The legacy of Mars: battlefield archaeology and improved military wellbeing

ABSTRACT Engaging on challenging duties, and returning to civilian life, are part of a routine military life both of which may negatively impact on their wellbeing. Numerous initiatives exist which aim to support the wellbeing of serving/transitioning personnel including, more recently, archaeology-based programs. However, little is known about the impact of archaeology – based programs making it difficult to know if they should be recommended or not. This study sought to empirically determine if involvement in the Waterloo Uncovered (WU) archaeology-based program had a positive impact on mental wellbeing in veterans and serving military personnel (VSMP). VSMP (n=36) who participated in WU programs in 2017 or 2019 completed questionnaires assessing their mental wellbeing using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) at baseline, immediately after the dig and 11 weeks later. Results indicate measurable and sustained improvements in psychological well-being in VSMP although further work is required to measure how this influences transition to civilian life.