The Tour of the Ozarks - Fort Leonard Wood Cup is a traveling trophy established in 2002 to recognize the military team that brings the largest contribution to the Diabetes Education Fund during the annual Tour of the Ozarks.  The handsome pewter cup is mounted on a walnut base and includes an engraved plate recognizing the names of the team members and their home unit.
After lying dormant and uncontested for two years, competition for the Tour of the Ozarks' Fort Leonard Wood Cup heated up in 2006 as three military teams came out to participate in the Diabetes Education Fund's ninth annual bike-a-thon. Though Fort Leonard Wood was represented by the Black Knights and Team McEwan, it was the Bat Out of Hell Seabees from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 15 in Belton, Missouri that won the honor by bringing the largest military team donation to the event. Despite previous threats from military organizations based in the St. Louis area, the Fort Leonard Wood Cup has remained in the hands of the US Army Chemical School, the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, or uncontested in the Diabetes Education Fund office. Never before has the trophy traveled to a distant base. In 2003 the cup was won by Team MEDDAC from the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital. The inaugural cup was won in 2002 by the Dragon Soldiers, A Company, 84th Chemical Battalion. We hope that the Tour of the Ozarks - Fort Leonard Wood Cup will help to initiate some good-natured competition between units at Fort Leonard Wood and ultimately lead to greater participation by military personnel. Over the past several years, the Tour of the Ozarks has benefited from the participation of Fort Leonard Wood-based personnel from all of the service branches as well as from visiting nations. Tour of the Ozarks - Fort Leonard Wood Cup Ground Rules:
 2006 Fort Leonard Wood Cup Winners Bat Out of Hell Seabees from Belton, MO were the winners of the 2006 Fort Leonard Wood Cup recognizing the largest contribution from a military team. L to R: BU Eric Mitchell, Mrs. Janette Mitchell, IT Tom Alexander, CM John Pace.  2006 Fort Leonard Wood Cup Winners Bat Out of Hell Seabees from Belton, MO. L to R: BU Eric Mitchell, LCDR John Jaros, CM John Pace.  2006 Fort Leonard Wood Cup Winners Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Fifteen - The Bat Out of Hell Seabees from Belton, MO. BU Eric Mitchell, CM John Pace, Morgan Bearden of the Diabetes Education Fund.  2003 Fort Leonard Wood Cup Winners Team MEDDAC, General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital From left to right in the photo are: 1LT Ron Herman; Morgan Bearden, Director - Diabetes Education Fund; LTC Catherine Auckland; 1LT Florence Erickson, RN; 1LT Christie Klemish, PT; and MAJ Paul Ray. Not pictured: Barbara Welch, ACSW, LCSW: Larry Buckley; MAJ Scott Hofer, MC; CPT Shawn McCarty, MD; Matt Klemish; and MAJ Paul Ray.  2002 Fort Leonard Wood Cup Winners Dragon Soldiers, A Company, 84th Chemical Battalion MAJ Neal Dorroh, LTC Peggy Combs, 2LT Glen Young, 2LT Theresa Hennigan, 2LT Denise Little, 2LT Rachael O'Connell, Morgan Bearden |