Region braces for job cuts at Fort Drum, a major economic engine

FORT DRUM — Fort Drum may be pumping $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion into the North Country’s economy annually, but it stands to lose 84 percent of its workforce if potential Army budget cuts come to fruition.

Worst-case scenario: Fort Drum has the potential to lose 16,000 of its 19,000 soldiers currently assigned to the post, according to the Army’s 970-page Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment. This report details the environmental and socioeconomic impact of 30 military installations where troop reductions may occur. 

Fort Drum, home of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, is the largest single-site employer in New York state. It is one of the nine Army bases nationally that could lose as many as 16,000 troops.

Losing that many troops at Fort Drum could result in a loss of more than 4,700 additional off-post civilian jobs in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties, according to the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization’s economic model. That’s nearly 21,000 total jobs gone from the North Country region.

“It is a disaster economically,” says Carl McLaughlin, executive director of the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization (FDRLO).

In fiscal year 2014, Fort Drum contributed $1.3 billion to the local economy, according to the Fort Drum economic-impact report released by the Fort Drum base at the beginning of March. With the reduction of 1,500 troops announced in June 2013 and construction projects starting to wane, the post’s direct economic impact decreased about $119 million from fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2014, according to the report. Fort Drum’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. 

The FDRLO’s economic-impact model pegs Fort Drum’s total annual economic impact at closer to $1.8 billion. This figure is determined by plugging in Fort Drum’s direct spending with off-post jobs, and business income stimulated by Fort Drum’s spending and the re-spending of that income on consumer purchases and additional business sales in the region, according to McLaughlin and the FDRLO report.

The FDRLO began using the IMPLAN input/output modeling tool designed by the Economic Development Research Group around 2003. This tool allows the organization to track the impact of military and civilian payrolls, plus Fort Drum construction and non-construction expenses throughout the regional community. 

McLaughlin speculates that the public will hear about the first round of Army budget cuts sometime in June, and the remaining cuts by September.

Large troop cuts at Fort Drum will have major economic repercussions on a North Country region that lacks other major economic options.

“We’re a rural community. We don’t have anything else to fall back on. If you pull Fort Drum out of here, we have nothing to replace it with,” says McLaughlin.

Soldier population

If Fort Drum loses 16,000 soldiers plus their families, the area would lose almost 30,000 people. That’s a quarter of Jefferson County’s total population, and nearly equal to the entire population of the city of Watertown.

For the last few years, Jefferson County has been the fastest-growing county in the 16-county Central New York region, according to census figures. It’s been one of just a few counties in the state growing in population at all.

For comparison’s sake, take Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the nation’s largest U.S. Army base. A troop reduction of 16,000 would represent about a 30 percent cut in its 53,000 soldier total, compared to the 84 percent cut that losing 16,000 troops at Fort Drum would represent. 

At the other end of the spectrum, you have Fort Stewart in Georgia and Fort Riley in Kansas, both of which have a comparable number of troops to Fort Drum and operate in similar rural communities. Fort Stewart and Fort Riley also stand to lose 16,000 soldiers. 

“We built our population that includes those 16,000 soldiers,” says McLaughlin.

To accommodate the influx of the soldier population in recent years, the North Country community built new houses and apartments, created more capacity at area schools, developed commercial districts, and expanded medical services. Fort Drum is the only installation in the Army without an on-post hospital, as it was able to use the excess medical services within the community, says McLaughlin. 

Fort Drum soldiers also spread their money further than Jefferson County. Syracuse is a favorite destination for the troops, who often travel down to visit Destiny USA, the entertainment venues, and summer festivals, says McLaughlin.

Asking the community to show its support

In August, FDRLO, on behalf to the community, submitted a formal written response to the Army that addressed the effects the proposed cuts would have on the socio-economic status of the area. 

The North Country community has the opportunity to continue to show its support for Fort Drum by signing a petition and attending a listening session scheduled for Friday, March 20 at the auditorium at Jefferson Community College in Watertown. As part of the evaluation process to determine troop reductions, the Army has been conducting public listening sessions at each of the 30 installations.

“Numbers count, so sign that petition. Go to the rally. Make a statement,” says McLaughlin. He also suggests that people address the Army directly. “The more people talk, the more they get the message.”

More than 14,000 online and hand-written signatures have been collected by the FDRLO as of press time.

At the listening session, McLaughlin advises citizens not just to talk about the negative impact the cuts could have, but also to address the value of the post on the community. 

“We add value to the military model. We, plus the soldiers, make a better team. Show how you support soldiers and their families,” says McLaughlin.

Other community leaders and organizations are urging citizens to participate in the rally efforts. 

“Take a step back and think, ‘How does the military impact you? How does Fort Drum impact you?’ ” says Lynn Pietroski, president and CEO of Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. “If it in any way impacts you, sign the petition and show your support.”

 “We’ve had invaluable support and help from many volunteers and community partners,” says Dave Zembiec, deputy CEO of the Jefferson County Local Development Corp. Zembiec also sits on the FDRLO board of directors and is co-chair of the sustainability committee that coordinates the FDRLO’s efforts to organize the March 20 rally.

On March 10, National Grid announced its commitment to the effort with a $48,000 grant to the FDRLO. This grant plus a $23,000 donation from the New York State Association of Realtors and $3,000 from the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors are helping to fund the FDRLO’s multi-media campaign to raise public awareness. Additionally, all the local news media have contributed more than $31,000 of in-kind support by pledging to match paid advertising, according to the FDRLO.

“It’s a tough one. That’s why we’re fighting so hard,” says McLaughlin.

To sign the petition, visit: www.drum2025.com        

PHOTO CAPTION: Showing support

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D–N.Y.), right, on March 10 met with Major General Jeffrey Bannister, left, incoming commander of Fort Drum. “During our meeting, I re-iterated my firmly-held belief that the 10th Mountain Division is exactly the kind of highly-trained, nimble, and tactical unit that the Army needs as the new standard for our armed forces, and I made it clear to the General that Fort Drum has my unwavering support. Major General Bannister and I have worked well together in the past, and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead to make sure Fort Drum stays as strong as possible,” Schumer said in a news release.