Brian Hill
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 14, 2022) — Hundreds of live Christmas trees will be free for the Fort Leonard Wood community again this year as the Trees for Troops program returns to the Automotive Skills Center Dec. 2 and 3.
Active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members and their spouses may reserve a pick-up time between noon and 5 p.m. Dec. 2 at Bldg. 1383, by calling the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Installation Wide Events Office from now until Dec. 1 at 573.596.6913, or by visiting the FMWR website, at https://leonardwood.armymwr.com/calendar/event/trees-troops/5765465/74165.
A military I.D. is required at time of pickup.
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. 3.
There is a limit of one tree per family.
According to Megan O’Donoghue, FMWR director, Fort Leonard Wood is one of more than 80 military installations receiving trees this holiday season as part of the Trees for Troops program.
“These trees are donated by people across the United States and individual tree farms to show their appreciation and support for our military families,” O’Donoghue said. “Knowing that people from across the nation are coming together to support our military is incredibly heartwarming.”
The Trees for Troops program has provided more than 250,000 live Christmas trees to service members and their families since the program’s launch in 2005, and O’Donoghue said nothing is better than witnessing the impact this program has on our community, “which is evident in the smiles on the faces of those service members and families picking out a tree.”
“No matter the age — young or young at heart — these trees bring joy, happiness and the spirit of the holidays to our service members and make a difference in the lives of our military community,” she said.
Learn more about the program by visiting the Trees for Troops website, at www.treesfortroops.org.
Reporters wishing to cover this event should contact the Public Affairs Office by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 573.563.4145.
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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 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.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission