Fort Drum VA Clinic officially opens after specialty services move from Watertown
A ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 16 marked the opening of the Fort Drum VA Clinic at Guthrie’s Specialty Care Clinic and the relocation of VA specialty medical services from Watertown.
By Nolan Briggs, ClickNNY Fort Drum Desk
The Fort Drum VA Clinic officially opened Oct. 16 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Guthrie’s Specialty Care Clinic on Fort Drum. The new location brings VA specialty medical services from Watertown to dedicated space within the Guthrie Army Health Clinic under a facility-sharing agreement.
The ceremony included Col. Elizabeth Duque, commander of Guthrie Army Health Clinic; Michael DelDuca, executive director of the VA Syracuse Healthcare System; Ginger Mitchell, assistant executive director of the VA Syracuse Healthcare System; and Command Sgt. Maj. David Cook, Guthrie’s senior enlisted leader. Attendees included representatives from Fort Drum, local veterans’ organizations, health care partner agencies and the North Country community.
The arrangement builds on existing cooperation between Guthrie and the VA. Guthrie already hosts VA physical therapists and benefits coordinators, and the VA previously operated a Fort Drum clinic during the 1990s. Guthrie Ambulatory Health Care Clinic opened in January 1991 and was named for Dr. Samuel Guthrie.
The clinic’s relocation places VA specialty care closer to the Fort Drum community and veterans living across the North Country. The Watertown Vet Center, which provides separate services, is at 1511 Washington St., Suite A, in Watertown and can be reached at 315-782-5479.
Veterans Crisis Line assistance is available by calling 988 and pressing 1. The Guthrie appointment line is listed as 315-772-2778, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Veterans should confirm appointment information directly with the appropriate clinic before visiting.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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