The consultation process between a native community and any DoD installation is often accompanied by a palimpsest of discussions where concerns are aired, reassurances are sought, and, when conditions permit, a working protocol is established. From cordial visits and the sharing of information to the more tenuous process of repatriation of ancestral remains, the challenges remain. However, a continuum based on trust, meaningful dialogue, access to archaeological sites and the stewardship provided by on-site, trained cultural resource managers, form the basis of an effective consultation model evolving on Fort Drum.

Fort Drum, the 10th Mountain Division Military Installation, is located in Jefferson and Lewis Counties, New York. The base, located approximately 50 kilometres south of the Canadian border and 15 kilometres east of Lake Ontario, has been actively used for military training since 1908. Today, the base trains and mobilises almost 80,000 troops annually (DOIM 2008). In addition to the military activity, Fort Drum is also home to over 800 archaeological sites, and the number of discoveries continues to rise with each new field season. Under the auspices of Dr Laurie Rush, the primary objective of the Fort Drum Cultural Resources Program is to identify and protect archaeological sites located on the base that are potentially eligible for the National Register. The program also coordinates and encourages consultation between Fort Drum and federally recognised tribes with ancestral ties to the area, and continues to develop a community outreach program to sensitise both military and civilian personnel to the rich heritage present on the base (Rush and Wagner 2008).

In some cases, geographical proximity or cultural affiliations may require the participation of several native communities. For almost a decade, Dr Laurie Rush has been consulting with three members of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy: the St Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, and the Onondaga Nation. Furthermore, the uniqueness of the political/cultural complexities of each community must also be considered, particularly when inviting representatives and sharing information. For example, Akwesasne (the place where the partridges drum), a Mohawk reservation recognised by both the Canadian and American governments, straddles the political boundaries of three jurisdictions, including the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well the counties of St Lawrence and Franklin in the state of New York.