Fifty-five miles from campus, military base Fort Drum prepares for further deployment to Afghanistan, as stated in President Obama’s recent speech. The 10th Mountain Division, stationed in Fort Drum, is the most heavily deployed division in the US Army. As the demand for troops increases, the size of the 10th increases and families and soldiers are feeling the effects just down the road from campus.
Used as a military training site since 1908, Fort Drum reached its highest potential in 1989. Between 1986 and 1992, 130 new buildings, 35 miles of roads, and 4,272 sets of family housing units were built at a cost of $1.3 billion. For years the mission statement of the 10th Mountain Division has been “to be manned and trained to deploy rapidly by air, sea, and land anywhere in the world, prepared to fight upon arrival and win,” as stated on the Fort Drum website.
Junior Jacqueline Dougherty resides in Fort Drum and has a loved one overseas. She described the current state of the military base and the obvious void. “Fort Drum is a ghost town. You can tell when we’ve shipped out more soldiers because there’s an air about the town; it feels even emptier. Many families who have a soldier deployed leave the area to go back home to their parents, which results in a severe reduction of children in local schools.”
President Obama’s plan to deploy 30,000 troops has soldiers preparing for orders to be shipped out. Is this what our country needs for progress toward national goals? Nicole Shaffner ’11 has optimistic views of Obama’s recent announcement. “I personally think sending 30,000 troops to Afghanistan might be the answer to ending the war or at least gaining some ground. There are close to 3,000 soldiers deploying in March from Fort Drum as part of that 30,000.”
Dougherty ’11, who has a personal connection to the military base and deployment process, disagrees. “In regards to the 30,000 troops deployed, I’m highly disappointed in Obama, since during his campaign he made the deployments a big issue that he wanted to resolve. As we all know, many troops, especially Fort Drum soldiers are and will be deployed within the next year.” The news was somewhat surprising to residents of the military base expected to play a major role in the escalation of the war effort.
Fort Drum’s uniqueness is reflected in the fact it is the only base that has an adoption program solely for them. Every platoon that deploys out of Fort Drum is sponsored by someone, somewhere in the country. Nicole Shaffner, through her girl scout troop, adopted a platoon from the 10th Mountain Division and has had valuable contact with the soldiers overseas. “Students should support the people on campus who have loved ones over there, such as helping them send care packages and just being supportive. I think what people need to understand is that you can support the soldier without supporting the war,” says Shaffner ’11.
Recently, SLU students set up and ran a table in the Student Center to prepare care packages to send overseas during this holiday season. “Any and all support is what our soldiers need when overseas. We need to remind them that we are thinking about them back home, and are awaiting their arrival. Sending goodies is a good way to maintain that connection,” says Dougherty.
“The cards collected from the table in the Student Center were sent to twenty-two soldiers in an Artillery unit. Along with the cards, we sent crafts, snacks, books, magazines, baby wipes, and hygiene items, as well as fresh baked cookies. So far a total of seven boxes have gone to the guys in Iraq and there are five more ready to go out this week,” says Shaffner ’11.
Challenges still exist on the empty base during this time of year. “Holidays especially have a lonely air on base, because a lot of newly married spouses are coping and trying to figure out what to do without their spouse. It’s tough to explain to the little ones as to why Daddy isn’t here for Christmas,” says Dougherty ’11. However, those left to hold down the fort ease the lingering lonely feeling by sending goods and personal items reminding them of home to soldiers.
In addition to involvement with the Christmas Card Drive, Jacqueline worked with her floor for an extra effort during this season. “For the Adopt A Soldier program, my residents and I sat and had a little arts and crafts session; we made cards and ornaments. They had a great time and it meant a lot to me to have participation because the platoon that’s adopted has many soldiers who are on their first deployment. I feel that anything and everything we send over to them will help the adjustment and ease things,” says Dougherty ’11.
Other options for supporting soldiers are easy and significant to our men. “Write letters, not just during the holiday season. Letters are worth their weight in gold,” says Shaffner ’11. “I would really like to see the campus more involved with the support of the troops and those who have loved ones overseas. There are many students on campus who have parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, boyfriends, and girlfriends in the service.”
The website AnySoldier.com supplies the names and contact information of 10th Mountain soldiers who could use extra support. Students interested in reaching out to deployed soldiers are encouraged to write. A drop box is also located outside of the mailroom for used magazines. Even if they are a couple months old, soldiers appreciate them nonetheless.
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