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The Ripple Effect Of Sequestration At Fort Drum

Story Published: Mar 11, 2013 at 5:46 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2013 at 6:36 PM EDT

Fort Drum officials announced the Youth and Child Services will be cut by one day in April.

That means no day care on Fridays.

See our full report on child care

That could affect about 900 soldier and civilian families.

The ripple effect will be felt well outside Fort Drum.

"It will impact us because folks won't go to class if they can't have their children safely cared for," said Jill Pippin, dean of Continuing Education at Jefferson Community College.

The cuts will also affect JCC in another way.

The Army is suspending tuition assistance for soldiers and that could hurt the school in more ways than one.

"It certainly affects the soldiers, no doubt about it, but it has a rolling impact because it'll affect Jefferson Community College, and as that happens, it affects the economy more globally," said Congressman Bill Owens (D. - 21st District).

It's also of large concern to the students themselves.

"Even in the Army, they say that you have to have a degree in order to excel further in your career," said JCC student and Fort Drum soldier Joseph Freeman.

"As far as the soldiers go, it's going to be really hard for them to be able to get a college education," said Jordan Barnes, a soldier who takes classes at JCC. 

The bad news doesn't stop there.

Unless these budget cuts are reversed, officials tell us the commissary at Fort Drum could be closed one extra day a week starting in April.

See our full report on the commissary
Saturday, May 25, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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