ST. LOUIS, COUNTY – St. Louis County’s Lambert International Airport is a field of green Tuesday morning. Many soldiers from Fort Leonard Wood are coming to Lambert to start their holiday break.
Near baggage claim in the main terminal is where many of the soldiers hang out and wait for their flights after they arrived there by bus from Fort Leonard Wood. There are plenty of treats for the soldiers provided by the United Service Organizations to make the soldier’s stay is a little more enjoyable.
“Honestly, I’m just grateful to come see my family after it’s been a while,” Private Shawn Swendsen shared. “Honestly, staying around my family this time of the year is one of the best things I could ask for.”
“There’s so much food I want to eat. Chick-Fil-A, Chipotle,” Private Olivia Laird said. “I don’t even know what it looks like anymore. It’s been so long.
Holiday block leave lasts for two weeks, then the soldiers will return here to Lambert, then go back to Fort Leonard Wood to finish their training.