fort drum

Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division, is the economic engine behind the economic boom that Jefferson County is currently experiencing. The installation is the largest employer in Northern New York providing employment for 17,438 soldiers and 3,712 area residents in 2006, and millions of dollars in trade for local businesses. Soldiers and their family members receive medical care from local health care providers and enroll in local schools and colleges. Staunch community support by way of programs such as Project Strong Communities and Operation Yellow Ribbon further connect our military and civilian communities. The resulting economic and social impact benefits not only Northern New York, but New York State as well.

• For 15 years, the community has supported “Adopt-a-10th Mountain Platoon. Currently 185 Platoons in Iraq are being sponsored, and an additional 250 will be adopted by the end of 2007. Sponsors include businesses, schools, scout troops, and civic organizations.
• River Day, an annual event for Soldiers and their families includes a day of fun including scenic cruises on the St Lawrence River
• Operation Yellow Ribbon supported a Big and Rich County Music Concert in 2006
• Project Strong Communities operates an information center at Salmon Run Mall, offering information to soldiers and their families on the local area and information to the local community about Fort Drum.
• Soldier volunteers helped the Children’s Home of Jefferson County conduct their annual Family Day
• High school students from Potsdam contributed large coolers with items they purchased to support deployed soldiers, and the soldiers accompanied them on a tour of Fort Drum and for lunch at a dining facility.
• Soldiers competed in the “Snowflake Rally” cardboard sled races at Dry Hill Ski area.
• The Women’s Auxiliary of the Carthage VFW provided the BOSS Center with decorations and hundreds of cookies for the Christmas holidays
• The community donated school supplies, sporting equipment, toys, and clothing to Operation Mountain Lamb, a humanitarian aid effort to support rural regions in Afghanistan.
• “Army Child Care in Your Neighborhood”, a local program that expands the child care options for military families in Jefferson and Lewis counties “Operation Kid Comfort” provides personalized quilts for the children of deployed Soldiers
• Oktoberfest in Sackets Harbor gives military discounts for the day’s events including a fun run, music, entertainment, beer tent, and children’s games
• Over 800 Christmas trees were donated by tree growers and delivered to Fort Drum
• Local ski areas; Dry Hill, Toggenburg Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, and Titus Mountain, conducted military appreciation days with free skiing and tubing throughout the winter.
• The Department of Army’s 2006 Soldiers Show performed at Fort Drum in October to an audience of over 2,000. The show was open to both Fort Drum and the local communities.
• The local Pop Warner leagues play on the Fort Drum youth fields and visa versa, and Fort Drum children play on local school Junior and Varsity teams.

There are many ways that the community and the soldiers and their families at Fort Drum interact. There are hundreds of examples, but here a just a few:

FORT DRUM LINKS: 


 
Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization (FDRLO) A community-based membership organization with the mission of preserving positive inter-relationships and communication between the civilian and military communities and leaders in the tri-county region of Northern New York State

  Association of the United States Army, NNY Chapter (AUSA) A membership-based organization bringing the Fort Drum and North Country civilian communities together, contributing to an improved quality of life for our soldiers and their families.