Fort Leonard Wood is located in the heart of the Ozarks off Interstate 44. The post is approximately 130 miles west of Saint Louis and 90 miles east of Springfield.
From St. Louis (East) - Drive west on I-70 about 4 miles, go south on 270 approximately 15 miles, drive west on I-44. Drive west bound on I-44 about 135 miles. Exit interstate on 161. At the stop light turn left onto Missouri Avenue. Drive approximately 3 miles at the end of the public road will be the Fort Leonard Wood Main gate.
From Springfield (West) - Drive Northeast on West Kearney, turn left onto US-160 Northwest Bypass and merge eastbound onto I-44. Drive approximately 86 miles west toward St. Louis. Exit on 161 and make a right onto Missouri Avenue at the stop light. Drive approximately 3 miles at the end of the public road will be the Fort Leonard Wood Main gate.
Ground Transportation
Rental car agencies are available at both Lambert and Springfield Airports.
There are also shuttle services available for direct transportation to and from the airport through USA Express or StL Shuttle Service.
To obtain a visitor's pass, you will need the following documents:
Picture ID -- driver's license.
Vehicle Registration.
Proof of Insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will I need to access the installation for graduations? How early should I arrive?
Fort Leonard Wood security personnel conduct 100 percent ID checks at all gates of entry. Visitors aged 18 years and older must present a state or federally issued picture identification. Visitors operating a vehicle are required to have in possession a current driver’s license, proof of current vehicle insurance and current vehicle registration.
Visitors who will be staying overnight at one of the installations lodging facilities will need to obtain a visitor pass at the main gate visitor center. Visitors requesting a pass will be subject to a criminal background check.
Please note that marijuana in any form is not authorized on Fort Leonard Wood, and firearms are also not authorized on Fort Leonard Wood.
For more information, please visit the Visitors Access page at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/my-fort/visitors-access.
Visitors attending graduations and family days should plan on arriving at the gate no earlier than one hour before the start of the graduation or family day.
Are graduations open to visitors to attend in person?
The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood is open to in-person graduations.
Soldiers in training will contact their family, friends and loved ones to provide information about their specific graduations. Units will also provide updates and additional information on their social media sites.
A complete list of unit social media pages can be found online here.
More information about graduations on Fort Leonard Wood can be found online here.
What happens if there is bad weather and graduations are moved inside?
If a graduation is moved inside due to unexpected circumstances, such as weather, the unit may have to adjust the graduation to allow visitors to attend. If this happens, units will provide updates on their social media sites regarding the processes and procedures for indoor graduations. If graduations occur indoors for any reason, all CDC and local guidelines, such as social distancing, will be observed.
In addition, units will continue to provide graduations virtually on their Facebook pages. A complete list of unit social media pages can be found online here.
What will happen on Family Day? Will my Soldier in training be able to leave the installation?
Each unit will provide information regarding their family day activities. Please make sure to follow your Soldier’s unit Facebook page for updated information. On- or off-post passes will be authorized by the unit commander; your Soldier’s unit is the best source of information regarding passes for family day.
Please review the following information to determine if you need a pass. In most cases, those coming for graduations don't need one unless:
You are flying into theForney Army Airfield/Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport or are staying in a hotel on Fort Leonard Wood (Candlewood Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Foster Lodge, or Warrior Lodge)
You plan to enter post before family day or after graduation day
You are not a US citizen
REAL ID Act Information
Beginning 1 June 2023, Ft. Leonard Wood will no longer accept for access purposes, state issued driver licenses (DL) or state issued IDs that do not meet the Real ID Act of 2005 standards. Person(s) requesting access with a non-compliant state DL or ID will need to present, along with the non-compliant DL/ID, one of the documents below to prove identity to be issued a pass or given access to Ft. Leonard Wood.
