Mark Alford
08/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/19/2026 17:33
Alford Receives Assurance Basic Combat Training Is Staying at Fort Leonard Wood
RAYMORE, MO-Congressman Mark Alford today announced that the U.S. Army has confirmed there are no plans to relocate Basic Combat Training from Fort Leonard Wood.
After hearing concerns about the future of Fort Leonard Wood's Basic Combat Training mission, Alford went directly to Army leadership to get answers and make sure Missouri's voice was heard.
In a response to Alford's June 26 letter, the Department of the Army made its position clear: "The Army has no plans to relocate the Basic Combat Training from Fort Leonard Wood."
The Army also confirmed that it expanded Basic Combat Training capacity at Fort Leonard Wood in Fiscal Year 2025 to support the Regular Army's growing accession mission. The Army expects that mission to increase to 65,000 accessions in FY27 as it works toward an end strength of 476,000 by FY29.
"This is great news for Fort Leonard Wood, our soldiers, our military families, and the entire region that proudly supports this incredible installation," said Congressman Mark Alford.
"When questions were raised about whether Basic Combat Training could be moved from Fort Leonard Wood, I wasn't going to sit on the sidelines and wonder what might happen. I went straight to the Army and demanded answers."
"And now we have them: Basic Combat Training is not going anywhere."
"Fort Leonard Wood has a proud history of training the men and women who defend our country. It is a critical part of our Army's readiness, and it is a tremendous economic and community asset for Missouri. I am proud to stand with the soldiers, families, veterans, and communities who make Fort Leonard Wood so strong."
The Army's response also noted that the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command will continue assessing training capacity at Army Training Centers to meet future accession requirements and will keep Congress informed of its analysis.
Alford said he will continue to closely monitor the Army's plans and advocate for Fort Leonard Wood and the soldiers who train there.
"This is another victory for Missouri," Alford said.
"We'll keep fighting to make sure Fort Leonard Wood remains a premier training installation and that Missouri continues to play a critical role in preparing the next generation of American soldiers."
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Mark Alford published this content on August 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 19, 2026 at 23:33 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]