FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — A member of Fort Leonard Wood Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Directorate is being recognized by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command as the 2025 Employee of the Year in the category of Recreation.
Awardee Aaron O’Donoghue is the Combined Activities manager, for MWR’s Auto Skills Center, Leisure Travel Services and Outdoor Adventure Center.
“It is a huge honor, and I am incredibly humbled to receive an award like this. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, it is that employee of the year is rarely a solo achievement and this recognition belongs to be shared with the people who surround me every day,” O'Donoghue said.
“My program leaders and staff are truly the backbone and heartbeat of everything we do and achieve. I am only as good as my team, and this award is a testament to their buy-in, hard work, and commitment to excellence in serving our community.”
O’Donoghue said he has worked for Fort Leonard Wood’s MWR program for nearly 19 years.
“I started under the hoods of service members' vehicles as an automotive technician at the Auto Skills Center. From there, I moved to the Services and Support Division as a supply technician. In 2019, I returned to the Business Recreation Division as the manager of the Leisure Travel Office, before absorbing the Outdoor Recreation and Auto Skills programs under my oversight a couple of years ago," he said.
To O’Donoghue, the work his team does for the Fort Leonard Wood community through MWR is “vital” to service members and their families.
“From the LTS team moving thousands of Soldiers during holiday block leave, to the educational classes provided by Outdoor Recreation Center, to the significant cost-saving services offered at the Auto Skills Center, LTS and ODR — we provide the resources that make military life more enjoyable and manageable,” O’Donoghue said.
He added that MWR’s mission is special to him, because of the fond memories the program created for him as a child.
“I grew up as an Army brat and MWR has always been a big part of my life. I remember outdoor recreation trips at Fort Carson and Bavaria, youth sports hockey and leisure travel Disneyland trips from Fort Irwin, and of course Fort Leonard Wood,” O’Donoghue said. “I spent afternoons with friends at Pippen Youth Center until we moved off the installation. Even then, I was still playing paintball, bowling, swimming and attending every concert or major MWR event I could.”
“For our service members and their families an installation isn’t just a place of work — it’s their hometown. MWR delivers the quality-of-life services and programs that provide vital outlets for resilience.”
As the Combined Activities manager for three MWR programs, O’Donoghue leads a team of recreation professionals and works directly with supervisors to enhance the programs and event offerings that keep service members and their families engaged and recharged.
“I strategically create and manage the annual operating budget and contracts to ensure our programs remain sustainable and affordable for Soldiers to include planning for future enhancements of the programs,” O’Donoghue said.
Fort Leonard Wood MWR Business and Recreation Division Chief Jeffrey Barrett said he “could not be prouder of Mr. O’Donoghue.”
“Mr. O’Donoghue has made some very exceptional improvements within his area of responsibility and remains a beacon of success for our division and programs,” Barrett said. “It is a privilege to be able to work side by side with him and his team each day.”
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood Commander Col. Steven Bartley agreed.
"Aaron’s leadership has been a primary catalyst for operational excellence across three major recreation programs. Through a strategic blend of creative initiative and disciplined leadership, he achieved a measurable 18% increase in programming output,” Bartley said. “This growth is a direct result of his ability to cultivate high-performing teams and deliver high-impact community initiatives. His sustained record of superior service and operational success makes him an exemplary candidate for the award."
O'Donoghue will receive his award at the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Conference to be held in Florida next month.
| Date Taken: |
02.25.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
02.26.2026 13:15 |
| Story ID: |
558984 |
| Location: |
FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: |
13 |
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