POW/MIA Update: October 28, 2008

[boardman]

POW/MIA Update: October 28, 2008


AMERICANS ACCOUNTED FOR: There are 1,750 US personnel still listed by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War; 833 US personnel have been accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. 90+% of the 1,750 still missing and unaccounted for were lost in Vietnamitself or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.

LAO DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH LEAGUE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: On September 26th, Lao Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisolith, made a brief visit to Washington, DC, primarily to meet with Lao Ambassador Phiane Philakone and members of the Lao Embassy staff. He also agreed to meet with Ann Mills Griffiths for a 45-minute cordial and productive discussion of accounting-related issues. Griffiths commended the increased Lao Government flexibility in dealing with the US, especially Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but also bilateral agreement to exchange Defense Attaches by the end of this year, a major move forward in the evolving military-to-military relationship. This exchange will be mutually beneficial and enable the Defense Intelligence Agency’s POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) to be assigned to the US Embassy in Vientiane, working under the auspices of the Defense Attaché Office (DAO). The League deeply appreciates and supports the advances that the two governments have made on POW/MIA and other bilateral issues of concern.

20-YEAR ASSESSMENT OF US-SRV COOPERATION & TECHNICAL TALKS HELD: Ambassador Charles Ray, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs, hosted Vietnamese officials in Hawaii on September 17th for a one-day assessment of the last 20 years of POW/MIA accounting cooperation. Chief of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao led the nine-member Vietnamese delegation, comprised of several long involved officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Public Security known to the League. US participants included JPAC Commander RADM Donna Crisp, USN, Detachment Commanders from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and senior members of the JPAC staff, plus Principle Director of the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) Col David Ellis, USAF, and senior DPMO staff. League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths, a guest of JPAC, made a presentation at the Opening Session, following Ambassador Ray, RADM Crisp and Ambassador Dao, and attended associated social events.

The 20-year Assessment followed the twice yearly US-SRV Technical Talks, hosted on September 16th by RADM Crisp to review the recently concluded 92nd Joint Field Activity (JFA) and plans for the 93rd and 94th JFAs. The latter is scheduled to include the first ever use of a US Navy hydrographic survey vessel in accounting efforts, a step agreed to by the Vietnamese Government in October 2006, but still not implemented due to bureaucratic inertia, now possibly complicated by proposed new requirements for implementation that Vietnam is proposing.

Though not required for shallow water surveys/investigations that can be conducted using other platforms, the US Navy’s ship can help expedite the process of identifying possible shallow-water excavation sites and should be acceptable for use on the humanitarian accounting effort, as it was last year to provide humanitarian medical assistance to the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese leadership should raise NO additional requirements for POW/MIA accounting-related missions than for other humanitarian matters; therefore, the US should make clear that such cooperation is simply part of the expanding military-to-military relationship, now evolving in a mutually beneficial fashion.

JPAC OPERATIONS: After a brief period during which no JPAC teams were deployed, operations are now ongoing in Vietnam, Laos, South Korea and India. Five Recovery Teams (RTs) deployed for Laos on October 14th for their 106th Joint Field Activity (JFA) and will be conducting operations on five separate cases Khammouan and Savannakhet Provinces until November 19th.

On October 24th, four RTs and two Investigation Teams (ITs) began the 93rd JFA in Vietnam. The four RTs plan to excavate four cases in four separate provinces – Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Son La and Ninh Binh. One IT plans to investigate 23 cases in eight provinces and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The second IT will conduct research and interviews on 10 cases in Hanoi and three cases in two other provinces. Reportedly, unilateral advance research and interviews will be conducted by the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) on 12 cases throughout the country. The 45-day work period will mean redeployment to Hawaii on December 9th.

In South Korea, one IT began working in Kyong Gi Province and in the DMZ. The other IT began conducting underwater Phase Two Testing (P2T) operations in the Port of Pyongtaek. These teams are expected to conclude their work on November 25th. Another P2T commenced operations in India this week and is expected to conclude its work about November 21st.

PLAN NOW TO ATTEND THE 40TH ANNUAL MEETING JULY 22-25, 2009: Next year’s annual meeting promises to be special in many ways, including commemoration of over 35 years since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, and 40 years since the League was formed May 28, 1970. Governmental transitions are taking place, and there will be much to discuss and decide in terms of the League’s and the issue’s future. Importantly, it will also be the first year of a new administration. Any such political turmoil brings with it many changes in leadership and focus that, hopefully, will benefit the issue, but require close attention and actions by all members and supporters, especially our major national veterans organizations. Please do your part and start planning now to participate, arriving early if possible to call on Members of Congress and visit meaningful sites in our nation’s capital BEFORE the important sessions start on Thursday, July 23rd. The Secretary of Defense (whomever that may be) is expected to authorize COIN Assist transportation.

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY POSTERS AVAILABLE: The 2008 poster, unveiled at the League’s 39th Annual Meeting, is again available to the general public by calling 703-699-1131, as is a limited number of the 2007 posters.

COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC): The League (a 501 [c] 3 nonprofit) has again met the stringent criteria for eligibility in the 2008 campaign, and our official number is the same, CFC #10218, assigned by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC. The League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing American POW/MIAs, KIA/BNRs and their families eligible for donations through CFC & United Way. Despite the reality of many competing charities and much need, especially in a time of war, the League is proud of our eligibility, due to tough requirements that must be met and is in urgent need of tax-deductible donations,FEIN #23-7071242.


CHECK THE LEAGUE’S UPDATED WEB SITE

www.POWMIALeague.org <http://www.POWMIALeague.org/>

www.POWMIALeague.com <http://www.POWMIALeague.com/>

www.pow-miafamilies.org <http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/>