Why does Fort Drum have a cultural resources program?
The United States Department of Defense acts as a steward in protecting its cultural resources while carrying out its military mission. The central mission of the U.S. military forces is the defense of the United States – its people, its land, and its heritage. America’s cultural resources are an integral part of the nation’s heritage. It is essential that we conserve and defend the places, objects, and records associated with our national heritage, and the ideas they embody for future generations. Protecting these resources is a fundamental part of the Department of Defense’s primary mission. Today the Department of Defense (DoD) manages approximately 25 million acres of land in the United States and its territories and possessions. These lands contain places that are tangible reminders of people, events, and ideas that shaped America’s character.
