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FT DRUM
Base Name: Ft. Drum
Base Location: Jefferson County, NY
How long have you been here? (give years
please, ex. 2003-present)
Sep. 2004- Nov. 2006
What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list,
conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average
price to rent or buy?
Housing varies. On post housing is
privatized. The older stuff has been remodeled and had wall unit
ACs added, most have new windows and new appliances and carpeting
throughout. All have garages, some with automatic door openers some
w/out. There are new houses going up which are beautiful and quite
spacey. ALL housing I have seen was spacey though. A lot of the
801 housing (off post military housing) is being phased out when
their leases run out, starting this year 2007 and ending in 2010.
SUPPOSEDLY none of the contracts for these housing areas will be
renewed when they run out, meaning they will be turned over to
civilians outside of the "privatized military housing". The wait
list for gov't housing can be quite short in some cases, and in
others, quite long... unfortunately it depends a lot on rank, and
eligibility date. (just like every other post we've been on). When
we were looking to rent it seemed that when adding in utilities
after rent it wasn't worth it comparing what we were paid in BAH
(lower enlisted). But, I think the rental market is becoming a
little more friendly too. The market for buying houses is leveling
out some in the area, therefore making it feasible for more military
families to purchase their own homes.
Rate the PX & Commissary.
I loved the commissary at Ft. Drum and miss it
a lot. The PX was okay, but I've definitely been to nicer ones.
But it was nice to have them located in the same building along w/
Clothing & Sales, a barber shoppe, and beauty shop, with an okay
"food court" also.
Activities on base?
Remington Park has a pond were you can swim,
rent paddle boats etc. along w/ a nice picnic shelter area, and a
nice playground for the kids as well as lodges you can rent, etc.
2 gyms, one was in the process of being remodeled with indoor pools
at both. Pines Plains Gym has a "kiddy" pool as well as a large
pool. Pines Plains Bowling, & Arts & Crafts building.
Active Spouses Club?
There is an active OSC (Officers Spouse Club)
as well as an active ESC (Enlisted Spouse Club).
Things to do in area?
Lots of slopes for skiing/snowboarding during
the winter, as well as "trails" for snowmobiling during the winter
and 4 wheeling in the nicer weather. Walking trails, Thompson Park
Zoo, In Alexandria Bay there's the Uncle Sam's boat tours who do
boat tours of the St. Lawrence Seaway as well as offer a boat out to
tour Boldt Castle (
http://www.boldtcastle.com/ ) I would recommend a trip out to
Boldt Castel at least once during your stay in the beautiful North
Country. There is lots of fishing (to include ice fishing) in the
upstate area... to include Salmon.
NYC is about 5 hours away; Niagra Falls
about 3 1/2 - 4 hours, Lake Placid, NY (home of 2 winter olympics) 2
1/2 - 3 hours.
School System?
***These two school systems we had personal
experience with and both were VERY good academic experiences for our
daughter. The learning experience for our daughter in both
districts was OUTSTANDING. The educational programs in both
districts were great.
I can't personally attest to the school
systems outside of the first two. However I did have friends who's
children attended most of these other districts and I always heard
good things about them as well.
These school districts are listed from closest
to Ft. Drum to those in the outlying area. (Currently, 2006 - 2007
school year some 801 housing falls under all of these districts
except for Sackets Harbor)
***Indian River Central School
District
***Carthage Central School District
http://www.carthagecsd.org/index.cfm (Carthage, West Carthage &
Black River areas)
Watertown City School District
http://www.watertowncsd.org/ (city of watertown)
General Brown Central School District
http://www.gblions.org/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1 (serving
Dexter, and Brownville area)
Sackets Harbor Central School
http://www.sacketsharborschool.org/ (SMALL K-12 school w/ about
500 students serving the Sackets Harbor area)
Thousand Islands Central School
District
http://www.thousandislands.com/tihs/tics.htm (Serving Clayton
and Cape Vincent, NY)
Gouveneur Central School District
http://gcs.neric.org/newweb/ (serving Gouveneur)
Any colleges in area?
Jefferson Community College
http://www.sunyjefferson.edu/
SUNY Colleges in the North Country
http://www.sunynorth.edu/
Jobs? (on post and off) There are jobs in the
area, you'll just have to look around for what's just right for
you. And realize depending on where you're coming from the pay
might not be as great as you would get elsewhere.
Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?
I liked the rural setting of Ft. Drum. I think the area is a great
place to raise a family. The seasons are beautiful, especially
fall. Ft. Drum has a lot to offer it's military families. There
are a lot of programs OpReady, AFTB (Army Family Team Building and
many other activies through ACS. There's a great program through
YMCA for children of deployed soldiers.
Least favorite aspect? Just like every other
base there are some disorganzation issues.
Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper,
schools, etc.)
Fort Drum website
http://www.drum.army.mil/sites/local/
Watertown Chamber of Commerce
http://www.watertownny.com/
Watertown Daily Times
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/
Online news source
http://www.newzjunky.com/
Salmon Run Mall
Any other tips? Ft. Drum like all other duty
stations is what you make of it. Go with an open mind and be ready
to experience the beautiy of the North Country. Have passports and
make a trip (or more) into Canada. Get involved in the Ft. Drum
community. There are a lot of oppertunites for it; FRG, ACS,
Spouses Clubs for Enlisted and Officers, and programs through the
Main Post Chapel.
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