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Just received my PCS assignment. Anyone have any information on Fort Leonard Wood and FLW ACH.
Army Summer Assignments
- Thread starter PHD_2007
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Fort Leonard Wood (aka Fort Lost in the Woods) is deep in the ozarks and the associated town (St. Robert/Waynesville) is a hole. Think Winter's Bone. It's essentially equidistant from St. Louis and Springfield which are the closest major cities. If you are an outdoorsman it's pretty sweet. Great hunting, beautiful lakes, and navigable rivers are all nearby (though Missouri still prohibits noodling). If you are like the majority of doctors (upper middle class suburban upbringing), the local culture will probably not be to your liking.
GLWACH is a super-clinic masquerading as a small hospital. They still admit patients, but I'd bet that most of those admissions are OB. I'm not even sure if there is still a billet for a general surgeon there. After the current MACH closes I believe GLWACH will be the oldest physical plant in the Army (and it looks it). Fort Leonard Wood is primarily a training base due to the MP, Engineer, and Chemical Corps schools being located there. This results in a relatively small permanent party at the base with large boluses several times a year for training purposes. It's also one of only 2 bases where females undergo basic training for the Army, so I doubt that much rust will collect on your speculum (if you catch my drift).
GLWACH is a super-clinic masquerading as a small hospital. They still admit patients, but I'd bet that most of those admissions are OB. I'm not even sure if there is still a billet for a general surgeon there. After the current MACH closes I believe GLWACH will be the oldest physical plant in the Army (and it looks it). Fort Leonard Wood is primarily a training base due to the MP, Engineer, and Chemical Corps schools being located there. This results in a relatively small permanent party at the base with large boluses several times a year for training purposes. It's also one of only 2 bases where females undergo basic training for the Army, so I doubt that much rust will collect on your speculum (if you catch my drift).
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Oh, they still have general surgeons at Leonard Wood. A buddy of mine is the only anesthesiologist there, with about four or five CRNAs, and they do basic bread-and-butter General, Peds/ENT, and OB cases.
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If you are from the area you will love it. I am actually considering applying to work as a civilian family med doc there after my loan repayment contract is up. Small towns surround it. Not far from Lake of the Ozarks if you like lakes. For camping and floating it is close the the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Lots of hinting and fishing. University in close by Rolla (if a spouse or child is looking). But yes, it is referred to Fort Lost in the Woods by everyone.
That was my first assignment out of residency. It's a small community hospital. There is very low acuity inpatient. The base abuts St Roberts and Waynesville, combined the population of the two towns are less than 8000. Rolla is the nearest "city," about 30 miles away. There is a small university there which comprises a significant amount of the population of 20K. The closest small to mid sized city is Springfield 90 miles the south west of FLW. Springfield has a population of about 150K. The largest big city is St Louis and that is 140 miles north east. It would be cheaper to fly in and out of St Louis than Springfield but it's a 2.5 hr drive each way to St Louis.
Waynesville/St Roberts has a super-center Walmart. There is small movie theater in the old part of Waynesville. Literally this is the extent of things to do. Like others have said if you are heavily into fishing and hunting you could have your fill. When I initially got my PCS orders and was clearing, everyone kept referring to it as "Ft Lost in the Woods." I thought they were exaggerating until I got there. It is literally in the middle of no-where.
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Love is generally not the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to this place. Like everyone says, it's a hole. The local hillbillies take advantage of the captive military audience to charge insane amounts for rent for the area. Barely functioning internet. Half the roads remain unpaved. If you don't like to kill stuff, there is nothing to do. The university is not serious. And no, they won't hire you (or anyone else for that matter-hiring freeze)
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I'm surprised that so few people on this forum have replied to your post. I can only surmise that the majority of the old hands here, knowing full well how god-awful Leonard-Wood is (and what you're in for) simply did not have the heart to make any sort of rejoinder at all.
OP, I'm sorry. Good luck to you and keep your chin up.
- ex 61N
OP, I'm sorry. Good luck to you and keep your chin up.
- ex 61N
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pretty accurate assessments. you may not have a ton of responses because there aren't a ton of people that go through there-- and there are plenty of other craptastic bases to have the chance to go to. i was there from 2007 to 2011 on the primary care end, the end of which i was dept chief.
to me, the upside was cheap living, having a smaller atmosphere where people (for the most part, if you were nice to them) would help you, and having a small medical staff that also got along pretty well. the base also had a decent amount of stuff. with subspecialty care so far and such a long wait away, you can also do as much as you want in the subspecialty arena. the place survived from an inpatient workload basis on trainees, old farts, and the mother baby unit. their "ICU" was not really, so most sick people transferred out. though now they have some whacky "virtual ICU" thing that is a disaster waiting to happen (saw it on their Facebook page).
the downside was the remote location, all chain restaurants (the place just got a panera right before we left) and the tendency of the hospital commanders and DCCS types to change for the sake of changing when they arrive. it's a pitstop for most on the way to O-6 or trying to get a star, so all kinds of bat**** ideas and oddities will come down. the remoteness i think allows them to kind of do whatever they want. also, the union is strong and if you are in a position of leadership good f-ing luck getting anything accomplished. the "ER" was staffed by a bunch of castaways when i first arrived, but after my obligatory deployment it seemed they picked up a couple of real ones. the facilities are also old.
all in all, it was not *horrible*-- and clinically it was probably a good experience. but personally i'd never homestead or want to raise a family there. and i'm even from MO, lol.
put in your time, then leverage the **** outta the tour and get something nice next go round
good luck
your friendly neighborhood ex-lost in the woods caveman
to me, the upside was cheap living, having a smaller atmosphere where people (for the most part, if you were nice to them) would help you, and having a small medical staff that also got along pretty well. the base also had a decent amount of stuff. with subspecialty care so far and such a long wait away, you can also do as much as you want in the subspecialty arena. the place survived from an inpatient workload basis on trainees, old farts, and the mother baby unit. their "ICU" was not really, so most sick people transferred out. though now they have some whacky "virtual ICU" thing that is a disaster waiting to happen (saw it on their Facebook page).
the downside was the remote location, all chain restaurants (the place just got a panera right before we left) and the tendency of the hospital commanders and DCCS types to change for the sake of changing when they arrive. it's a pitstop for most on the way to O-6 or trying to get a star, so all kinds of bat**** ideas and oddities will come down. the remoteness i think allows them to kind of do whatever they want. also, the union is strong and if you are in a position of leadership good f-ing luck getting anything accomplished. the "ER" was staffed by a bunch of castaways when i first arrived, but after my obligatory deployment it seemed they picked up a couple of real ones. the facilities are also old.
all in all, it was not *horrible*-- and clinically it was probably a good experience. but personally i'd never homestead or want to raise a family there. and i'm even from MO, lol.
put in your time, then leverage the **** outta the tour and get something nice next go round
good luck
your friendly neighborhood ex-lost in the woods caveman
