Training at Fort Leonard Wood
The four phases at Fort Leonard Wood, verified against the garrison training schedule:
- 10 weeks, four phases. Yellow Phase → Hammer Phase → Anvil Phase → Forge Phase, with a culminating field exercise before graduation. The Forge is a 96-hour continuous field exercise that marks the transition to Soldier.
- One phone call at arrival. Your Soldier calls when they reach the reception battalion to give you their mailing address. After that, letters are the main channel through Yellow Phase.
- Silence near the end is normal. The final field exercise cuts off phone contact for several days. It means things are going well.
- AIT is elsewhere for BCT-only grads; some tracks stay here. BCT graduates ship to their MOS school at a different installation. Some tracks at this post run OSUT (combined BCT and advanced training), so those Soldiers complete everything here. Confirm which pipeline applies by checking your Soldier’s MOS track.
The phases
Yellow Phase
Weeks 1-2Reception and the start of training. Soldiers meet their drill sergeants, draw uniforms and equipment, complete medical and pay in-processing, and begin learning the Army Values and what it means to become a Soldier.
Hammer Phase
Weeks 3-4Skill development and team building. Highlights include the confidence course, the Warrior Tower, and the first Army Combat Fitness Test. The garrison maps the Hammer Phase to the standard Red Phase.
Anvil Phase
Weeks 5-7The heart of marksmanship and field skills. Soldiers qualify on their rifle, run land navigation, and build squad-level movement, combat medical, and CBRN (chemical/biological) reactions through the Anvil field exercise. This is where individual marksmanship gives way to team tactics. The garrison maps the Anvil Phase to the standard White Phase.
Forge Phase
Weeks 8-10, The Forge (96-hour FTX)Tactical training: hand grenades, a 10-mile foot march, and the culminating field exercise. The Forge itself is a 96-hour continuous FTX run from a patrol base; trainees do not return to barracks during it and emerge having earned the title of Soldier at the Rite of Passage. The garrison maps the Forge Phase to the standard Blue Phase.
Staying in touch during training
What to expect each phase. Confirm the specifics with your Soldier’s unit since drill sergeant discretion varies by company.
| Phase | Phone calls | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Phasewks 1–2 | One call on arrival to give you their address; phone collected after that. Sunday calls at drill sergeant’s discretion. | Best channel. Write often; address confirmed on that arrival call. |
| Hammer Phasewks 3–4 | Sunday calls more consistent as the platoon earns the privilege; length and frequency at drill sergeant’s discretion. | Still arrives in batches; may slow during intensive field or range weeks. |
| Anvil Phasewks 5–7 | Sunday calls more consistent as the platoon earns the privilege; length and frequency at drill sergeant’s discretion. | Still arrives in batches; may slow during intensive field or range weeks. |
| Forge Phasewks 8–10 | Contact before The Forge (96-hour FTX); none during the FTX (in the field, no phones). | Irregular; field time increases in this phase. |
The table above reflects the Army-wide BCT pattern. Specific call frequency, length, and Sunday-call policies vary by company and drill sergeant. Confirm with your Soldier’s unit. Silence for several days near the end of training (The Forge (96-hour FTX)) is expected and means things are going well.
One call at arrival
Your Soldier calls when they reach reception to give you their mailing address. After that, the phone is collected. Write the address down immediately.
Letters are the reliable channel
Across all BCT phases, letters are the most consistent way to reach your Soldier. They arrive in batches. Keep writing even if responses slow during heavy field weeks.
Silence before graduation is normal
When The Forge (96-hour FTX) starts, phone contact stops. Several days of silence means your Soldier is in the field. It is a good sign, not a bad one.
See the graduation dates
Find your Soldier cycle and graduation day.
Common questions
- What is Army BCT graduation week?
- Army BCT graduation week is the final stretch of Basic Combat Training when family members are invited on post to observe ceremonies and spend time with their Soldier. The arc is typically: Family Day (the day before graduation, when family can visit and the Soldier may be released for a few hours) followed by Graduation Day (the formal ceremony and release). The exact schedule varies by installation. Some bases hold a separate Turning Blue or coin ceremony; others fold everything into a single parade.
- When does my Soldier ship to AIT after BCT graduation?
- Most BCT graduates ship to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) within 24-72 hours of graduation. The exact timing depends on whether AIT is at the same post or requires a flight: at Fort Sill (Field Artillery + Air Defense Artillery), most grads transition into on-post AIT the same week; at Fort Jackson, most ship out to another post for AIT (Adjutant General, Quartermaster, Signal, etc.). Your Soldier's ship-out time is on their orders and is non-negotiable. Plan flights and the family pass window around it. Some Soldiers will fly out the night of graduation; others bus to a new post the next morning.