FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 13, 2025) -- City of Watertown and Fort Drum officials formally signed a memorandum of agreement on May 12 to join the U.S. Army's Partnership for Your Success (PaYS) Program.
The PaYS program guarantees Soldiers a job interview and possible employment after leaving military service. There are more than 1,000 private companies, corporate and public sector agencies participating in the program, with over two million jobs in the PaYS database.
Representatives from the Fort Drum garrison, Syracuse Recruiting Battalion, and Watertown City Council were at Watertown City Hall for the MOA signing ceremony.
Col. Matthew Myer, Fort Drum garrison commander, said the MOA only strengthens the strong partnership that exists between the installation and Watertown. He said that it is no surprise that many Soldiers choose to remain in the North Country after transitioning out of the Army.
“I know this effort with PaYS is really going to help Soldiers who want to stay in the area find a place to work, and what better place to work than in the great City of Watertown,” he said.
Myer also credited the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Career Skills Program for preparing Soldiers for post-Army careers.
“One thing that Soldiers know is that the Army is full of opportunity,” he said. “That exists while they are serving, and programs like these show them the opportunities they have because they chose to serve.”
According to PaYS, Soldiers can select five PaYS partners during their enlistment process, then must successfully complete their Army obligation to be eligible for the program. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) center can assist Soldiers enrolled in the program to coordinate with the PaYS partners before leaving service.
“This program is about providing a clear path forward for service members,” said City of Watertown Mayor Sarah Compo Pierce. “A promise that when they transition from military to civilian life, they won’t have to start over but can instead build on the skills and leadership that they already have. For Watertown, our community and workforce are stronger when we welcome back veterans with open doors and meaningful opportunities.”
For more information about PaYS, visit www.armypays.com.
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