Last week, Fort Drum’s new commanding general told Spectrum News 1 he didn’t want to, but if COVID-19 cases either on post or in the surrounding community picked up, he would have to implement some sort of safety protocols.

Unfortunately, the community cases have. Jefferson County is now in the CDC category of "significant" transmission status and Fort Drum is now requiring masks to be worn in all Departments of Defense buildings on post, regardless of vaccination status.

What You Need To Know

  • The CDC has moved Jefferson County to a ‘significant’ transmission status as it relates to COVID-19

  • Fort Drum says it is now requiring everyone to wear a mask inside a building on post, to include all DoD facilities, exchanges and the commissary

  • The Army is expected to require vaccines as early as September 1, once the shots gain full FDA Approval

“We’ll make some adjustments as we go, in hopes of not getting into stringent protocols, but enough to stave off another wave or surge or anything along those lines,” Maj. Gen. Milford Beagle said.

However, one significant protocol could come from an office even higher than Beagle's.

The Army Times is reporting that the Army will make vaccines mandatory as early as September, once they are fully approved by the FDA. Beagle has said that while he is happy that roughly 17,000 of the 30,000 plus people on Drum have gotten at least one shot, it isn’t quite enough.

He says he understands the likely decision, as the Army and the 10th Mountain Division in particular, cannot afford to fall behind on preparing for what is next.

“I think the decision, once it is made and official, is the right call because that will help us maintain our readiness,” said Beagle.

Beagle says now it’s on leadership to present people the facts and help get them to a place where they feel like getting vaccinated is the right thing to do.

“Part of our challenge is giving everybody the information that they want and makes them comfortable, or comfortable enough to get vaccinated,” Beagle added.

The Army Times says roughly 70% of soldiers across the nation have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

The mask mandate also includes military exchanges and the commissary on post, and applies to all military personnel and family members, employees, contractors and visitors.