Fort Leonard Wood is planning to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday June 8-14 with many events scheduled throughout the week to commemorate the Army’s distinguished service to the nation. The central theme for this year’s celebration is, “This We’ll Defend.”
June 8, Week of Prayer
Chaplains will kick off Fort Leonard Wood’s celebration June 8 by dedicating religious services across the installation to the Army’s 250th birthday.
June 9, 250-mile relay run
Monday, June 9, begins a 250-mile relay-style run that is scheduled to start each day at 6:30 a.m., on the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Plaza and will end June 13 with the 3-mile division-style run, starting at 5 a.m. on Gammon Field.
The days leading up to the division-style run will feature commanders providing presentations at 6:30 a.m. on MSCoE Plaza that highlight the significance of each military campaign throughout the Army’s history. Soldiers will also run each day from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a route that will take them from MSCoE Plaza to Car Wash Hill to FLW 5 to Pulaski Avenue, totaling 247 miles over the three days.
On June 11, the relay run is slated to go through Gammon Field at 4 p.m., where local veterans will be honored during a ceremony. Local community members are invited to attend the event that will feature a brief campaign history on the Korean War, Vietnam War, Kosovo and War on Terrorism; the Veteran Campaign Streamer Presentation Ceremony; and a half-mile run accompanied by the veterans, said Sgt. Maj. Don Batchan, MSCoE’s operations sergeant major. The ceremony is open to the public.
“Throughout the week, motorists can expect delays along the relay-run route,” Batchan said. “Motorists are also reminded to slow down to 10 mph when passing Soldiers.”
June 10, Art contest
The winners of the Fort Leonard Wood Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s 250th Army Birthday Art Contest will be announced June 10 via the Fort Leonard Wood MWR Facebook page. The online contest, which is open for entries now through June 2, highlights certain military campaigns throughout the Army’s history.
Artists can choose from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam War and War on Terrorism to focus their artwork on. Original artwork must be completed on a single 8.5 x 11-inch page using paint, watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, or other 2-D art mediums. Entries will be divided into four categories – elementary, middle school, high school and adults – and will be open for voting on MWR’s Facebook page June 4-9.
Prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners in each category, and the winning artwork will be displayed at Army birthday festivities after winners are announced. To enter, artwork should be turned in at DFMWR Marketing from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday by June 2 at Dillard Hall, Bldg. 470, Suite 1109. For more information, visit DFMWR's website.
June 11, Curated event at the museum
According to Scott Franklin, curator for the U.S. Army Chemical Corps Museum, the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex is planning to have four scheduled time slots throughout the day to discuss several artifacts from the museum’s collection. The times are 9 to 10 a.m., 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., 1 to 2 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
“We also plan on having an area for children to try on uniforms and equipment from different eras,” Franklin said.
The museum will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for visitors to tour the museum.
June 12, Wreath Laying at Missouri Capitol
Fort Leonard Wood and the Daughters of the American Revolution are planning an Army 250th Birthday Wreath Laying Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City. Guest speakers will include Missouri Lt. Gov. David Wasinger and Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general.
June 13, Division-style run, community partnership recognition and cake cutting ceremony
June 13 will kick off before dawn with a division-style birthday run that will start at Gammon Field. More than 6,000 service members are expected to participate in the 3-mile run, which will conclude the 250-mile relay run that began June 9.
Officials said personnel should note there will be no parking on Constitution or Iowa avenues while the birthday run takes place. Also, as some roads will be temporarily closed during the run, personnel should plan alternate routes to the Child Development Centers.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., a ceremony to recognize the Army Community Partnership Award is scheduled to take place in Lincoln Hall Auditorium. Earlier this year, the Department of the Army announced Fort Leonard Wood as being one of seven installations to win the 2024 Army Community Partnership award for the installation’s “outstanding partnership” with the cities of St. Robert and Waynesville. The ceremony is open to the public.
Following the ceremony, a traditional Army cake-cutting ceremony is planned to take place at 10:30 a.m. on MSCoE Plaza where the longest- and shortest-tenured Army civilians on Fort Leonard Wood and the oldest and youngest Soldiers will join the MSCoE command team in cutting the cakes.
June 14, Golf scramble
The weeklong celebration will close with an Army Birthday Golf Scramble set to begin at 6:30 a.m. at Piney Valley Golf Course. Registration for DFMWR’s 18-hole, four-person scramble is open May 19 through June 11. Cost for members is $35 and $50 for non-members, with a $5 late registration fee. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the Pro Shop and beverage cart.
Established on June 14, 1775, the Army is a year older than the United States itself. Since its establishment, Army Soldiers, families and civilians have supported our nation, bearing true faith and allegiance to the country, the Constitution, their units and fellow team members as they defend the nation and provide assistance in times of need, including disaster relief and recovery efforts.
For 250 years, the U.S. Army has offered endless possibilities and opportunities for service to our nation. With over 200 career choices for Soldiers and more than 500 career paths for civilians, Army possibilities are endless. The Army helps create a sense of purpose through personal growth and professional development – empowering Soldiers and civilian employees to be part of something greater than themselves and to be all they can be.
