UPDATE: President Donald Trump is in upstate New York Monday, making stops in Fort Drum and Utica. Trump has signed a $716 billion defense policy bill while at the base. The entire Trump speech is linked to this article.

President Donald Trump has signed a $716 billion defense policy bill named for John McCain after delivering remarks that failed to mention the ailing senator.

The measure Trump signed Monday at Fort Drum will boost military pay by 2.6 percent, the largest hike in nine years. The bill allows Trump to waive sanctions against countries that bought Russian weapons and now want to buy U.S. military equipment.

But perhaps the most important part of this bill for the people who live here in the Fort Drum area is it will raise military pay by 2.6-percent.

Hundreds of service members filled the plane hangar for the event along with their families, families that will be directly impacted by items of the bill, particularly the 2.6-percent pay raise.

"We’re standing up for our military, we’re standing up for our great American flag," said President Donald Trump. "We’re standing for our flag. The armed forces have endured continuous combat for the past 17 years since the 1990s, the number of Solders on active duty was cut by 1/3. Our bases and vital equipment fell into a state of disrepair but those days are over."

VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO WATCH TRUMP'S SPEECH AT FORT DRUM IN ITS ENTIRETY.

"Any kind of pay raise is good I guess," Brandon Cromwell, an active Fort Drum soldier said. "It's not like I was like, oh no, this 2.6 percent is going to make or break what I'm doing, but to me, more money is always a good thing to me."

"I think that's great," said Travis Waybright, whose father and brother are active duty military. "The military basically funds this whole area as far as schools and as far as business. Without the military, this whole area would be kinda desolate, it wouldn't be much. With the military here, as big as the base is, it keeps a lot of people employed. I think it's great for the area."

The president spent a few minutes after his remarks shaking hands with the soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum.

The president will head to Utica for a fundraiser for Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. The event will be held at Hotel Utica around 4:30 p.m.

UPDATE:

President Donald Trump will be in upstate New York Monday afternoon to sign a bill that increases funding for the military.

The president is expected to be at Fort Drum around 2 p.m to sign the National Defense Authorization Act and make remarks. Watch it live on News10NBC

The president is expected to meet and speak with soldiers and then sign the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill will increase the size of all branches of the military and replace and enhance much of the equipment used to protect our nation. The bill also funds a few more controversial items, like a military parade to commemorate 100 years of sacrifice and the creation of a space war-fighting sub-branch of the military.

But perhaps the most important part of this bill for the people who live here in the Fort Drum area is it will raise military pay by 2.6 percent.

"Any kind of pay raise is good I guess," Brandon Cromwell, an active Fort Drum soldier said. "It's not like I was like, oh no, this 2.6 percent is going to make or break what I'm doing, but to me, more money is always a good thing to me."

"I think that's great," said Travis Waybright, whose father and brother are active duty military. "The military basically funds this whole area as far as schools and as far as business. Without the military, this whole area would be kinda desolate, it wouldn't be much. With the military here, as big as the base is, it keeps a lot of people employed. I think it's great for the area."

The president will then head to Utica for a fundraiser for Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. The event will be held at Hotel Utica around 4:30 p.m. Our news partner, News10NBC will have live coverage of his stop in Utica.

ORIGINAL:

President Donald Trump is heading to upstate New York Monday, making stops in Fort Drum and Utica.

During his trip he's expected to sign the John McCain National Defense Authorization Act, giving a boost to our military.

It will allow the government to spend $716 billion on the military.

That's a $16 billion increase from the last fiscal year and the big thing here is that this will give military members a nearly 3 percent salary increase.

This is the largest military pay hike in the last nine years.

The bill allows for an increase in troops, equipment, and weapons for The Department of Defense and will also secure funding for a military parade that President Trump has previously mentioned.

Some local veterans say this bill is a token of appreciation for the military but also secures the resources necessary to keep everyone in the country safe.

Mike Cialini, the commander of the Perinton Memorial VFW said, "all political thoughts aside President Trump is very supportive of the military, I think he recognizes what the military does and what he could at a moments notice ask them to do and being able to give them a decent pay raise is key."

This act passed through Congress by an overwhelming majority, but New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand was among a handful to vote 'no' on the bill.

After President Trump signs the act into law, active military members will begin to get that pay raise on Jan. 1, 2019.