ABOUT FDRLO
Mission/Vision/Goals • History • Membership • Leadership

The United States Army 10th Mountain Division was reactivated in 1985. In the fall of 1984, Fort Drum, New York was designated as its home installation. The newly reactivated Division was organized as a Light Infantry unit.

During that period, the citizens of the Tri-County Northern New York region directly impacted by the location of the Division at Fort Drum formed the Fort Drum Steering Council. The primary purpose of the Council was to be a first point of contact between the military and civilian communities. 

The Council was funded through the Office of Economic Adjustment of the Department of Defense and the sponsoring local agencies. The Council was also predisposed to disband when it was determined that its planning role was no longer necessary. The sunset for the Fort Drum Steering Council was determined to be September, 1990.

A New Organization is Formed

The civilian and military communities in the Fort Drum Impact Area felt that a follow-on organization was necessary to keep the lines of communication open between them. Recognizing that various organizations and agencies both on base and off maintain almost daily contact on specific issues and programs, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization formed as a new point of contact for those issues which transcend the specific missions of any individual organization or agency in either the civilian or military communities.

Original Mission Statement

Consequently, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization was formed to foster strong positive communications that enhance the interrelationships between military and civilian people who reside in the Fort Drum Region.
Original Goals

In 1990, the Board of Directors of the FDRLO established eight goals to guide their work:

1. Develop better understanding between the military and civilian communities in the Fort Drum Region
2. Secure full participation by military and community leaders in solving problems of mutual concern
3. Provide continuity in community relations in spite of frequent changes in military and community leadership
4. Establish a communication network that will assist military and community leaders in carrying out their mutual responsibilities
5. Develop cooperative agreements that utilize to the fullest the human, financial and physical resources of the military and civilian communities
6. Promote the continued growth and prosperity of the Fort Drum Region
7. Establish a long range vision for cooperation and an agenda for action between the military and civilian components of the community
8. Celebrate our mutual successes and accomplishments.

Growing Together as Neighbors

During the 1990’s, the 10th Mountain Division (LI) adjusted to its new home at Fort Drum (the newest and most modern facilities in the U.S. Army) and the North Country civilian community became more accustomed to daily interactions with its fatigue-clad neighbors. 

The unique manner in which Fort Drum was constructed created many common interests between the military and civilian communities. No schools nor hospitals were built on-post and 2000 housing units were leased from private developers off-post through the 801 housing program. 

FDRLO's John Deans greets President Bush at Ft. Drum

The Division was frequently called upon to answer the call of the President, the commander-in-chief, and, before long, became the most deployed division in the United States Army. Soldiers deployed from Fort Drum for service in Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91), Hurricane Andrew Relief-Florida (1992), Somalia (1992-94), Operation Uphold Democracy - Haiti (1994-95), Operation Joint Guard Bosnia (1997), Task Force Eagle (1998-2000) and most recently after the events of 9-11, it was the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division that first answered the call to Afghanistan. 

With each deployment, the economic ups and downs become more routine and almost predictable for the business community. Family members left behind at Fort Drum soon found that their North Country neighbors truly wanted to help in whatever way possible. School administrators, teachers and parent-teacher organizations learned how best to support the remaining sole parent and the children as military families awaited the return of their deployed soldier-mother or -father.

It was also during this decade that the federal government instituted a series of Base Realignment and Closure rounds. In-depth studies of economic and military value of military installations all around the country were conducted. Military analysts made recommendations for realignments and closures to the Base Realignment and Closure Commissioners and subsequently, communities around the country saw the gates of nearby military installation closed.

The strong commitment to open-door and frequent communication between the 10th Mountain Division’s Command Group and Fort Drum’s Garrison Command and the leadership of the FDRLO helped sustain the North Country during these sometimes dark and uncertain years. FDRLO board members and staff worked with the North Country’s local, state and federal representatives to ensure that Fort Drum did not appear on the BRAC list. The closure of the airfield at Griffiss Air Force Base, Rome, New York, some ninety miles south of Jefferson County did impact Fort Drum. It was from this airfield that the Division deployed when called to active duty in service to the nation. Ultimately it was this closure that resulted in the construction of the new runway at Wheeler-Sack Airfield, Ft. Drum, making Fort Drum one of the Army’s Premier Power Projection Platforms.

