Trees for Troops returns to Fort Leonard Wood – U.S. Army Fort Leonard Wood

By Brian Hill, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 16, 2023) — Fort Leonard Wood service members will get the opportunity to pick out a free, live holiday tree again this year, as the Trees for Troops program returns to the Auto Skills Center Dec. 8 and 9.

Active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members and their spouses may reserve a pick-up time between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 8 at Bldg. 1383, by calling the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Leisure Travel Services at 573.329.8587, or by visiting the FMWR website, FMWR Marketing Manager Nia Dickinson confirmed.

A military I.D. is required at time of pick up.

Anyone with access to the installation is welcome to pick-up a free tree on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last between the same times the next day, Dec. 9, Dickinson noted, adding there is a limit of one tree per family.

The Trees for Troops program has delivered live holiday trees to military families on more than 80 military installations around the world since 2005, and FMWR is “so proud to be a part of this amazing program that truly epitomizes the spirt of giving, as tree farmers and individuals from across the nation donate trees in support of this program,” FMWR Director Megan O’Donoghue said.

“Many military families are not able to go home for the holidays, so we like to bring a little holiday spirit to them in the form of a beautiful, free tree,” O’Donoghue said. “Many service members blend traditions from families or locations they have been stationed at and selecting a tree is among those traditions. How can someone not smile and feel happy when selecting a tree? When that tree finds a home, it is the start of the season.”

O’Donoghue said one of her favorite things about the program are the tags hanging from many of the trees, sending thankful messages of holiday cheer from those who donated the trees to the service members receiving them.

“The day of delivery, I love to read the tags and make sure they are visible for patrons to see, as these little messages, sent from the heart, are really what the season is all about,” O’Donoghue said.

Learn more about the program by visiting the Trees for Troops website.

Media wishing to attend Trees for Troops should respond to the Public Affairs Office at 573.563.5038 no later than 10 a.m. Dec. 7, 2023.

Service members and their families choose from nearly 400 live holiday trees at the Automotive Skills Center, during the 2022 Trees for Troops program event. This year, the program returns to Fort Leonard Wood Dec. 8 and 9. (Photo Credit: Photo by Amanda Sullivan, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office)

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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 80 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains nearly 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.