There are a few things that keep a Soldier from graduating: Sustaining an injury while training, discharged for having a medical condition prior to joining, failing Rifle Marksmanship, discharged for bad conduct, or medical reasons. One more major thing, and this is the most important thing to remember as we go through the cycle. It happens every cycle. They can also be New Started to another unit
if they miss training or for discipline reasons. Therefore we strongly advise family members that plan to fly in for the graduation to purchase "REFUNDABLE TICKETS," or purchase "FLIGHT INSURANCE". It may cost a few dollars more but if your SIT happens to fall into one of the categories mentioned above, at least you can get your money back.
2. What do I do if there is an emergency (birth, death, serious injury) in the immediate family? Call the American Red Cross (877)272-7337, they will confirm the incident and inform us. We cannot send a SIT home without a confirmation from them. In the event of a family member passing, trainees will only be allowed to take emergency leave for Spouse/Child(ren)/Mother/Father/Siblings/Guardian(Proven). The Red Cross will NOT notify us of a Red Cross Message if it is not concerning immediate family.
3. What can I mail to my SIT? Stamps, encouraging letters, and envelopes are about it, unless they ask for something special. Understand that they cannot have food, beverages, civilian clothing, weapons, magazines, books (other than religious material), provocative photos, vitamins/minerals, medication (except prescribed here), or any electronics. Only use the United States Postal Service, as we are unable to sign for packages from UPS and FEDEX. Care packages are not acceptable and are not allowed. All care packages will be given to the SIT after graduation.
4. When should I stop sending mail to my SIT? If your SIT is in a grad status, then your best bet is to stop sending mail about a week and half prior to graduation. If you find that they will be here after grad week, you can continue to send mail to our address. If your SIT is attending AIT here at Fort Leonard Wood, stop sending mail as stated above and wait for your SIT to write or call you with their new address.
5. Why is the mail taking so long? Understand that since 9/11, threats to military services members has increased significantly. In saying so, mail is passed through multiple security processes, and these take time. Expect mail to take up to 21 days to arrive here, and a few days for your SIT to read your letter and respond (we keep them very busy). Contrary to popular belief, your SITs get their mail once it arrives at our barracks and once they've finished training for that day, they have a short time to eat dinner, shower, and prepare for the next day of training. We don't force them to respond right away to mail, it is totally up to them when they do. We do not withhold mail from trainees, it is illegal for us to do so. Trainees receive their mail daily.
6. Why no phone calls? You can expect to receive 2 phone calls over the cycle. One to inform you of our mailing address and your SIT's safe arrival, the second for a graduation status update. No news is good news, if you receive another call, it has been earned, or the SIT has a status change (injury, punitive actions, pending discharge). Our mission is to train your SIT, and 10 weeks is a very short time to turn a civilian into a Soldier. Phones cause distractions to your SITs and do not train them to be prepared for extended periods without communication (like a deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan). Additionally, we are expected to train you to get used to this as well, as this may be the first time your son/daughter/husband/wife has been away from home and you need to know what to expect from our way of life.
7. My SIT phoned home and said he/she is being discharged and it's been over a week, when will they be coming home? It was a long process to come in and it's a long process to discharge. Once a discharge is 100% confirmed (be it Medical or Administrative), Your SIT will be afforded an opportunity to call and let family members know of their situation. Until that point, nothing is certain. Note: If you receive a call from your SIT and we don't know about it, then it's not 100% confirmed! The type of discharge often determines the length of time it takes for the SIT to return home. Some can move as quickly as 3 weeks and some can take considerably longer. Rule of thumb is approximately 5-8 weeks. Medical/dental issues and investigations can lengthen the process.
8. Why are there not more photos or a picture of my SIT? Our primary goal is to train your SIT, this page is designed to inform you of what is going on with the SITs. The Cadre and Drill Sergeant’s number one priority is training your SIT. We post pictures as we have time, but understand it is nearly impossible for us to get a picture of every SIT. We could go through the entire cycle, and your SIT may not be in any of the photos. The pictures are random. You can also check the Fort Leonard Wood photo studio website: http://saweb1.leonards.com/MilitaryActivityPhotos/ActivityPhotos.aspx?cn=4 or search Fort Leonard Photography Studio on Facebook. We will not take any request to take an individual photo of a Soldier!
9. What do we need to get on Post? All personnel in the vehicle 18 & over must have proof of age. Drivers License or State ID will suffice. The vehicle must have current insurance and registration. Please visit the Fort Leonard Wood’s Visitor Center website or call the Visitor Center for the most up to date information regarding entering FLW and any COVID-19 precautions.
10. Are pets allowed on Base? Pets are allowed on Post but are not allowed inside any FLW facility. The only exception to this are Service Dogs
