Here's a recent article I found on this subject:
www.pow-miafamilies.org
July 8, 2006
PRESIDENT AFFIRMS COMMITMENT: In a letter dated June 21, 2006 , President Bush affirmed his commitment ?to continuing the search for all military members missing in the line of duty? ??. and provided assurance ?that this is an issue I will raise when I travel to Vietnam this Fall.? He went on to express appreciation to the League for our efforts.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PRESSES VIETNAM ON POW/MIA ISSUE: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited Vietnam June 3-6 th and urged his counterpart, Defense Minister Pham Van Tra, and Prime Minister Pham Van Khai to increase their cooperation. According to media reports, the Secretary's focus adhered to the criteria established by President Bush in 2002, reinforced by Secretaries of State Powell and Rice in 2004 and 2005, respectively. He called for unilateral provision of relevant archival records, and again suggested using US Navy technology for underwater recovery operations. The Vietnamese leadership was cited as agreeing to the Secretary's requests to expand cooperation and support for the accounting effort.
With worldwide coverage of his visit, the Secretary displayed the importance of the issue by spending two hours at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) Detachment II headquarters that included a briefing on their current operations in Vietnam . The League provided input to the Defense Department leadership prior to this important visit and deeply appreciates the Secretary's emphasis on POW/MIA accounting during bilateral discussions that included much broader national security and military issues.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ADDRESSES LEAGUE: Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England addressed the families, veterans and others gathered for the League's 37 th Annual Meeting. In that forum, his address brought welcome commitment and stated in part : ?One thing that I have learned to appreciate during this year is that the League is a true force for good. You have helped turn the lessons learned from Vietnam into better processes, policies, and actions, so that we can return our military home with honor. Your voices have been heard ? and are still being heard??.You have set a new standard, with your persuasiveness, your passion and your persistence. What makes the League's efforts so powerful is its long-standing close partnership with our own Department of Defense, and with other Government Departments??.We are also joined here today because there is still a job unfinished, a mission to complete. Many of you, together with other American families, are still living with uncertainty, and without closure. As part of the total DoD mission to protect and defense America , the Department is committed to make the fullest possible accounting of our prisoners of war and those missing in action. Those who offered their service in the name of something higher than themselves are heroes, and we owe them?.and you?no less. The countries of Southeast Asia hold critical keys to our ability to product that accounting. This year ? this summer ? is a hopeful time in our partnerships with those countries. Just a few weeks ago, Secretary Rumsfeld visited Vietnam . He thanked the Government of Vietnam sincerely for its cooperation and continued assistance. The US Government's annual certification requirement is a key part of bolstering and encouraging that cooperation?.Secretary Rumsfeld thanked his hosts, and he also said: ?We still have work to do, and as we all agree, we do not want to forget the importance of this'?..He urged the Government of Vietnam to continue to take unilateral steps to increase access to information. And he did meet with positive responses from his hosts. ?These are hopeful signs. I believe we can be encouraged by them, even as the hard work continues. Vietnam is the focus point, but our partnerships with Laos and Cambodia are also very important. Our constructive work with those Governments does continue and will continue. Their ongoing cooperation with us is both welcome and essential??The relationships forged as part of that effort have laid the groundwork for broader relations with these countries, across the spectrum of US interests. This is something else that all of you can be proud of??Today's servicemen and women know, as they go into battle, that whatever may befall them, their Nation will honor their service?.and bring them home again??I do thank you all for your patriotism, hard work, and everything you do every day to take care of America. God bless you all, and God continue to bless America .?
U.S. PERSONNEL MISSING FROM THE VIETNAM WAR: The number listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is now 1,802 ? 1,377 in Vietnam, 364 in Laos, 54 in Cambodia and 7 in PRC territorial waters. Though DoD has not yet made a formal announcement, media reports quote the son carried the name of LCDR James E. Plowman, USN, listed as MIA in North Vietnam on March 24, 1967 . A total of 781 US personnel have been accounted for since 1975; however, the remains of 63 Americans were recovered and identified before the end of the war in areas where the US had access. These US personnel were accounted for without cooperation from the post-war governments of Vietnam , Laos or Cambodia , for a total of 844. Over 90% of the 1,802 still missing, including over 90 US personnel last known alive (LKA), were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnamese wartime control.
VIETNAMESE LEADERSHIP CHANGES: Vietnam has a new Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, groomed for nearly a decade to assume this position, and confirmed by the recently concluded Party Congress. Prime Minister Dung also assumed third ranking in the powerful Vietnamese Politburo and is still very young in terms of senior leaders in Vietnam . PM Dung is very familiar with the POW/MIA issue, having met with US Government, League and major Veterans officials for several years. Nong Duc Manh, 65, will remain as the powerful General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, serving a second five-year term. The newly named President is Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also a member of the Politburo and Deputy Prime Minister, is Pham Gia Khiem. The new leadership has demonstrated commitment to economic reform, the highest priority of the Vietnamese government in this year of hoped-for Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with the US and accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
RETIRED GENERAL NAMED AS US CHAIRMAN OF US-RUSSIA COMMISSION: The White House recently published an announcement naming General Robert H. ?Doc? Foglesong, USAF (Ret) of West Virginia as the US Chairman of the US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs . We are pleased that he addressed our 37 th Annual Meeting and hope that President Putin will name a Russian Chairman of comparable prominence and experience.
JPAC OPERATIONS NEED PROTECTED FUNDING: A 53-member JPAC team began the 95 th joint field operations in Laos on June 29 th and plan to conclude on August 1 st . Following moves to their base camps, and site set-up, four recovery teams commenced excavations at four separate sites. One additional team is also conducting investigations.
The 86 th joint field activities (JFAs) are continuing in Vietnam and scheduled to conclude July 21 st . Five recovery teams are conducting site excavations. One investigation team and one research-investigation team are continuing to conduct survey and investigation activities.
Funds for continued JPAC operations are still in danger and must be protected. It is up to the DoD leadership to ensure adequate funding for FY07 and beyond. You can help! Call or write your elected representatives. We need the support of ALL veterans and family members on this, and we need it NOW. Go on line to
www.senate.gov or
www.house.gov to look for the email addresses and phone numbers you need. Now is the time for action, and it needs to come from all across America .
LEADERSHIP CHANGES AT JPAC: Changes of Command were recently held in Laos and Vietnam . LTC James Saenz, USA , replaced LTC Lentfort Michell, USA , and took command of Detachment 2 in Hanoi on June 30th. LTC Wade Owens, USA , replaced LTC Rich Wheeler, USA , and too command of Detachment 3 in Vientiane on July 3rd. All are Special Forces officers. BG Mike Flowers, USA , Commander of Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, conducted the ceremonies. He was accompanied by LTC John Hahn, USMC, new military Deputy Commander of JPAC.
At the League's 37 th Annual Meeting, BG Flowers announced his decision have two Deputy Commanders, one military and one civilian, and that he would soon announce the name of the new civilian Deputy Commander. All anticipate, and hope, that former CIL Commander and current Senior Advisor to the JPAC Commander Johnie Webb will be named to this position. His appointment will ensure that there is continuity in the JPAC leadership beyond the customary two-three year military assignment. This is a very important and welcome decision. Historical knowledge and direct experience are crucial for engaging most effectively, especially with foreign officials, on an issue as sensitive as the POW/MIA accounting.
POW/MIA decals for windows (inside) are $20 per 100, and POW/MIA lapel pins are $3 each or 2/$5, by sending a check to the League office. For added information on any subject, please log onto the League's web site,
www.pow-miafamilies.org , or call the national office at 703-465-7432 .