• US passport or passport card
• Certified birth certificate (not a photo copy)
• Social Security Card (not a photo copy)
• School identification card with photograph (high school and college age students)
• Foreign passport with a temporary (I-551) stamp or temporary (I-551) printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa
• Foreign passport with Form I-94 or Form I-94A bearing same name as passport and containing an endorsement of the alien’s nonimmigrant status, as long as the endorsement has not expired and proposed employment is not in conflict with restrictions or limitations identified on the form.
Visitor(s) requesting access without a REAL ID Act compliant form of identification or cannot provide supplemental identity proofing documents as listed above are subject to denial of access. All persons requesting unescorted access will continue to be vetted through the National Crime Information Center, prior to being issued an installation pass.
Vehicle Information
Visitors driving on post must have on hand: current insurance and registration for you vehicle. If you are renting a car, you are still require to have proof of insurance. This can be a personal insurance card for a vehicle you own, or you can purchase the insurance the rental agency offers (normally known a PAI; Personal Accident Insurance).
For U.S. Citizens
Show your state issued license or ID at the gate, state why you are here. It is a good idea to know your service members unit and event location. Visitors 17 and younger are not required to show an ID.
If you wish to enter post PRIOR to family day or AFTER graduation, or stay at the on post overnight during your stay (on post hotel), you must have a pass. See the "Pre-apply for access pass" section below for the process.
You will need valid identification, a copy of the hotel reservation (if staying in a hotel on Fort Leonard Wood), pass the background check and each person in your party age 18 and over must complete this process before passes will be issued. Person(s) with criminal history determined during the background check may be denied unescorted access to Fort Leonard Wood, regardless of hotel reservations.
For Non U.S. Citizens (including resident aliens)
If you, or anyone else in your party, 18 or over, is NOT a US citizen, you need to email the following information to be cleared for entry to Fort Leonard Wood.
Use this email address: usarmy.leonardwood.id-training.mbx.usag-flw-des-visctr@army.mil
Please provide AS MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION AS YOU CAN:
FULL Name (Last, First Middle)
FULL Mailing Address
Date of Birth
Country of Birth
Sex (male/female)
Passport number
Visa number (if applicable)
Resident alien card number (if applicable)
US State and driver's license number (if applicable)
Date entering the United States (if not already here)
Start date of visit to Fort Leonard Wood
End date of visit to Fort Leonard Wood
Unit that is graduating (Usually first line of mailing address; example: A Company 31st Eng.)
Name of soldier that is graduating
Your pass will be issued when you arrive to Fort Leonard Wood and your sponsor will be your graduating service member.
Prohibited Items
Please do not bring privately owned firearms onto Fort Leonard Wood. Conceal and carry of a privately owned firearm is not allowed on Fort Leonard Wood.
Marijuana, in any form, is not allowed on Fort Leonard Wood.
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is located at the Main Gate (North) in building 100 adjacent to Missouri Avenue. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Visitor Center phone numbers are:
Applicants may send their pass application information one week in advance of their visit to the email address provided or mail via the U.S. Postal Service to the mailing address provided. Please plan accordingly if using USPS to ensure information is received one week prior to visit.
Fort Leonard Wood Visitor Center 874 Missouri Ave, Bldg 100 Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473
Visitors will need to pre-apply for a Fort Leonard Wood access pass for the purposes of flying in or out of the Forney Army Airfield/Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport at Forney Field or staying at hotels located on Fort Leonard Wood.
When picking up your pass, you will be required to provide your flight itinerary (if applicable) and hotel reservation (if staying on Fort Leonard Wood).
Pre-applying allows background screening to be completed and prior notification to applicants of approval or disapproval should any disqualifying factors in the background become relevant to denying unescorted access to Fort Leonard Wood.
Persons denied unescorted access will be notified as soon as a determination is made to allow for applicants to make a decision on hotel arrangements or flights that do not involve accessing Fort Leonard Wood. This also assists visitors that arrive to Fort Leonard Wood without pre-applying the hardship that may be incurred by a lost hotel arrangement or flight.
