Col. Christina Buchner, U.S. Army Medical Department Activity commander; Col. Matthew Myer, Fort Drum garrison commander; Melody Everly, Personnel Services Branch chief; and Alisha McNabb, Soldier Readiness Processing coordinator, cut the ribbon for the new SRP site inside Clark Hall on May 9. The Installation Soldier Readiness Center consolidates deployment services that Soldiers previously had to find at several locations on post into one location. (Photo by Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs)
Fort Drum Soldier Readiness Processing site streamlines services for better troop support
Mike Strasser
Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 9, 2024) – Fort Drum’s Clark Hall normally bustles in a constant flux of activity with Soldiers seeking in-processing and out-processing services throughout the day.
Members of the Military Personnel Division’s Personnel Services Branch paused for a quick ribbon-cutting ceremony May 9 to introduce the new Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) site that will provide troops a more predictable, centralized deployment process.
“In the garrison, we talk about the warfighting mission and building ready families, and SRP has everything to do with that,” said Col. Matthew Myer, Fort Drum garrison commander. “We know that the Soldier’s goal with SRP is to get out of the building as fast as possible. This locks them in and focuses on all those things they need to take care of in one place.”
SRP is a requirement before Soldiers can deploy, whether it is an emergency deployment readiness exercise or a no-notice deployment.
Melody Everly, Personnel Services Branch chief, said the Installation Soldier Readiness Center consolidates services that Soldiers previously had to find at several locations on post in addition to going to Clark Hall for some legal and medical activities.
“This is really bringing everything home to Clark Hall, where we know we can bring Soldiers in through one door and they walk out another door deployable,” she said. “It’s not just about the efficiency and the time saved. It’s about that Soldier feeling that they are really being cared for.”
Everly said the consolidation corrects a disjointed process that took years of planning to remedy.
“We had Soldiers going to several locations to get ready for deployment while they’re also trying to spend time with their families, meeting the needs of their at-home garrison mission,” she said. “To say it was a monumental task for them is definitely an understatement.”
It also complicated matters for leaders, who maintained accountability of hundreds of Soldiers completing tasks throughout post, and for the support personnel who constantly had to deconflict issues for Soldiers.
“If you took a step back and watched all the hustle and bustle, what I was struck by so many times was the genuine concern for the service member and their family,” Everly said.
She said that quality of support will only get better with the medical team providers, administrative professionals, and legal team members all working under one roof.
Alisha McNabb, SRP coordinator, said there has been no interruption of services while staff is still moving into the new center.
“The launch of this facility has been highly anticipated, and I think everyone is excited about finally bringing everyone on board here,” she said. “I think the challenge moving forward will be seeing how the flow of the facility works, according to the needs of the Soldiers coming through – whether that’s SRP or reverse SRP when they return from deployment.”
Myer said the new SRP site is an achievement the Military Personnel Division team can be proud of, but a welcome addition to Clark Hall.
“During the weekly Newcomers Brief, I talk to Soldiers about how Clark Hall really solves problems,” he said. “If a Soldier has a problem, if a family member has a problem, if they come to Clark Hall, there is somebody there who can figure it out, point you in the right direction, or give you the right person to call.”