Thursday, 11 September
The Drive
The trip from Kansas City to Fort Leonard Wood was about 200 miles and took us around four hours. It was hot and humid with a high temperature expected in the mid-90s. We followed MO-7 through fields and quiet small towns before picking up MO-13, where the scenery stretched out into farmland and open prairie. Once we merged onto I-44 near Springfield, the view changed again—the road carried us through the rolling Ozark hills, with forested ridges and winding curves making the last leg of the drive both scenic and a little adventurous.
Arriving at the Post
Fort Leonard Wood itself has a long history, established in 1940 and officially activated in January 1941, just before America entered World War II. It started out as an infantry training center, later trained Army engineers, and even held German and Italian prisoners of war. Deactivated briefly after the war, it was brought back during the Korean War in 1950 and has since grown into a major training post, now home to the Engineer, Military Police, and CBRN schools.
The RV Park
Coming through the main gate truck lane, we had our IDs checked and were quickly waved in. Google Maps tried to lead us astray, but since we’d stayed there before, we knew right where to go. The RV park, run by the Outdoor Adventure Center, is small—just twelve sites—so I had called ahead and been assigned to Site #2. Each spot has a solid concrete pad with full hookups for both 30- and 50-amp service, though there’s no shade. What makes the park especially convenient is its central location on post: just a few minutes from the commissary, PX, and the day’s events. At $32 a night, it felt like a fair price for the comfort, security, and ease of being right where we needed to be.
Evening
This was our first camping trip since March, so we spent the evening cleaning and sorting our camping supplies in preparation for the upcoming trip. We then drove into the nearby St Robert’s to Culver’s for a quick meal and relaxed for the evening.
Friday, 12 September
In the morning we continued preparing our camper by giving in a good wash and flushing in the fresh water tank with some Clorox.
Fort Leonard Wood Retirement Appreciation Day
The main purpose of this trip was to attend Fort Leonard Wood’s annual Retiree Appreciation Day. Held each year on post, the event helps retired service members stay connected to the Army community while receiving updates on benefits, healthcare, and other support services. It’s also a time to honor their service and remind them of their ongoing role in supporting Army recruitment. Attendance typically ranges from 300 to 400 people, but this year’s turnout was expected to approach 600. We had attended the event a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, so we decided it would be a great way to kick off our camping trip.
Bus Tour
A bus tour was scheduled for 12:30 to take visitors around Fort Leonard Wood and showcase some of its major training areas. Near the pickup point stood static displays of Military Police and Engineer vehicles, giving a preview of what lay ahead. The tour group was so large that transportation included both a standard bus and a converted cattle trailer pulled by a semi. The trailer, retrofitted with plastic chairs and side windows, could carry more passengers, so we decided to ride in it for the novelty. Once aboard, we discovered that the noise made it difficult to hear the narration, but the experience offered a unique view of the sprawling post as we rolled through its training ranges.
The guide explained that Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence (MSCoE), which trains soldiers from three major branches—the Engineers, the Chemical Corps, and the Military Police. Together, these schools provide instruction in everything from combat engineering and demolition to law enforcement, CBRN defense, and disaster response. The post also houses the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, where enlisted leaders attend advanced courses, and hosts specialized programs such as the Sapper Leader Course for combat engineers.
Our first stop was the Engineer School, spread across rugged terrain filled with construction equipment from various manufacturers. Here, soldiers practice engineering skills essential for mobility and battlefield support. The guide pointed out one of the Army’s most impressive training sites, TA-422, nicknamed the “Million Dollar Sandbox.” This massive engineering training area lives up to its name with a sprawling expanse of sand and gravel where heavy equipment operators train on bulldozers, graders, cranes, and excavators. Here, soldiers learn to move earth, construct berms and fortifications, and operate in realistic conditions designed to mimic combat engineering challenges.
From there, the bus wound toward the CBRN School, a large building surrounded by training structures and gas chambers where troops rehearse detection, decontamination, and protective gear procedures. The guide noted that its CBRN Defense Training Facility is one of the few in the nation where live chemical agents, notably Sarin gas, are used under strict supervision.
Next, we passed through the Military Police School. Here, soldiers train for real-world policing—learning traffic stops, riot control, and urban patrols. Parked patrol cars and K-9 kennels lined the area, adding to the realism. On a nearby hillside stood the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, its classrooms and leadership lanes forming a campus-like setting where future leaders develop teamwork and decision-making skills.
As the tour continued, we drove by the Army Driver Training Course, a vast expanse of gravel lots, steep embankments, and winding tracks where soldiers learn to handle everything from Humvees to heavy engineer equipment. Water crossings, convoy drills, and night-driving exercises simulate conditions they might face in deployment.
Finally, the guide described how Fort Leonard Wood partners with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) to conduct large-scale disaster-response exercises. On specialized training grounds built to resemble damaged neighborhoods or industrial sites, soldiers, firefighters, and emergency teams work together to respond to simulated floods, tornadoes, and hazardous-materials incidents.
