• HRS Safety Regulations

• HRS Authenticity Regulations

• HRS Membership Form

• 2012 Unit Placement Map will be posted after registration closes in April 2012

• 2012 Convoy Map

• For online registration click button (open from September 16, 2011 to April 13, 2012)

HRS registration and membership:   Absolutely no applications or membership fees will be accepted by anyone at any event. It is contrary to the bylaws of the WWII HRS and cannot be violated for any reason.  Regards, Craig Dvorak WWII HRS Secretary.  All membership matters must be handled in advance.  Contact HRS with questions or instructions. Print a membership form from http://worldwartwohrs.org/Forms/2010-application.pdf  and fill it out completely including signatures. 

Proof of membership in a reenacting society: Everyone must bring proof of membership in a recognized reenacting society.  If your society does not issue cards then you need to have a representative from your group contact HRS to verify your membership by the registration deadline of April 13.

MP tasks:  Calling all Allied Military Police and German Feldgendarme impressions who will dedicate some of their time at this year's event to contact the MP coordinator, Tasks include but are not limited to: crowd control at the main battles, confirmation of battle field passes for people participating in field battles, control of the public gate in character, escorting of World War 2 veterans to portions of the event.  It's the usual things MPs have helped out with at previous events--no one is asking for you to bounce drunks, guard a real payroll or otherwise fill the roll of an actual sworn police officer.  With the high number of reenactors that attend events as military police, we should have more than enough if each person could donate about two hours the whole weekend. Please check in with the 29th MPs or the 9th after you check in.

Each commander is responsible for his or her unit, so if some of your members do not have web access it is the commander’s job to make certain all understand what is expected of them.  

Advance registration is required. All reenactors MUST be PRE-REGISTERED. If you know of other reenactors who have not received this notice, please let them know to contact the park department at the numbers below. Due to space limitations, we are restricted to 600 reenactors and may have to limit the number of people on the battlefield.

Advanced Unit Registrations are accepted. However, an accurate list of each participant who will be attending with name, address, phone, and I.D. number is required. Each person must sign a waiver at check-in.  Individual registration and signing of waivers is required and must be done at registration on the park site. Check-in begins on Friday, May 4 at noon and continues until 7 p.m.  Registration will reopen at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 5 and continue throughout the morning.  The same registration times apply on Sunday.  ALL REENACTORS MUST SIGN IN.  Pre-registration reserves your participation only and does not replace the waiver form. You need to show your TSG, HRS, or other reenactor affiliation card.

Camp locations: The sponsoring units will establish camp locations based on what is best for the program.  Only the unit commander can request a camping location.  All members of the unit must camp together.  THERE IS NO CIVILIAN CAMPING ON THE PARK SITE (participants are considered part of the reenactment and must observe rules at all times).  All tents should be WWII, reproductions, or converted to closely resemble WWII tents.  No Nazi party or political items will be worn or flown.

Daily review and S&A: All troops are required to report to the west field for morning formation at 9:45 a.m. to receive daily orders and information update.  This will also serve as safety and authenticity inspection.  Bring the S&A card you received at check-in with you.  Upon successful S&A inspection, your card will be punched, verifying that you may participate on the battlefield.

Battle and skirmish review for officers:  Check in at Headquarters in the upper barn at 9 a.m. each day.  CO’s and/or NCO’s are required to attend if your unit would like to participate in battles or skirmishes.

Reenactor membership: Each participant must be a verified member of a recognized reenactor unit (the host units and/or the Lake County Parks reserve the right to reject reenactors who do not meet safety, authenticity, or other standards).

Minor participants:  If a reenactor is a minor, a parent or guardian must sign for him/her at the event.  Participation of minors follows the HRS rules and regulations.  Please refer to them.

