A former Fort Leonard Wood commanding general was one of six Missourians recognized by the Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame board during their second-annual induction ceremony Friday in the Rotunda at the Capitol in Jefferson City. Mary Waggener accepted the award on behalf of her father, the late retired Major General John G. “Jack” Waggener, who assumed the senior leadership position at Fort Leonard Wood from 1974 to 1976. A Charleston, Missouri, native, Waggener graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1948 and had a 33-year career as an Army officer. He was a combat veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and was commanding officer of the 45th Engineering Group in Vietnam before his assignment at Fort Leonard Wood.
While serving as commanding general of Ford Wood, Waggener initiated the One Station Unit Training concept for combat engineers and established the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command model for quality control, basic combat training. He was responsible for the development and implementation of the new three-phase BCT program.
New buildings completed and dedicated during Waggener’s tour include Abrams Theater and the Truman Education Center. The West Gate is named after him.