Fort Leonard Wood FMWR Splashes into Summer · Installation through a team-based competition. Fort Leonard Wood participated in the Tour of Missouri bike race in 2008 and 2009. Youth

Opened just in time to keep families cool in the sweltering summer heat, the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) department at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., now has some

exciting new “family friendly” water park attractions. The project that has made the biggest splash with families is a new spray park and wading pool, which offi cially opened on June 10, 2010. The Spray Park offers zero-depth entry, ground bubblers and misters, bucket pours, water guns and slides. Centennial was the contractor for the project, and the spray park equipment is from Rain Drop

Products. The $750,000 project was paid for using non-appropriated funds (NAF).

“The spray park has been well received by

Oexciting new “family friendly” water park attractions. The project Oexciting new “family friendly” water park attractions. The project O

that has made the biggest splash with families is a new spray park and wading pool, which offi cially opened on June 10, 2010. The Spray Park offers zero-depth entry, ground bubblers and misters, bucket pours, water guns and slides. Centennial was the contractor for the project, and the spray park equipment is from Rain Drop

Fort Leonard Wood FMWR

OOSplashes into SummerSplashes into SummerSplashes into Summer

OSplashes into Summer



OSplashes into SummerSplashes into SummerSplashes into Summer




OSplashes into SummerSplashes into SummerSplashes into Summer

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORT LEONARD WOOD FMWR

34 GOVERNMENT RECREATION & FITNESS • JULY 2010

Aquatics/Outdoor RecreationAquatics/Outdoor RecreationAquatics/Outdoor Recreation

days. Swimming lessons for all ages and lifeguard training are also available through FMWR.

In addition to the enhanced aquatic area, FMWR also added a 23,000 square-foot miniature golf course, which was built by MGC Developers LLC. The beautifully landscaped mini-golf course was funded using money generated from the post’s recycling program, and features 18 holes of challenging and exciting obstacles with a waterfall as the main centerpiece. The bathhouse was also remodeled, and was designed by Fort Leonard Wood Department of Public Works (DPW) and built by Bales Construction. FMWR will also be enhancing the

the Fort Leonard Wood community,” notes Megan O’Donoghue, director, FMWR Marketing, “With approximately 4,450 military children of pre-school age, the Splash Park allows parents a place to relax and cool down with smaller children who may not be experienced swimmers.”

The spray park is centrally located at Wallace Pool, and is all part of the Recreation Complex at Fort Leonard Wood. Wallace Pool is an Olympic-sized outdoor pool with a 50-foot water slide. A smaller pool is located in the center of the Lieber Heights housing area.

In an effort to show support for Army families, this sum-mer FMWR is offering free swimming at its outdoor pools.

“The free swim program is in keep-ing with the Army Family Covenant’s promise of taking care of soldiers and families by continuing to build strong partnerships with Army families,” notes O’Donoghue. “By offering free swim-ming at the outdoor pools, FMWR hopes to enhance the recreation experience for our soldiers and families and increase quality of time families spend together.”

Other programs offered throughout the swimming season are pool parties, customer appreciation days and themed

JULY 2010 • GOVERNMENT RECREATION & FITNESS 35

fl ows through Fort Leonard Wood.

Fort Leon-ard Wood has over 60,000 acres available

for hunting, in-cluding archery,

fi rearms and muz-zleloaders. Fishing

is available on post in the Big Piney River plus

numerous ponds and lakes available on Fort Leonard Wood. The Trout Management ar-eas are open year round and all hunting and fi shing state and local licenses and permits available at the OAC.

The OAC has a large retail operation that sells guns, am-munition, fi shing and hunting equipment, and camping and outdoor equipment. The OAC hosts a fully stocked archery department and sells bows and custom made arrows. The center also has two trap and two skeet ranges that are open daily, as well as a large paintball course that sells paintball equipment. The OAC offers canoe trips, fi shing classes, hunter education, Concealed Carry Weapons classes, kayak classes, paintball and 3D archery tournaments as well as a Big Buck and Big Turkey Contest annually.

The Outdoor Adventure Center offers two paintball courses,

Recreation Com-plex (Rec Plex) with the

addition of a Go-Kart track, which is currently under construction. The Go-Kart track was designed in-house and will be constructed by MGC Developers LLC.

OUTDOOR ADVENTUREIn addition to the new and improved Rec Plex, the Outdoor

Adventure Center is the hub for outdoor recreation at Fort Leonard Wood, and organizes many trips throughout the year to include ski trips in the winter and fi shing trips in the summer plus trips to a local off-post high ropes course, to name a few. Float trips are offered daily during the spring, summer and part of autumn (weather permitting) down the Big Piney River that


Aquatics/Outdoor Recreation

a wooded course within Mark Twain National Forest, with bound-aries and a 100 yard by 100 yard speedball course with a series of bunkers and no other obstructions throughout the fi eld of play. The OAC sells CO2 and are in the process of converting over to compressed air. The center offers team tournaments once a month during the spring and summer. “Paintball is extremely popular with trainee soldiers and with youth on the installation,” notes O’Donoghue.

