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Army Outdoor Recreation (ODR) Mission
Provide outdoor-oriented lifetime leisure opportunities through skill instruction courses, activities and trips, equipment checkout centers, recreation facilities, and services.
Overview
The Army outdoor recreation (ODR) program offers diverse, healthful, vigorous, and comprehensive outdoor recreation activities and instruction for active duty, family members, DoD civilians and other authorized patrons. The outdoor recreation programs build a sense of community, promote skill development, and provide for stress relief and enjoyment while conserving and protecting wildlife, forests, wetlands, and other natural resources. The program contributes to military mission readiness through adventure and challenge-type activities that tests functional fitness and motor skills, and enhances unit cohesion.
ODR programs provide inexpensive “learn-to” opportunities to try different adventure activities for the first time, or improve skills in activities with which one is already familiar. Activity offerings will vary based on natural resources available at or near your garrison and can include pursuits based from land (e.g. hiking, climbing, biking, hunting), water (e.g. paddling, sailing, surfing, fishing), or air (e.g. kiting, sky diving, bungee-jump). It could be something you always wanted to try, or something you never thought you would do - ODR provides the opportunity to learn and experience.
Activities & Trips (do what you learned):
Affordable excursions lasting from a few hours to a few days will provide one the opportunity to learn new skills, practice improving skills, or just engage and share in a favored pursuit with others. Trips to the river for rafting or kayaking, to the mountains for skiing or snowboarding, to the ocean for SCUBA or surfing, to the back-country for mountain biking or hiking, are just a few examples of directed (organized group) leisure activities ODR offers to help people practice activity skills and experience outdoor pursuits.
Click here to learn more about Warrior Adventure Quest, an ODR Program.
Equipment Checkout Centers (gear up):
You’ve learned the skills, know where to go, but are not ready to invest in all the equipment needed to enjoy your new favorite activity? ODR equipment checkout centers exist specifically to help out in situations like this. Whether the activity is camping, biking, skiing, snowboarding, motor boating, or paddle boarding, ODR will have the equipment needed to assist self-directed pursuit of outdoor activities available in your area. Additionally, the ODR checkout center will stock a variety of equipment to help out with large gatherings (BBQ’s, tables, chairs, canopies, etc.) and parties (inflatable bouncers, dunk tanks, game equipment, etc.). Expect sensible fees necessary for maintaining checkout center equipment and operations.
ODR Facilities (where to go):
On-base outdoor recreation facility types vary by garrison location and local natural resources. They tend to be to natural resource sites (parks, forests, fields, waterfronts, etc.) that support a range of special activity operation centers (e.g. stables, marinas, sport shooting ranges, paintball fields, etc.), and/or travel and leisure destinations (RV & campgrounds, cabins, picnic sites, hunting areas, beaches, fishing piers, etc.). Many ODR operations also assist with the active outdoor enthusiasts’ personal property with facilities like boat & RV storage lots, pet kennel operations, horse boarding, boat berthing, etc.
Click here to learn more about Paths Across America, guide to Military Campgrounds.
Services (helping hands):
Outdoor Recreation provides a number of ancillary services associated with direct and self-directed ODR pursuits. ODR is the referral center for information about outdoor activities and destinations beyond the garrison front gates. Many ODRs maintain a library of reference materials and media about a variety of outdoor pursuits and destinations. It is not uncommon to find small equipment pro-shop or retail operations (hunting/fishing supplies, camping gear, specialty clothing, etc.) and equipment maintenance services (e.g. ski/snowboard tuning, bike repair, paintball marker maintenance) for those that own their own equipment.
Free Annual Pass for Active Duty Military Members and their Dependents
Active duty military members and their dependents qualify for a free annual pass! Present your valid Common Access Card (CAC) or military dependent ID form (DoD Form 1173) for your free annual pass.
Visit http://store.usgs.gov/pass for more information.
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