SCHUMER, AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY, ANNOUNCES FORT DRUM SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS ARMY MULTI-DOMAIN TASK FORCE BRINGING NEARLY 1,500 NEW PERSONNEL TO THE NORTH COUNTRY AND HELPING SOLIDIFY FORT DRUM AS CENTRAL TO AMERICA’S NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY

Schumer Has Been Fighting Non-Stop To Elevate Fort Drum, Personally Calling Army Secretary Multiple Times, And Now His Efforts Have Proven Successful With The Selection Of Fort Drum To Support The Europe Multi-Domain Task Force

Senator Says New Unit Will Bring Nearly 1,500 New Soldiers & Personnel, Advanced Capabilities, And The Future Of Army’s Europe Strategy To The North Country Base

Schumer: Fort Drum Is Mission Ready, Best In The Country To Lead The Future Of The Army  

After years of relentless advocacy to elevate Fort Drum, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced that Fort Drum has been selected to house U.S. Army Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) #2, along with Wiesbaden, Germany. Multi Domain Task Forces are an essential part of the Army’s work to address the national security threats of the future, the senator personally met with Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth today who informed him of the news. Schumer explained this prestigious designation he helped land for Fort Drum will make it a central part of the Army’s mission to combat emerging national security threats and is expected to bring 1,495 new personnel and soldiers to the North Country, and further support the long-term stability of the base and its central role in our national defense.

“Fort Drum has been selected for one of the most prestigious designations by the Army, meaning nearly 1,500 new soldiers and personnel will soon call the North Country home, which will enhance this amazing base as a pillar within America’s national defense strategy. I personally advocated to Army Secretary Wormuth to elevate Fort Drum as the clear choice, and the Army could not have picked a better place than the North Country to lead the mission in protecting our national security,” said Senator Schumer. “Fort Drum is woven into the very fabric of the North Country, and there is no community more eager and able to support the Army in furthering America’s national defense strategy. The Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force represents the future of our military, and today the Army has said that the future of our military will be from Fort Drum.”

Schumer explained that the MDTF program represents the future of the Army’s efforts to combat the threat to U.S. national security. The Army has planned to build five MDTFs to support the various combatant commands, with three units focused on the Pacific and one unit focused on Europe and one for global response. Fort Drum will share the MDTF supporting General Cavoli and the entire European Command (EUCOM) with the Army’s base in Wiesbaden, Germany. MDTF soldiers will likely rotate between Wiesbaden and Fort Drum, starting in 2025. This new effort combines land, air, sea, cyber, and space capabilities into one unit that supports combatant commanders (i.e. joint forces) and is essential to building joint readiness while strengthening our interoperability with key allies and partners. The second MDTF was activated in 2021 in Wiesbaden but thanks to Senator Schumer will now share its home with Fort Drum.

Schumer has routinely highlighted how Fort Drum is uniquely suited to lead the Army’s new efforts facing the U.S. Central and European Command. The base is host to the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield, which serves as the primary departure airfield for the 10th Mountain Division and provides support to military forces at Fort Drum training for international contingency operations. Fort Drum already has approximately 500 soldiers deployed in support of European allies and partners, and has a long history of conducting critical joint exercise with allies like Finland. The terrain of the North County is an ideal environment to train soldiers on the skills required to face the harsh winters of Europe.

Schumer has fought relentlessly to elevate Fort Drum and the North Country to the Army. When the Army first announced the consideration of Fort Drum for the MDTF, the senator sent a letter to the Army supporting Fort Drum’s candidacy, he then followed up those efforts personally calling the Army Secretary twice to highlight his support and announced that Fort Drum was a finalist for MDTF selection in March of this year.

Schumer has worked for years to deliver major federal investment to enhance the bases capabilities for new opportunities like an MDTF unit. Schumer fought for years, personally calling the former Army Secretary, Defense Secretary and Army Chief Of Staff to deliver over $27 million in federal funding to construct a new railhead at Fort Drum, a top priority for the base. The senator also delivered over $21 million for a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Hangar at Fort Drum, and he secured $27 million for Fort Drum in the FY22 omnibus to replace the base’s existing water supply that was vulnerable to multiple forms of contamination, requiring Fort Drum to purchase half of its water supply from a municipal source. Most recently, Schumer secured nearly $10 million for two major Fort Drum projects in the end-of-year spending package for FY2023. 

Today’s major announcement by the senator will help ensure the long-term stability and vitality of Fort Drum for years to come bringing new soldiers, personnel, and infrastructure to ensure Fort Drum continues to grow in the North Country and as a part of the Army’s mission.

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