POW/MIA Report

DNA: The two definitions

By John Bates – VietNow National POW/MIA Chair

DNA – just what is this, and how has it been a tool for the POW/MIA community? DNA came along, and has been a tool for those who are behind the iron gate to prove their innocence. It has done that in many cases so far, and it also is a tool that the Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) is using to identify the remains of servicemen.

We all have read of the remains identified from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It seems that the teams have been doing a great job, and I'm sure their dedication to finding the remains from crash sites or graves continues. As we look at the impressive number of identifications they have made, the real truth is that most of the remains have been sitting waiting for new scientific processes to be discovered.

Most of the remains were discovered years ago, and it is now the scientific community's turn to use DNA to return these men to their families for proper burial. JPAC is now using the newest tests to identify the remains they have held onto over these many years. As this continues, it will be a closure for all families who want to lay their loved ones to rest.

JPAC continues the search for the missing based on reports received to find crash sites or graves as locals remember. We all wait – especially family members – for news of live sightings, or for the remains to be identified and turned over to the families.

At last year's Alliance of Families meeting in Washington, I sat listening as a panel of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (POW/MIA) workers, otherwise known as DPMO, discussed the efforts to recover and identify the remains found. This is a JPAC effort that is taking place over all fronts, includ-ing Europe and Asia, and some joint efforts in Korea and possibly in Russia. They always refer to DNA testing, which refers to deoxyribonucleic acid.

The other kind of DNA

I have talked about the way DNA is used for the identification of remains, but as I said, there is another way DPMO uses DNA, and that is – DNA (Do Not Answer). Don't answer or respond to the many questions and the many reports of live sightings of Americans, either in work parties or seen in captivity in Southeast Asia. At the Alliance meeting, the DPMO, when asked, "What do you do with the live reports you receive?" answered, "Nothing."

Yes, I know some of these reports are false, but why would they not send a field team to at least go to the area to check it out? I will say that they did acknowledge the fact that it may take a year, but they would check it out. You know that if you or I called the police about a man standing on the corner with a rifle, and we were told that they would check it out later, we would not be too happy with them.

There is no difference with the DPMO, and we need to pressure our representatives to see that the live-sighting reports are followed up and not left to wait a year or more. This is not acceptable practice, but like their past practices, it is just another way of dragging it out, as they have done for years – hoping we will all go away and forget about the POWs
and MIAs.

But we are here to stay, and will continue to put pressure on our government officials to account for the missing. House Resolution 111 is again with us, thanks to Rep. King, and we need once again to contact our representatives to co-sponsor this needed legislation. H.R. 111 provides the funding for a select house committee on POW/MIA, and we hope that in the current Congress it will be brought to the floor for a vote.

This year the National Alliance of Families meeting will be held in Washington D.C., from July 21 to 23, at the Holiday Inn National Airport, in Crystal City, Virginia. This is also the time for the DPMO annual report to families of the missing. You can find more information on the Alliance's web site (nationalalliance.org).

We must remember that families are still waiting for news of their missing, and we all need to help – and you can do this by being a part of their efforts, no matter how small a part you take. It is all about numbers, the higher the numbers the more our government will look at the movement. Low numbers have a smaller impact on government officials.

Don't forget Ahmed Altaie and Bowe Bergdahl, still missing and presumed captured in our current conflicts. They are still POW/MIAs, and we need to remember these men. Information on donations and costs related to DNA testing for families of the missing can be obtained from DPMO, along with other materials used to obtain DNA samples.

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