LTE: National defense is not an abstraction

In the North Country, national defense is not an abstraction. It is personal. It is part of our history, our economy, and our identity. I served in the military and worked on Plattsburgh Air Force Base until it closed. I saw firsthand what those installations meant not only for national security, but for our families, communities, and economic future. The closing of bases and airfields is not a distant memory here. We know what it means when military infrastructure disappears, when opportunity leaves with it, and how hard it is to rebuild. That is why the current defense budget debate matters. In New York, companies like Northrop Grumman and Norsk Titanium are part of a broader defense and manufacturing ecosystem that supports jobs, innovation, and industrial capability. But this is bigger than any one company. The real issue is whether we will sustain the defense-related manufacturing base and workforce pipeline that regions like the North Country can support. That is especially important in a region with one of the largest veteran populations in the state and a close connection to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division. Next Move NY is helping grow New York's workforce and create a strong transitioning soldier, spouse, and veteran retention pipeline. Its goals are clear: connect them to meaningful employment in the North Country; train them in career fields that position them for employment here; and embrace them so they can build roots in the North Country. Clinton County's Institute for Advanced Manufacturing is another regional force-multiplier, creating a workforce development hub through customized training, stackable credentials, certificates, and degrees. The North Country has the people, experience, and commitment. What it needs is continued attention and investment. Federal legislators should support the defense budget not only to maintain military strength, but to sustain the communities, workforce, and veterans behind it. -Kenneth Hynes, Plattsburgh

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LTE: National defense is not an abstraction

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