FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Sept. 24, 2024) – Members of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) participated in Retiree Appreciation Day, Sept. 21, on Fort Drum to show their gratitude to veterans and retired service members.
The Fort Drum Retirement Services Offices hosted the event with the support of the 10th Mountain Division (LI).
Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, spoke at the opening ceremony, acknowledging and recognizing the prior service of veterans and retirees.
“We gather to honor a group of individuals, that’s you all, whose dedication, courage, and unwavering commitment have shaped the very fabric of our community,” Naumann said.
Retiree Appreciation Day events help to provide resources and programs to veterans and their families. Services offered consist of assistance with medical, legal, and financial matters, including information on how to obtain ID cards.
“The most important things are the health services and the available information on how it’s changed over the last few years,” said retired Command Sgt. Maj. Maurice Mitchell, Transmission Branch chief at the Network Enterprise Center.
There are veterans throughout the country who don’t have access to health care and legal resources or are unaware of them, so informing and providing these services is a top priority of the Retiree Appreciation Day. Army Public Health Nurses from the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity were available to inform retirees and veterans of their options.
“Many of the veterans don’t live near an active-duty post anymore, so getting services and what’s available to them can be a challenge,” said Judi Mckee-Sanders, Army public health nurse at Fort Drum. “By having this event, we can educate them on what’s out there and what they should be doing.”
Months of planning and preparation goes into setting up this event to ensure the veterans can get the most out of these resources.
“Mid-May we start looking at what we are going to provide and what’s available,” Mckee-Sanders said. “After this event, we’ll do a review to see what we talk about that we didn’t have and what we can incorporate next year.”
This event not only supplies veterans and retirees with resources but also reconnects them with the community and the current generation of service members.
“It is important for them to know that the community is giving them services and that they are valued,” said Spc. Kim Parram, preventative medicine specialist. “They’re still a part of our community, and we’re making sure they’re getting the health care and services they need.”
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