Contracted gate guards at Drum now Department of the Army employees

The Department of the Army has converted the contract for gate security guards at Fort Drum to a job for department employees.

That ended the four-year contract with TW & Company Inc., Lanham, Md., but many of the company's employees will remain guards for the Department of the Army.

"If you go into post today, you may recognize the faces, but the patches will be a little different," said Anthony P. Losada, TW & Company's Army regional manager for the Northeast.

The conversion to government employees was completed Tuesday night.

The state Department of Labor says the company had 111 workers at the time of the announced closing. At its peak, the company had 113, Mr. Losada said.

The Department of the Army approved 81 guards be hired; some positions are still open. About three-quarters have been filled by former employees of TW & Company, Mr. Losada said.

"A lot of people have been on the gates for seven years," he said. "That's why Fort Drum is so willing to pick up our guards."

The entire set of supervisors was hired by the Army. Those who are military veterans had priority consideration. Some who were not hired will go to college, Mr. Losada said. Others have found other jobs.