Albany Leadership Gets Firsthand Look at the Importance of Fort Drum

Visit to Post Part of NYS Senate Majority Leader’s Ritchie-Led Visit to the Region

New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan joined State Senator Patty Ritchie and other colleagues at Fort Drum on Wednesday for a tour of the post and a briefing on the installation. 

The visit was a part of Senator Flanagan’s tour of Central and Northern New York, which was hosted by Senator Ritchie.  Also joining the tour were Senator David Valesky, Senator Joseph Griffo and Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush. 

“In recent years, I’ve made it a priority to introduce Albany’s leaders to the importance of Fort Drum and its troops—not just to our nation’s defense, but also to our economy,” said Senator Ritchie.

“By having Senator Flanagan and my other colleagues tour the post, we’re giving them an opportunity to see firsthand the sacrifices made by our soldiers and their families and impressing upon them just how important it is to fight for Fort Drum’s future.”

In addition to a tour of the installation, the visit also included a briefing on the importance of Fort Drum to our region and state, as well as demonstrations by troops at Fort Drum’s Medical Simulation Training Center.

The visit represented Senator Ritchie’s latest effort to highlight Fort Drum and the 10^th Mountain Division.  For the past four years, she has hosted 10^th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Day at the State Capitol; an annual event that celebrates Fort Drum and the 10^th Mountain Division’s contributions to the North Country region, the state and our nation. 

(Senator Ritchie is pictured in the above photo with Senator Flanagan and Brigadier General Diana M. Holland, the first woman to serve as deputy commanding general in one of the Army’s light infantry divisions)