Fort Drum, NY – Despite global economic hard times, fiscal year 2009 once again marked significant investment by Fort Drum in Northern New York.
A detailed review of the economic impact Fort Drum had on the North Country’s tri-county area over the last fiscal year shows $1,502,834,542 billion dollars was leveraged in support of the 18,023 Soldiers and 17,222 Family members who call Fort Drum and the North Country home.
Since fiscal year 1988, this Army installation has infused more than $13,764,342,783 billion dollars into the local economy.
“Our Soldiers, Families and Civilians are able to meet the challenges of our constant deployment cycle through training, support services and our second to none support we receive from our North Country neighbors. Our economic impact is the tangible investment. The intangible dividends – the emotional investment we receive from the community - are of equal value,” said Col. Kenneth H. Riddle, Fort Drum Garrison Commander.
Fort Drum is the largest employer in Northern New York with 18,023 Soldiers and 4,782 Civilian workers with payrolls totaling $927,185,124 and $158,215,622 respectively. Retirees from all military branches who live in the 136XX zip code number 2,173 who are paid a total of $3,241,000 a month ($38,892,000 a year) which flows into our local economy.
Housing for our Soldiers and Families has a major impact on the North Country economy. Fort Drum spent $2,660,419 million dollars on Army Community Housing in LeRay Heights and added another $2,032,660 million dollars on the Domestic Lease Program during FY 09.
Fort Drum posted another strong year in 2009 with contracts for construction, supplies and services totaling just over $190,471,181 million dollars, with $62,836,998 million dollars of that money being spent in the tri-county area. The Army Corps of Engineers awarded construction contracts totaling $113,200,000 million dollars which includes contractor pay for work at Fort Drum. A new $8.1 million dollar dental clinic opened in October 2009 with much of the work done by local community contractors.
“Fort Drum must serve as a platform of readiness – maintained for and by our Soldiers, Families and Civilians. A large part of supporting our current and future requirements is realized through regular modernization and new construction in order to maintain efficient and sustainable operations,” said Riddle.
Area school districts received $17,567,049 million dollars in federal impact aid for the loss of traditional revenue sources due to a federal presence such as the military families who call the North Country home. In addition, Fort Drum authorized just over $436,987 thousand dollars in tuition assistance to local colleges. Approximately 1,400 Soldiers used the tuition assistance program to enroll in traditional and distance learning college courses.
The 2009 Fort Drum Economic Impact Statement is available at the Fort Drum Public Affairs Office, 10012 South Riva Ridge Loop, or online
http://www.drum.army.mil/sites/about/docs/FY09EIB.pdf
