Family Day at Fort Leonard Wood
The Wednesday before graduation. The first time you’ll see your Soldier since they shipped. Most families remember it more than they remember graduation itself.
The shape of the day
Important distinction: "The Forge" is a 96-hour continuous field training exercise — trainees do not return to barracks during The Forge, and families do NOT attend the field exercise itself. What families attend is the Forge Ceremony — the recognition formation that runs after the FTX concludes, marking the moment trainees are recognized as Soldiers. Your Soldier will be depleted after 96 hours in the field. Bring food they've missed. Listen more than you talk. 🚧 TBD — confirm with home.army.mil/wood whether the Forge Ceremony runs Wednesday alongside Family Day or as its own event day; FLW's schedule has varied across cycles.
Where and when
- Location
- TBD — verify ceremony venue from home.army.mil/wood
- Typical start
- 🚧 Time pending — confirm with garrison (Wednesday)
- Duration
- About 2 hr ceremony, then on-post pass
- Dress
- Smart casual; weather-appropriate for Missouri (outdoor ceremony, any season — pack layers).
Best gate & arrival timing
Most families come in through Missouri Avenue Gate (Main Gate). It’s open TBD — verify from garrison website and it’s about a 5-minute drive from TBN. On Family Day morning, plan on about 25 minutes waiting to clear the gate. Other days it’s closer to 5.
Be parked at Forge Ceremony field parking by TBD. After that the lot fills fast. 🚧 TBD — verify lot name and fill time from home.army.mil/wood garrison guide.
After the ceremony: the on-post pass
- Your Soldier is released with an on-post pass. They can spend time with you anywhere on post (the PX, fast food on post, the on-post club) until the late-afternoon recall.
- Bring food your Soldier’s been missing. The candy from the gas station near home, a real burger, takeout from a favorite place. They’ve been eating from the dining facility for ten weeks.
- Some companies grant an off-post pass for Family Day evening. Many don’t. Confirm with their drill sergeant before planning dinner reservations.
- Drop your Soldier back at the company area before recall, which is usually somewhere between 5 and 6 PM. A late return is a problem for the whole company, not just for them. Don’t push it.
What changes between Family Day and Graduation: the parade, the parking timing, when your Soldier is released for travel.
Bleacher cushions, sunscreen, the camera lens you actually need, and the three things families come back and say they wish they’d packed.