Fort Leonard Wood has a very active Warrior Adventure Quest (WAQ) program, which combines high-adrenaline sports with Battlemind training to help soldiers adjust to the return to garrison life from the combat envi-ronment. Options include High Adventure Ropes Course, Paintball, Trap and Skeet, White Water Trips in canoe or kayaks and Parasailing at Osage Beach.

Besides the programs offered through the out-door Adventure Center, Fort Leonard Wood has multiple walking trails, caves, hiking areas and two parks (Colyer and Happy Hollow) with play areas.

Located 50 miles Northwest of Fort Leonard Wood is the Lake of the Ozarks Recreation Area (LORA), located on the Grand Glaize Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, one of the nation’s largest man-made lakes, including over 1,300 miles of shoreline to enjoy.

FMWR runs all aspects of the LORA operation, from the cabins and boat rentals, campsites and RV sites, to the Country Store and dock.


“The benefit of having the lake area is that it offers soldiers and families a recreational outlet close to home, an escape from their normal environment at a fraction of the cost of an expensive vacation,” notes O’Donoghue. “The lake offers one of the best scenic panoramas in the state and a range of leisure and water activities that will excite and enchant any visitor.”

SPORTS AND FITNESSFMWR has a very active Intramural Sports Program, in-

cluding football, bowling, soccer, basketball, softball, tennis swimming, golf and more. In addition to the use of two fi t-ness centers, the FMWR Sports and Fitness Program has 16 softball fi elds, 9 soccer fi elds, several lighted baseball fi elds, tennis courts, a football fi eld and outdoor track.

Sports also hosts a variety of 5K or 10K walks/runs through-out the year, the annual local Army/Navy game, bike races and the Amazing Base, a program designed to showcase the Installation through a team-based competition. Fort Leonard Wood participated in the Tour of Missouri bike race in 2008 and 2009.

Youth sports range from basketball, soccer, fl ag football, t-ball, softball and cheerleading. CYSS also participates in the kick, punt and pass competition, Hershey Track and Field Competition and host PT in the Woods annually, a program that provides children the chance to do PT with their Active Duty parent(s).

“The goal of the Youth Sports program is to offer a range of positive sports and fi tness program options and environ-ments,” says O’Donoghue. “These programs encompass a variety of activities that foster the development of leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork, build skills, achieve self-confi dence and enhance or reinforce learning opportunities for children and youth through individual and group activities.”

SKIES Unlimited, a CYSS program offers instructional programs for children and youth ranging from four weeks old to adolescence to include (but not limited to) martial arts, dance, musical instruments and theater.

“CYSS is a proud partner with Boys and Girls Club of America, and the goal of the BGCA Sports, Fitness, and Rec-reation Core Program Area is to develop fi tness, positive use of leisure time, skills for stress management, appreciation for the environment and social skills,” says O’Donoghue.



and Warrior in Transition Unit (WTU) Complex. The con-gressionally funded $19.5 million WTU complex features a Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC), providing tailored integrated sup port services while serving as an informa tion broker/clearing house, a playground, barracks, and company headquarters.

“FMWR is extremely important to the Military Commu-nity,” notes O’Donoghue. “The Army believes that soldiers and their families are entitled to the same quality of life as the Americans they are pledged to defend, and MWR is an integral part of that quality of life.” —GRF

Throughout the year Fort Leon-ard Wood FMWR hosts a variety of outdoor recreational/entertainment activities such as concerts, festivals and holiday celebrations.

ARMY FAMILY COVENANT Fort Leonard Wood has benefi ted

greatly from the Army Family Covenant (AFC), which has improved support, services and facilities for soldiers and

families. “The AFC is the

Army’s promise to take care of not only

the soldiers, but also the families who serve side-

by-side with their soldiers, enduring the hardships posed by

a military lifestyle, while providing unconditional support to keep the Army strong,” notes O’Donoghue. “The AFC is instrumental in ensuring relaxation, rest and revitalization through the op-portunity of recreation, which is essen-tial to stress management for soldiers.”

Fort Leonard Wood through FMWR offers the AFC Discount Card Program for spouses of de ployed soldiers. Ev-eryday benefi ts give spouses an extra discount at FMWR facilities, childcare benefi ts and respite child care, which give families a break through Child and Youth Services Programs, and an opportunity for family members of de-ployed soldiers to interact in ac tivities together. Two other benefi ts of the AFC available to all soldiers and families are free movies and Abrams Theater every Friday evening and Saturday mornings and the free summer swimming program at the FMWR outdoor pools.

With support of the Army Family Covenant, Fort Leonard Wood dedicat-ed its 23,600-square-foot School Age Services build ing April 9, 2010. The $7.9 million, congressionally funded center features a multipurpose room where physical fi tness programs, such as Healthy Habits and Smart Moves can be accomplished. Individual lockers are available for each youth to store their belongings. There is a demonstration kitchen, where youth can learn basic food preparation skills. Activity Rooms, a Computer Lab with 14 computers, a Home work lab, a Gaming Room and a Technology Room are available.

Other improvements at Fort Leon-ard Wood include a new chapel, scheduled to open in March, 2011,



Fort Leonard Wood FMWR Splashes into Summer · Installation through a team-based competition. Fort Leonard Wood participated in the Tour of Missouri bike race in 2008 and 2009. Youth

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