Regional partnership warns Fort Leonard Wood hospital could be reduced to clinic, raising mission and care concerns

Dorsey Newcomb, representing the regional SOP partnership, told the Lebanon City Council on Jan. 27 that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has been considering downgrading a planned $400,000,000 hospital at Fort Leonard Wood to a clinic — a change he and partners fear would harm the installation's mission and the care available to beneficiaries.

Newcomb said the group had alerted members of Missouri's congressional delegation and helped secure letters to the Defense Department. "This would certainly, if this happened, would certainly negatively impact Fort Leonard Wood's mission without question, and it would certainly diminish the possibility of future missions at Fort Leonard Wood," Newcomb said.

The update summarized six recent items the partnership has worked on: the community's selection for an Army Community Partnership award; the DHA review of the new hospital project; Representative Alford's placement on the House Appropriations Committee (including the military construction and veterans affairs subcommittee); a new intergovernmental support agreement in which the city of St. Robert will take over trash collection for the installation for 10 years starting in April; a commercial terminal groundbreaking at the regional airport; and changes in Army force structure that have reduced some specialty training throughput but added five companies of basic combat training this year.

Newcomb said the DHA decision was expected Jan. 9 but had not been publicized; he described engagement by two U.S. senators and six U.S. representatives who sent letters asking the Department of Defense to reconsider. He also told council that the DHA's review of 16 installations would target nine and that savings from the initiative were being reported in the defense community.

Council members asked clarifying questions about how the DHA could consider such a change and about potential effects on recruiting and retirees. Newcomb said the partnership is monitoring the situation and coordinating with installation and congressional contacts while pursuing strategies to mitigate adverse outcomes.

No action was taken by the council on the matters Newcomb described; he presented the information and answered questions. The partnership requested that the city continue to provide local support and to notify the partnership of relevant issues.

The council meeting moved on to the downtown presentation after Newcomb's remarks.