By the time the tour ended, we had covered only a fraction of the post’s 60,000 acres, but it was enough to appreciate its size and scope. The visit offered a rare look behind the gates—showcasing not just the Army’s technical training, but its vital role in preparing both military and civilian teams to respond to crises around the world.
Commissary
After the tour, we stopped by the post’s main grocery store, known as the Commissary, to pick up a few supplies before heading back to our camper for the Retirement Appreciation Dinner that evening.
Retiree Appreciation Dinner
The Retiree Appreciation Dinner that evening is one of the highlight events of the weekend. It is an evening designed to honor the service and continued contributions of military retirees and their families. Held at Nutter Field House, the dinner brings together veterans from every branch, along with spouses, local leaders, and active-duty personnel.
The evening began with a social hour at 5 pm, where we checked in and found our seats. A cash bar was available so we bought a couple of beers and watched as many returning veterans reunited with old friends. We chose a random table that gave us a good view of the front stage, and enjoyed talking with others that gathered at the same table.
The formal evening opened at 6 pm with a welcome, followed by the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and an invocation. The meal itself was served buffet-style or as a plated dinner, featuring classic comfort dishes. A short program followed, featuring remarks of appreciation, recognition of special guests, and an introduction of the Retiree of the Year. Our guest speaker was a representative from Retirement Services in Washington, DC, who gave us an update on the initiatives happening at national level.
By the end of the night, the event felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a reunion—a chance for those who once wore the uniform to come together, share laughter and memories, and feel recognized as an enduring part of the Fort Leonard Wood community.
Route 66 Neon Park
After the dinner, we drove down to the Route 66 Neon Park just outside the gate in St Robert, MO. This park brings the colorful glow of America’s “Mother Road” back to life. Located within George M. Reed Roadside Park along the old highway, this open-air exhibit showcases restored neon signs that once lit up motels, diners, and gas stations along Route 66 across Missouri. Each sign has been refurbished and displayed with interpretive panels that share its history, giving visitors a vivid glimpse into the mid-century era when neon lights guided travelers across the country. After dark, the restored signs come alive in brilliant color, creating a nostalgic nighttime glow that captures the spirit of classic roadside America.
Saturday, 13 September
Retiree Appreciation Activities
The day began at 7 am with a hearty biscuit-and-gravy breakfast hosted by the local Masonic group at the USO building near Nutter Hall. The spread was impressive—coffee, juice, donuts, bacon, and sausage rounded out the menu—and the food was every bit as good as it looked. The energy of the servers made the meal even more enjoyable, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Following breakfast, we moved into a series of presentations. A representative from the national Retirement Services Office (RSO) spoke first, highlighting updates to their websites and new tools designed to push more information to retirees. Afterward, leaders from the post and hospital joined for a Q&A session. Though time was limited, the questions largely focused on frustrations with the lack of clarity surrounding retirement benefits and medical support.
From there, buses carried us over to the dining facility for lunch. For $7.10 each, we enjoyed a filling meal capped by a generous dessert table. The dining facility personnel worked hard to make our lunch special. Lisa got grabbed for an Appreciation photo. While we were seated apart from the basic training soldiers, we could see them outside—moving in tightly disciplined lines into the chow hall. Their youthfulness was striking, and many of us remarked on just how young they seemed.
The afternoon concluded with a Services and Health Fair. Rows of information tables showcased post resources and veteran services, each offering candy and small giveaways—pens, squeeze balls, toothbrush kits—and staffed by eager representatives ready to share what they had to offer. Outside, soldiers stood beside several tactical vehicles, enthusiastically walking us through their equipment and answering questions with pride. We got several bags of giveaways before the raffle began, where we won some t-shirts.
Piney River Brewing Company
After a short nap at the camper, we set out for Bucyrus, Missouri, to visit Piney River Brewing Company, a family-owned brewery tucked away on an 80-acre cattle farm in the Ozarks. The drive took just under an hour, leading us out the south gate and through the post’s ranges before giving way to winding two-lane roads that threaded through the national forest and the rolling hills of the Ozarks. The last stretch was a gravel road, guided only by a couple of modest “Brewery” signs with arrows—quiet reminders that this was meant to be a destination, not a stop along the way.
From the moment we pulled up, the place felt both rustic and welcoming. The brewery itself is housed in a beautifully refurbished 1940s barn, fittingly called “The BARn,” and as we walked inside, we could still sense the history of the building even as it buzzed with the energy of a modern taproom. It was busy, but we were able to find a table and grabbed a couple of pints—one of their well-known Float Trip Lagers and a pour of the Black Walnut, a rich and flavorful ale. We also ordered a pepperoni pizza and enjoyed the live band playing that evening. They played crowd favorites, and the singer was full of energy.
We left the brewery around 8 pm and had to drive the dark roads back to the post and the campground, but the roads were well-marked and it was an easy drive back. We were back around 9 pm and settled in for the evening.
Sunday, 14 September
In the morning, we packed up and headed toward Carlyle Lake in Illinois.