Photo By Scott Sturkol | Shown Sept. 6, 2018, is one of several mock ruins built by the archaeological team...... read more read more
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The development of a mock cultural-awareness training site — a first for the installation – was the result of work completed in 2017 after archaeologists completed a phase III dig on Fort McCoy’s South Post near Stillwell Lake.
The site yielded thousands of artifacts and showed it was a crossroads for Native Americans thousands of years ago. Because of its importance, the mock cultural-awareness training site became something to not only protect the space, but also educate service members.
“Mock cultural sites are used as training aids for troops while they protect cultural resources at the same time,” said Fort McCoy Archaeologist Kira Kaufmann with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. “It’s a win-win situation.”
The Fort McCoy mock cultural site, which is also an actual cultural site on post, has several internationally identifiable blue and white signs that designate the area as a cultural heritage site.
The colored emblem depicted on the signs is the internationally recognized symbol to identify cultural property subject to protection during armed conflicts per the 1954 Hague Convention, said Brent Friedl, Integrated Training Area Management program coordinator with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS). The emblem is shaped like a shield and may be used alone or repeated three times in a triangular formation to designate protection of cultural property.
“(The) signs were installed as training aids for troops while also as a recognition measure for the remainder of the cultural sites in the area,” Kaufmann said. “When troops are in other countries, they may encounter these international blue and white signs.”
Kaufmann said more than 10 additional cultural-heritage signs were also installed around the boundaries of culturally sensitive areas within Training Area B-26.
“They were placed there because troops were still inadvertently causing damage to some of these historic places,” Kaufmann said. “The goal we strive for is to protect all of the cultural resources while training activities occur.”
Archaeologist Tyler Olsen, assistant cultural-resources projects manager with Colorado State University Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands under contract with Fort McCoy, said setting up the mock cultural sight took a couple of days of hard work by a lot of people.
“Everyone did a great job putting together the site with the mock stone walls and with site preparation,” Olsen said. “We have it set up to resemble ruins at a historical cultural site, and the signs are located nearby. We want it to represent what service members might see in an overseas location while on a deployment.”
Olsen said there are more than 160 sites on Fort McCoy that are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Through working with everyone at Fort McCoy in the training support and cultural resources protection, he said they are ensuring those places are protected, so having the mock cultural training site helps with that effort.
“We’re still working on educating people about the signs and what they mean,” Olsen said. “In time, the awareness will improve.”
Friedl said although the mock cultural training site is fairly new, areas like it are already built into the maneuver and training restriction maps provided to transient training troops who come to Fort McCoy.
“We’ve had an ongoing working relationship with everyone to ensure transient training troops understand the areas that have restrictions while they train here,” Friedl said. “The mock cultural training site is among those sites that help inform service members about the importance of protecting important cultural sites wherever they go in the world.”
Friedl added that the mock cultural training site is the only area marked with signs. All of the remaining cultural areas within the Fort McCoy training areas are not marked.
“So it’s very important for customers to review the maneuver and training restriction maps and follow the Fort McCoy special site request processes when planning training on post,” he said.
DPTMS Range Scheduling Chief Mark Stelzner said that as units prepare their range training packages, information about culturally sensitive areas is automatically passed on.
“As we move forward, we may also offer a brochure to further educate people,” Friedl said.
Fort McCoy has supported America’s armed forces since 1909. The installation’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”
The post’s varied terrain, state-of-the-art ranges, new as well as renovated facilities, and extensive support infrastructure combine to provide military personnel with an environment in which to develop and sustain the skills necessary for mission success.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at www.mccoy.army.mil, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2018 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 292444 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 262 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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