POW/MIA UPDATE: December 10, 2010
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:14 pm
FUTURE OF US-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION (USRJC) ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS IN DOUBT: After sending letters to the President and senior Obama Administration officials, the League, VFW, DAV, JWV and American Legion are awaiting word on the future of the USRJC.
If adopted, proposals under consideration at higher levels will dramatically alter the Commission’s structure and undercut or destroy its effectiveness by putting DPMO in a position to control, rather than support, the work of the Commission and eliminate the position of Commission Executive Secretary Norm Kass. At a December 1st meeting of all US Commissioners, including the US Chairman, General Robert “Doc” Foglesong, USAF (Ret), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Representatives Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Tim Walz (D-MN), and those representing the Departments of State and Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Archives. The League and key veteran organizations hoped the unified opposition from all major “stockholders” would be sufficient to derail the misplaced initiative to subsume the issue into the broader US-Russia Bilateral Commission. Thus far, there is little evidence that higher level officials are paying serious attention, and DPMO’s policy is to have no consultation BEFORE a decision is made.
The League strongly supported expanding USRJC’s role under General Foglesong’s leadership, with Executive Secretary Norm Kass, Director of DPMO’s Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD), and his staff of skilled specialists in the JCSD Directorate. The Department of State (DoS) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently named replacements for their Commission seats. The Russian Federation recently selected its new Co-Chairman, as well as veteran group and parliament commissioners. Now is not the time to dismantle what could finally be a strengthened, effective, US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs. Major national veteran organizations agreed, but now circumstances have changed again.
Later this month, Commission Executive Secretary Norm Kass is retiring. There is little doubt that his decision was due to continued DPMO leadership efforts to dismantle the Commission’s unique support structure and eliminate his position. The effort to directly control, rather than support, the Commission’s work, including the JCSD Office in Moscow, has been ongoing for some time, but reached a crisis point based on DPMO leadership proposals. Whether the Commission will continue to function is an open question, as is the possible resignation of others, including USRJC Chairman, General Foglesong.
Unless there is an immediate, public outcry from the POW/MIA families and our nation’s veterans,there is little hope of stopping DPMO leadership’s move to become operational, instead of the policy control and oversight organization intended when formed. DPMO’s proposals also include absorbing some of JPAC’s worldwide mission. Speak out NOW to the highest levels, or don’t complain when the USRJC is subsumed into the bureaucratic manipulation that DPMO leadership is advocating.
AMERICANS IDENTIFIED: There are 1,705 Americans listed by the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. DPMO recently posted the news that the remains of two US Air Force officers had been recovered and identified. The first is Major Thomas J. Beyer, of North Dakota, listed as MIA in South Vietnam on July 30, 1968. His remains were recovered December 1, 2009, and identified on October 12, 2010. The second officer is Major Richard G. Elzinga, of Oregon, listed as MIA in Laos on March 26, 1970. His remains were recovered June 22, 2009 and identified October 28, 2010. Several others have been identified, but not yet announced by DPMO as they are awaiting family notification by the Service Casualty Offices. The number of Americans returned and identified since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is 878; another 63 US personnel, recovered post-incident and identified before the end of the war, bring the total to 941. Of the 1,705 American POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War, our unreturned veterans, 90% were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control: Vietnam – 1,305 (VN-478, VS-827); Laos – 334; Cambodia – 59; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. Over 450 are considered over-water losses.
ACCOUNTING COOPERATION: The 101st Joint Field Activity (JFA) in Vietnam concluded on November 30th. Three Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) Recovery Teams (RTs), one Investigation Team (IT) and one Research Investigation Team (RIT) operated simultaneously. Following the Change of Command noted below, JPAC Commander MG Stephen Tom, USAR, visited the field teams. Recent high level visitors to JPAC’s Detachment Two in Vietnam included the US Army Chief of Staff General Casey and Secretary of the Navy Mabry, both of whom spent time with JPAC personnel and met with senior SRV officials. These visits are in keeping with increased bilateral military-to-military relations and a broader political and economic agenda within expanded bilateral relations.
On November 16th, four RTs completed the 116th JFA in Laos to account for US personnel lost in two incidents in Savannakhet Province and one in Xekong Province. A repatriation ceremony was held to officially receive remains that could be those of Americans recently recovered. Present for the ceremony were Lao Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Hiem Phommachanh, BG Sisophone, Permanent Secretary of the Lao Ministry of National Defense, and US Charge d’Affaires Pete Haymond. Also present and visiting JPAC teams operating in Laos was COL John Sullivan, USMC, Deputy JPAC Commander, accompanied by LTC Chris Barnwell, USA, Commander of JPAC Detachment 3. On December 1st, POW/MIA Consultations took place in Vientiane in an ever-expanding effort to develop the most effective processes to achieve increased accounting results. JPAC is focusing operations on the Vietnam War at present, but team size has been reduced to allow personnel to be diverted to WWII-related remains recoveries. JPAC has also had ITs operating in Europe and a negotiating team meeting with officials in the PRC and other WWII-related countries to expand operations where larger crews were lost in slower moving aircraft in remote locations that can yield significant numbers of remains identifications. JPAC held an arrival ceremony at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, on December 3rd to honor fallen US personnel from the Vietnam War and WWII, after which the remains were transferred to JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory (CIL) where forensic analysis began.
