categories they entered, with two individual awards and one department award. Darrin Shiplett, fire inspector, won the 2017 Department of the Army Fire Inspector of the Year Award. Michael Campbell, fire inspector, won the 2017 Department of the Army Fire Instructor of the Year Award and has moved on to compete at the Department of Defense level. The Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department also won IMCOM Fire Department of the Year, small category, which Bowling said is due to the hard work and dedication of the staff. In 2017, the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department protected more than 13 million square-feet of facilities, responded to 869 emergencies, engaged 59 wild fires, without injuries; decreased housing fires by 95 percent, earned 44 firefighter certifications, and performed 32 car seat safety checks. https://www.army.mil/article/202240/

U4 students take on ‘storm night’

No matter what part of the country you live in, one is faced with the harsh reality that a storm could come through any time of the year, causing power outages — outages that require a unique skill set and the meticulous training of linemen to repair. Fort Leonard Wood is the home of the Army’s Prime Power School which teaches the Power Line Distribution Course, commonly referred to as U4. Learn about the Prime Power School and the Power Line Distribution Course, visit https://www.army.mil/article/202241/.

Spotlight on Education: Understanding educational accreditation levels

In the education field, accreditation is the process colleges, universities and other degree-granting institutions go through in order to ensure the education provided meets acceptable standards of quality. This means the school you are currently attending is of high enough quality that other colleges, universities and other degree-granting institutions will accept work done there either as transfer credits or to allow the student to pursue a higher degree. Learn about the importance of accreditation levels, visit https://www.army.mil/article/202250/.

AER director kicks off campaign at Fort Leonard Wood

The 2018 Army Emergency Relief Campaign kicked off on Fort Leonard Wood March 8 with a special ceremony at the Main Post Chapel. Learn more about the AER campaign and how AER benefits Soldiers and families, visit https://www.army.mil/article/202254/.

R.A.D. classes coming up

Army Community Service is now providing more opportunities for women to better protect themselves from sexual assault. ACS staff members and volunteers are now regularly offering the Rape Aggression Defense Systems of Self Defense. Learn about the R.A.D. program and when it is offered, visit https://www.army.mil/article/202272/.

Army Emergency Relief: We find a way to say yes

There are many categories of assistance under the Army Emergency Relief Program that are not commonly known to many in our Army family. Read about the categories of assistance provided by AER, visit https://www.army.mil/article/202285/.

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