When young soldiers come to Fort Drum, many do so with an even younger family. Moving to a new place, especially one with so much snow, can bring about unexpected expenses. That can be hard during the holidays. However, it’s also the time of year when senior soldiers step up to take care of everyone, helping those young families have a special Christmas.

What You Need To Know

  • In November, the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team left for a deployment overseas. The soldiers will not be home for the holidays

  • Families of those soldiers say it's hard on them, as young kids struggle to understand. However, they also understand just how hard it is on the soldiers

  • Technology has improved a bunch since the division became the most deployed in the Army. Video calls and text messages are much easier and better allow families to check in on each other

Specialist Jamie Dorris has a 10-year-old son and he's hoping to make his Christmas special.

“He loves sports," Dorris said. "He loves action figures. He likes the Marvel and the DC characters. He does love monster trucks."

This year, as soldiers have for the past 30 years, he's getting some help from a Sergeant’s Major Association program known as Mountain of Toys.

“A lot of junior soldiers are staying here," CSM Christopher Foley, the president of the Sergeant’s Major Association said. "They're moving into a new home. They're establishing a home. They have car repairs. They need winter equipment. There's a lot of things that come in and moving into Fort Drum."

My last year that I was it didn't have anything like this. So, I think it's a cool opportunity to come here, you know, pick up a few toys just so they have a good Christmas,” Dorris said of Mountain of Toys.

“Some of them, you know, they may not have their father and mother here for Christmas being deployed," Foley said. "This is just a small token of it, you know, being able to put something extra underneath the Christmas tree."

Northern and even Central New York communities come up huge in terms of donations.

“There's no better place than Fort Drum to kick off the holiday season,” 10th Mountain Division CSM Brett Johnson said.

On a not so bright, yet very early December morning — after several feet of snow fell — soldiers took part in a foot march.

“It’s the first time I've ever done anything like it. So, mainly first thing I'm thinking about is not to bust my butt,” 10th Sustainment Brigade CSM Alejandro Romar said jokingly.

“We did just two miles through this and, you know, it took us a little bit of time, but we got some sled dogs lead the way,” Johnson added.

Johnson is the 10th Mountain Division command sergeant major. Through this foot march, he was able to bring together a number of senior non-commissioned officers, have them get in a little PT and talk with them, thank them for all they've done, and remind them how important this holiday season is to all of their soldiers here on Fort Drum.

“Our community is really great to us. So it's our it's our way of paying back,” Johnson added.

Before the march, these NCO’s making donations to a mountain of toys.

“We appreciate this very much,” Foley said.

"It's not like another unit. It's more like a family,” Dorris added.

The Sergeant’s Major Association also hosts other events during the year, including Adopt-A-Platoon, Guitars for Vets and more, and it is always looking for community support.