Home to the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum is a United States Military Reserve in Jefferson County, New York. The installation is centered in the heart of one of the utmost historical and scenic areas in the country. It is situated in northern New York, just 30 miles from Canada border. It encompasses 107,265 acres of land that is considered an intensity of population categorized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place, which had a population of 12, 955 according to the 2010 census.
The duty of Fort Drum consists of commanding the active sections of troops appointed to installation. The duties mainly consist of providing organizational and logistical assistance to tenant units and to support both active and reserve units in training at Fort Drum. It is responsible for aiding and planning for the mobilization and training of nearly 80,000 troops yearly and is one of the leading Army branches that is presently fighting the war on terror.
Fort Drum Museum
The post has been used as a location for military training since 1908, but the Army’s existence in the northern New York area dates back to the early 1800s. There is so much history about Fort Drum, and the 10th Mountain Division is dedicated to gathering and preserving pertinent information for the museum. The purpose of the museum is to present the most accurate data and material possible on the history of Fort Drum.
Housing at Fort Drum
There are four separate neighborhoods on the post with a total of 2, 700 homes. They consist of, duplexes, four-plexes and eight-plexes, along with townhouses and single family houses. The waiting period can be up to as much as 36 months. There are also barracks for soldiers ranked E-5 or below that are not being paid the BAH with dependents rate.
For housing outside of the base there are numerous options; apartments, duplexes, single dwelling homes and even mobile homes. There is temporary housing on the post for families waiting to get into homes on or off base, such as cabins, cottages and guest houses and cabins. There is also the LeRay Mansion, which is likewise used for temporary housing.
Fort Drum Schools
There are no schools on the Fort Drum post, which requires children residing on the base to attend school at the Indian River Central School District or Carthage Central School District. Both districts provide transportation to and from school for the students who live on the base. There are also private Christian and Catholic schools near Fort Drum.
Child Care at Fort Drum
The post offers many programs that provide child care services that include full day or hourly service, plus before and after school programs. Fort Drum has child development centers located right on site that offer programs for children 6 weeks to Kindergarten and family child care providers who care for children ages 4 weeks and up. The schools offer before and after school child care programs for students. There are also child care programs available for special needs children.
Fort Drum has no hospital facilities, which requires soldiers and their families to attain inpatient medical care and emergency care at nearby civilian hospitals. The base does have three outpatient medical facilities that offer medical services to both active and retired military members and their families. Fort Drum provides on base dental care for active duty military members.