FDRLO Addresses 21^st Century Challenges and Opportunities

In early 2001, members of the FDRLO Board of Directors and representatives of Fort Drum’s leadership launched a five year strategic planning process, with an eye toward a careful assessment of the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In the aftermath of 9/11, planning assumptions were reviewed and updated to address the dramatic changes this un-paralleled event brought to the nation and the North Country.

Officially adopted in January, 2002, the Strategic Plan’s vision statement set the focus for the organization as FDRLO, through its leadership efforts and activities, committed to making the Fort Drum region-

• The Army’s, Soldiers and Family’s first choice.

• An attractive, healthy and vibrant community widely seen as the place to move, thrive and stay.

• A region that fulfills the needs and dreams of all who call the North Country home.

With the official announcement of a new BRAC round for 2005, FDRLO immediately took steps to gear up for the community’s defense of Fort Drum’s military and strategic value. Two full- time staff members, a research analyst which became an Executive Director position in 2004, and administrative assistant were brought on board along with LTG Lawson W. Magruder, III, US Army (Retired).

FDRLO formed a BRAC Steering group, Drum 2020, to lead the North Country’s response to BRAC. Throughout the three year process which was set to culminate in Fall, 2005 with the Commission’s submission of a list of installations recommended for re-alignment or closure, FDRLO worked closely with Congressman John McHugh, Senators Clinton and Schumer, the Governor’s Office and State and local officials across the tri-county area. FDRLO membership was strengthened, strong community support for Fort Drum was affirmed through formal surveys of North Country residents, and numerous presentations on BRAC and FDRLO’s “defense of our Fort Drum” were made. The case for Fort Drum as “Planned, Positioned and Proven” was made in a DVD presentation that was carried to the Pentagon by an FDRLO delegation and shared widely with decision-makers at every level of government.

In September, 2005, a successful conclusion to the FDRLO-led effort to ensure Fort Drum’s future for our nation and the North Country was observed at the organization’s quarterly meeting with a celebratory cake and T-shirts heralding “We survived BRAC 2005!” There was, however, to be no lull in FDRLO’s level of activity. Citing the expansion which Fort Drum could now be expected to continue to experience as “the greatest single opportunity this generation will see”, Board Chair Deans issued a call for continued action to build a robust economy and improved quality of life. 

While FDRLO had been carefully preparing for the 2005 BRAC round, the organization  had also taken steps to assist Fort Drum in addressing a major DOD initiative, the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI). This initiative, designed to address severe housing challenges throughout the military by “privatizing” family housing facilities and building quality housing communities immediately became an additional FDRLO priority. Working closely with Fort Drum’s Garrison Commander, FDRLO constituted a Housing Task Force and in Spring, 2003 sent a delegation to San Antonio, Texas to an RCI Industry Forum to help Fort Drum make its case to prospective RCI developers.

 FDRLO’s focus on housing has expanded beyond its initial focus on RCI and its successful implementation at Fort Drum. The organization has continued to carefully monitor housing needs and share results of updated housing analyses with Fort Drum, developers and area communities. FDRLO has also played an active role in attracting additional off-post housing. In January, 2006, FDRLO hosted a major Housing Forum where speakers including Senators Clinton and Schumer, Congressman McHugh and representatives from the Pentagon and Fort Drum laid out the case for needed housing growth to over 300 developers, builders, financiers, and State and local agency representatives. 

To help address the impact of Fort Drum’s projected transformation from an installation of approximately 21,000 soldiers and family members at the close of 2003 to over 34,000 by FY 2006, FDRLO also created an Economic Development Task Force. This on-going initiative has focused on efforts to strengthen spousal and retiree employment opportunities and to stimulate area economic development by identifying “gaps” between the goods and services Fort Drum needs and the local economy’s current ability to address those needs. 

In 2005, FDRLO also assisted in the creation of a new group, the Fort Drum Regional Health  Planning Organization (FDRHPO). Recognizing the unique nature of the community-based health-care model for Fort Drum, this initiative has taken steps to foster community- Fort Drum health-care planning by identifying gaps in services, expanding offerings and pro-actively planning for future health-care needs.

In June, 2006, as he concluded his third two year term as FDRLO chair, Chairman Deans noted that, thanks to the improved quality of life which a growing  Fort Drum and its soldiers and family members have brought, the North Country was re-inventing itself. He urged FDRLO members to take” the steps necessary to effectively manage the opportunities before us and build a future through careful planning and choice, not happenstance.” 

Today, nineteen years into its existence, the FDRLO continues its commitment to open communications and liaison between military and civilian residents of New York’s North Country.