Updated at 2:20 p.m.
The official press release from Fort Drum confirms the post will lose 28 military positions. Today's announcement from the Army does not include any reductions to civilian employees. A source says that announcement will come in the fall. The reduction of the size of the Army is expected to be completed by fiscal year 2017.
Updated at 11:30 a.m.
According to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Fort Drum will only lose 28 soldiers, as the U.S. Army reduces troop levels from 490,000 active soldiers to 450,000, with thousands of civilian jobs expected to be cut as well. Schumer was briefed on the cutbacks Thursday morning with the official announcement expected in the afternoon.
In a statement, Schumer said “Given what we were up against, this is a victory for Fort Drum and the whole North Country, and we can all breath a huge sigh of relief. This wise decision by the DOD brass duly recognizes that the United State Army of the future – nimble, highly-trained, and rapidly deployable – is living, training and working right here, right now in the form of Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division. I will continue to work with every fiber in my being to protect and expand Fort Drum, as it is a lynchpin for both the region and our nation’s defense.”
Earlier
Both the Watertown Daily Times and WWNY-TV report that a source who has been briefed on the cutbacks says that Fort Drum will be spared deep cuts. The source did not know how many civilian jobs may be lost due to cutbacks. Earlier reports indicated that Fort Drum's cuts may total about 1,000 soldiers. Under a worst case scenario, Fort Drum could have lost as many as 16,000 soldier and civilian jobs.
An official announcement on troop cuts was expected at 10 a.m. That announcement is now expected at 1 p.m.
There are more than 17,000 soldiers and nearly 4,000 civilians employed by Fort Drum. According to a study by the Army, the base had a $1.8 billion impact on northern New York last year.
