Fort Leonard Wood’s new commander has many local ties to the region

The outgoing commander of Missouri’s Fort Leonard Wood was on his fourth assignment at the Army post in the Ozarks and had deep ties to the region.

His replacement has a similar resume.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck took command at Fort Leonard Wood on Friday morning in a ceremony filled with pomp and pageantry. The band played, cannons were fired, and more than a dozen units stationed at Fort Leonard Wood paraded past their new commander.

Beck returns to Fort Leonard Wood after having served as chief of staff on the post in 2017-18. He is an engineer, having served in multiple engineering roles throughout his 30 years in the Army.

“My wife, Sally, and I are truly excited to be back at Fort Leonard Wood and rejoin this installation and this great community,” Beck said during a speech to his new command. “It’s amazing how much Fort Leonard Wood does for our Army and how much the surrounding communities do for Fort Leonard Wood.”