The juggling of military units and offices is going to bring a unit to Fort Leonard Wood that is critical in the efforts in the Middle East. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission is recommending the Prime Power School be moved from Fort Belvoir, Virginia to Fort Wood. The BRAC Commission is recommending that Fort Wood lose the Drill Sergeants School, though. It would go to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood are now forbidden from going into Big Louie’s – the biggest adult entertainment business in the area. The Army won’t say why it’s put Big Louie’s, in St. Robert, off-limits. The owner says the Army has never contacted him. He says the ban could cost many of his 120 employees their jobs. Some of them are married to soldiers at the base. A Fort spokesman says the base commander issued the order becasue of an emergency but the Army won’t say what the emergency is. The ban also applies to Club Purgatory, another adult entertaiment attraction near Big Louies. Other adult entertainment businesses have not been affected.

A new commander takes over at Fort Leonard Wood. General Randall Castro takes over the reins from outgoing commander General Robert Van Antwerp. Van Antwerp says the focus for the people at Fort Wood has changed from preparing the troops to go to their next assignement to preparing them to go to war. Incoming commander Castro echoes that sentiment. He knows the men and women he’ll train at the southern Missouri post could be headed off to war… and some might never return home. Castro says all he can do is prepare people to give them the confidence they need to get the job done.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visits Fort Leonard Wood, telling military members he is optimistic about U.S efforts in Iraq. The evaluation comes despite an insurgency that seems to have had a growing toll on American troops and Iraqis friendly toward the Americans. Rumsfeld told the troops he is proud of their work, calling it historic and noble.