Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri – August 30, 2023 – On Thursday, August 16, over 200 business, government, civic, and military leaders and community members from the Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) Region joined the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership (SOP) for our 11^th SOP Annual Meeting at the ARK Community & Sports Center in Waynesville, MO.

This year’s SOP meeting theme of “Our Army, Our Installation, Our Community” reflected the region’s belief that everything we endeavor to do in support of our military partners must first and foremost be in the best interest of the Department of Defense and ultimately, these things can then benefit the Army, FLW, Missouri, and our communities respectively.

Attendees were welcomed by SOP Chairman, State Representative Bill Hardwick. Leonard Wood Institute (LWI) Board President Mike Dunbar and LWI Board Treasurer and SOP Vice Chairman Steve Ehrhardt then recognized each of the 39 SOP Sustaining Members for their outstanding support in keeping the regional momentum going in support of FLW, service members, and their families.

Speakers during the annual meeting included Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe; U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (recorded) and Eric Schmitt (recorded); U.S. Congressman Mark Alford from Missouri’s 4th Congressional District; Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, Missouri-West Keith Pritchard; Brigadier General Sarah Albrycht, Commandant, U.S. Army Military Police School, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence & FLW; Brigadier General Joe Ricciardi, Deputy Commander Installation Management Command; Missouri Military Advocate Harry Roberts; Lieutenant Colonel Crystal Jones, Commander U.S. Army Kansas City Recruiting Battalion; Mike DuBois, Director, Defense & International, Kit Bond Strategies; Tommy Turner, J.E. Dunn Construction and Travis Lynch, Army Corps of Engineers; and Major General Leonard Wood Foundation Chairman Joe Driskill.

SOP Executive Director Dorsey Newcomb shared four key points to take away from the meeting. They were:

1. The Army and other military services need our help increasing awareness of our nation’s ongoing military recruiting challenges and the resulting implications on our national defense.

2. Our elected leaders at the federal, state, and local level, along with our communities and various stakeholders are unified in our support of FLW, service members, and military families.

3. Through the SOP, the region has adopted an aggressive and proactive strategy to anticipate changes in the defense budget, National Defense Authorization Act, potential changes in force structure, and recruiting that may either positively or negatively impact FLW.

4. Our collective efforts continue to demonstrate to senior civilian and uniformed DOD officials and others the tremendous military value FLW provides to overall military readiness and its potential for the future, as well as our communities’ unrivaled engagement and support.  

“It was, once again, great for all of our regional citizens to hear from our elected leaders at all levels, our Army partners, our state partners, and others on how we are all synchronized in our collective work to support the Army, Fort Leonard Wood, service members, and families,” said Newcomb. “I believe LTC Jones’ presentation about the Army’s ongoing challenges and initiatives in “Recruiting the Army of Tomorrow, Today” was particularly enlightening for our community.”  

Newcomb also provided an update on the progress SOP has made over the past year towards its goals of strengthening the region and FLW. The meeting concluded with Newcomb describing the region’s strategies going forward.

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