Inside the Guam Cultural Repository building in Mangilao comes the plan to care, study, and keep a record of Guam's cultural artifacts unearthed over the years. 

But, what should be the military’s effort to preserve cultural resources? 

At least at the repository at the University of Guam in Mangilao, is getting a lot of pushback from locals.

It comes specifically from local activist group - Prutehi Litekyan. Members are taking the opportunity to be present during the Joint Region Marianas open house,  protesting the military’s actions. 

Both sides weighing in on today's planned event, including Rear Admiral BenjaminNicholson  

"So that's why having a facility that's built to these standards is so super important," he said. "So you can see that as you go in, you'll see the wall- it's specially made, what are all these pipes and nozzles-  that's the suppression system to ensure that if something happens, we can put it out quickly and preserve the history. In this building. It's absolutely fantastic. So pay attention to those details, please take the time to talk to our archaeologists are happy to talk to you. I will admit, they are on a much more higher level than I am so if they say some terminology and you don't know  just ask them."

Monaeka Flores of Prutehi Litekyan felt differently.

"We are sending a clear message that we want no more destruction, no more desecration that these remains, these are sacred objects that our ancestors once held and touched and evidence of their lives in our homeland that these belong to the people of Guam, not JRM and not department of defense. For them to use this building as a bargaining chip for the destruction, for the desecration, the contamination is unacceptable. So thank you for being here…li’nala." 

We caught up with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero earlier today who said she doesn’t feel there’s any conflict as the DoD is the entity that funded the cultural repository.

But these activists don’t want the military handling the cultural artifacts saying the CHamoru people are the rightful stewards.

Still, the military says they are taking this responsibility to preserve Guam's cultural resources very seriously.