U.S. Army recruits are pouring into Fort Leonard Wood in southern Missouri.

Back in February, the U.S. Defense Department announced record military recruitment during the latter part of last year. This led to the Army announcing that ten companies of recruits would be established at Ft. Leonard Wood, Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

Col. Aaron Bohrer told Missourinet affiliate KJPW in Waynesville how many basic recruit companies are coming to Missouri.

“We’re going to expand by 5 basic combat training companies, which gives us an additional load capability annually of another 4,400 soldiers trained here for about 18,000 basic combat training soldiers totally through here,” he said.

Bohrer said the increase in recruits also means an increase in drill sergeants being stationed at the base in Waynesville.

“We did get one company of reserve drill sergeants,” he said. “They were volunteers from various units in the 108th Training Command of the reserves. They gave us 16 drill sergeants, and then our additional four companies that were standing up, were drill sergeants diverted from other locations or from the academy.”

According to Bohrer, the arrival of new recruits will also mean graduation ceremonies throughout the year, which can help boost the local economy.

“Which also brings families here to Ft. Leonard Wood and the surrounding community,” he told KJPW. “The community we have here at Ft. Leonard Wood visit our museum, see St. Robert, Waynesville, and potentially visit Rolla, Lebanon, and see what Missouri has to offer.”

Fort Leonard Wood is home of the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, where all chemical, engineer, and military police soldiers, plus many Marines, Airmen, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen and international students from allied nations receive training.