NO GLASS:  Buckley Homestead is a living history working farm.  After the WWII reenactors leave the park site, we open the pastures for our horses, cows, and sheep.  We cannot take a chance that any of our animals will be cut by glass or other objects left behind, therefore we will enforce the long-standing rule of NO GLASS.  The Lake County Parks will not permit drinking beverages in GLASS bottles on the farm.  This is an important safety issue for the staff, volunteers, and animals.  It has especially been a problem with beer and wine bottles.  Therefore, anyone with glass (other than that used in static displays and interpretation) will be asked to leave and not invited back.  The Lake County Parks reserves the right to remove anyone from the park site who is a behavior problem.  See other rules and regulations below. 

Foxholes will only be allowed for battlefield requirements and will be orchestrated by the host units.

Safety and Authenticity rules of the HRS will be enforced.  It is your responsibility, as a reenactor, to familiarize yourself with these requirements.  See the reenactor schedule for times and locations of these important S&A checks.  ONLY THOSE WHO PASS the safety and authenticity inspection will receive a battlefield pass.  No one will be allowed entry to the battlefield without their S&A card displayed, STRICTLY ENFORCED.

Shotguns and Shooting and Test Firing:  The use of shotguns on the battle or skirmish fields is prohibited.  They will only be allowed as a static display.  Shooting is limited to 9 a.m.-5 p.m.  Test firing is only permitted on the battlefield.

Security:  Period Allied Military Police (MP’s) and Axis Feldgendarme (FG’s) will enforce HRS rules and regulations, safety and authenticity, and Buckley Homestead rules.  The Lake County Parks and Recreation Department will call County Police Officers to the park site if a situation calls for it.  It is your responsibility to know the rules and abide by them. 

Safety:  This is one of the most important factors when presenting a reenactment to the public.  We can’t emphasize enough how important it is that every reenactor do his or her part to keep Buckley safe of accidents.

Vehicle safety:  All motor vehicles must be driven by a licensed driver, regardless of off or on road use.  Proper liability insurance is mandatory.  If you are a vehicle owner include a copy of your insurance card with your registration.  HRS rules state that vehicles must be insured, have a fire extinguisher and be in working order with all brakes in working condition.  See the HRS web page for additional requirements.

Equipment, uniform, weapon, and vehicles should have been used or carried in WWII.  Any item converted to look like WWII equipment will be judged by the event staff.  If it is not accepted it must be removed. Vehicles should be manufactured prior to 1946 or represent a type used by Allied or Axis during 1939-1945.  All equipment must be approved by a program representative of the sponsoring unit or park department.  See HRS Authenticity Regulations for further requirements.

Cars and other non-period vehicles are not permitted into the park site during program hours. Belshaw and Hendricks Roads are closed from 9:30 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 9:30 a.m. until about 4:30 on Sunday or until the public is out of the park site.  All vehicles must be removed from the program area and in the designated parking lots no later than 9 a.m. each day. NO TRAFFIC (except emergency and approved vintage vehicles) is permitted on Belshaw and Hendricks Roads from the maintenance barn to the visitor center during the program hours.

Reenactor parking is located at the maintenance barn. From I-65 exit Rt. 2 at Lowell, Indiana then travel west for about 4.5 miles. You will see park signs at Hendricks Road. Go past those signs to the stop light, then turn left (south) at the light to the stop sign (Belshaw Road). Turn left (east) on Belshaw to reenactor parking. You will see signs stating that the road is closed ahead, but you will be able to get to reenactor parking. Pick up your parking pass when you check in and sign the waiver forms. The address at Buckley Homestead is 3606 Belshaw Road in Lowell, IN 46356 for a MapQuest search.

Dogs are not permitted at Lake County Parks special events, including the WWII Tribute.

Vendors:  There is a fee of $75 for accepted vendors, payable in advance to the Lake County Parks. Call 219-947-PARK if you are a vendor and have not received an application.  Contact 219-947-PARK for questions M-F 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. or email info@lakecountyparks.com

Contact Information:  For information about the event, call 219-947-PARK or email info@lakecountyparks.com.  See the web at www.lakecountyparks.com and follow the WWII Tribute links for program updates.  Buckley's on-site phone is 219-696-0769. It will be manned during program hours.

Make certain that you have read the reenactor rules and responsibilities carefully prior to sending in your application, as you will have to abide by them while at the event.