Construction engineering in this environment requires additional planning to avoid the potential for hazards of ground movement or collapse.

Fort Wainwright has a Cultural Resources Management Program that is responsible for over 1.6 million acres of Army-managed land with a diverse array of resources including historical buildings, a national historic landmark, archeological sites, and properties of traditional religious and cultural significance.

There are over 650 prehistoric archeological sites on Fort Wainwright and its training lands that date from the last ice age (14,000 years ago) to the Alaskan homesteading era.

Fort Wainwright's cantonment and training areas is made up of Army-withdrawn land that support resources that have been utilized by the Alaska Native community for thousands of years.

Then-Lt. Col. Henry "Hap" Arnold led a flight of B-10 bombers from Washington D.C. to Alaska in 1934 scouting for potential airfields.

His report recommended the establishment of an air base at Fairbanks which could support cold weather testing and serve as a tactical supply depot.

[2][4] In 1935, Congress passed the Wilcox National Air Defense Act which authorized the construction of new airbases including one in Alaska for cold weather testing and training.

March 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt withdrew public land for the Army in Executive Order 7596 as the location for the airfield and the base.

Its major goal was to develop standard procedures for servicing and operating aircraft in subzero temperatures and to test various airplane parts and fluids.

The testing program looked at other aspects of arctic operations to include clothing, communication, equipment, survival gear, medical issues, and ground support.

The Cold Weather Test Station was deactivated and Ladd Field came temporarily under control of the 11th Air Force who fell under the Alaska Defense Command.

[3][5] In 1942, under Lend-Lease agreements, the United States provided war planes and materials to the Soviet Union to use against Nazi Germany.

More than 7,900 aircraft were eventually delivered to Soviet pilots waiting at Ladd field who would then fly them to Nome and across Siberia to the eastern war front.

Under the ATC, Ladd field expanded with a new hangar and runway along with hundreds of temporary building to house the large workforce needed to support the mission.

[3][6] 1st Lt. Woodall was the first WAC to be stationed at Ladd Field, arriving in January 1945 to work as an aerial photographer with the Cold Weather Test Detachment.

At Ladd Field, her duties included establishing the Extreme Temperature Operations Unit (ETOU) laboratory that tested photographic equipment on military aircraft.

The proximity of the Soviet Union to Alaska in a post-war long-range bomber age spurred the development of the Arctic front.

In the early years of the Cold War, Ladd AFB's missions included; assessing the Soviet presence in the Arctic by strategic reconnaissance; supplying a regional air defense asset; improvement of the practice of polar navigation; and continued cold weather testing of equipment, clothing and human performance.

In 2019, a behavioral health epidemiological consultation, or EPICON, was requested after Alaskan Congressman Don Young sent a letter to the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command requesting a team of medical professionals to be sent to Fort Wainwright to examine the situation on the ground in relation to a number of reported suicides.

Soldiers who died by suicide had indications of multiple risk factors, including chronic pain, relationship issues, and trouble sleeping.

"[13] On Fort Wainwright, USARAK and USAG Alaska implemented a number of Quality of Life initiatives that included blackout curtains barracks to boost the ability to sleep during the 24-hours of sunlight in the summer, planning the construction of winter maintenance facilities to improve workplace quality during extreme cold weather and generous leave policies for soldiers allowing for more time with family in an attempt to reduce an isolation effect in an austere environment.

This included temporary positions until full-time providers were made available all as part of the Army's recently established Mission 100 program.

[16] About 15,000 people live and work at the fort and obtain drinking water from wells in close proximity to contaminated source areas.

[17][18] To meet the needs of new personnel and their families, construction of 128 homes on a 54-acre housing project known as Taku Gardens began in 2005 on the former communications site.

In June, 2005 construction workers noticed "stained soil and unusual odors during excavation of a building foundation" and laboratory testing revealed the presence of PCB at concentrations of up to 115,000 mg/kg - Alaska's current clean-up standard is 1 mg/kg.

Immediately northeast of Bear Paw, Denali Village, a much larger development, was constructed between Glass Park and the former billeting.

6 – known by the Corps of Engineers to be a designated Hazardous Waste Accumulation point – were overcome by fumes described as "pungent, chalky and metallic tasting" and suffered nausea, headaches and other symptoms.

A state health report concluded that "an unknown, volatile chemical likely caused nerve damage to the disabled workers."

[20][21][22] EPA inspections found that from at least 2012 to 2013, Fort Wainwright failed to monitor underground storage tanks regularly, perform leak detection tests, and investigate suspected releases.