JPAC DETACHMENT TWO CHANGES COMMANDERS: On November 1st, JPAC’s Detachment 2 in Vietnam conducted a formal Change of Command, with JPAC Commander, MG Stephen Tom, USAR, serving as the officiating officer. LTC Todd Emoto, US Army Special Forces, last of the Special Forces officers still serving as a JPAC Detachment Commander, relinquished command to LTC Pat Keane, USA, a Foreign Area Officer (FAO), specializing in Vietnam. LTC Keane worked for a year attached to the US Embassy in Hanoi while undergoing the additional training required for his specialty, a status that should serve him and the issue well during his tenure. That is our hope. Losing someone as committed to the issue as LTC Emoto is difficult at best. We wish him well in his new assignment at Special Operations Command/Pacific (SOCPAC).
NEW US AMBASSADOR TO LAOS SWORN IN: An impressive ceremony, hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, was held October 25th for Ambassador Karen Stewart to take the oath of office as the new US Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Ambassador Stewart was due to arrive in Vientiane in time to participate in the celebration of Vientiane’s 450th anniversary of its founding but, until her credentials are presented to the Lao President, the US will continue to be represented by Pete Haymond, the current Charge d’Affaires who normally serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM).
This is Ambassador Stewart’s third posting in Laos during her impressive career, having attained the rank of Ambassador when previously posted to Belarus. League Executive Director Ann Mills-Griffiths, a long-time friend and colleague of Ambassador Stewart, attended the formal swearing-in. In addition to offering congratulations to Ambassador Stewart and the Lao Ambassador, appreciation was expressed to Secretary of State Clinton for her recent helpful interventions with senior Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian officials in support of POW/MIA efforts. She also commended supportive actions by current and former US Ambassadors to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Secretary Clinton traveled to Hanoi in early November to represent the US at the East Asia Summit and for talks with senior ASEAN officials. She also visited Cambodia for talks with senior officials familiar to the League, including Prime Minister Hun Sen, before continuing on to Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia where she was joined by Secretary of Defense Gates, before returning to the US. The League applauds efforts being made by State to initiate increased bilateral and multilateral engagement with ASEAN countries, as we do initiatives by DoD and PACOM to expand military-to-military relations between the US and Vietnam, US and Laos and US and Cambodia.
If adopted, proposals under consideration at higher levels will dramatically alter the Commission’s structure and undercut or destroy its effectiveness by putting DPMO in a position to control, rather than support, the work of the Commission and eliminate the position of Commission Executive Secretary Norm Kass. At a December 1st meeting of all US Commissioners, including the US Chairman, General Robert “Doc” Foglesong, USAF (Ret), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Representatives Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Tim Walz (D-MN), and those representing the Departments of State and Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Archives. The League and key veteran organizations hoped the unified opposition from all major “stockholders” would be sufficient to derail the misplaced initiative to subsume the issue into the broader US-Russia Bilateral Commission. Thus far, there is little evidence that higher level officials are paying serious attention, and DPMO’s policy is to have no consultation BEFORE a decision is made.
The League strongly supported expanding USRJC’s role under General Foglesong’s leadership, with Executive Secretary Norm Kass, Director of DPMO’s Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD), and his staff of skilled specialists in the JCSD Directorate. The Department of State (DoS) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently named replacements for their Commission seats. The Russian Federation recently selected its new Co-Chairman, as well as veteran group and parliament commissioners. Now is not the time to dismantle what could finally be a strengthened, effective, US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs. Major national veteran organizations agreed, but now circumstances have changed again.
Later this month, Commission Executive Secretary Norm Kass is retiring. There is little doubt that his decision was due to continued DPMO leadership efforts to dismantle the Commission’s unique support structure and eliminate his position. The effort to directly control, rather than support, the Commission’s work, including the JCSD Office in Moscow, has been ongoing for some time, but reached a crisis point based on DPMO leadership proposals. Whether the Commission will continue to function is an open question, as is the possible resignation of others, including USRJC Chairman, General Foglesong.
Unless there is an immediate, public outcry from the POW/MIA families and our nation’s veterans,there is little hope of stopping DPMO leadership’s move to become operational, instead of the policy control and oversight organization intended when formed. DPMO’s proposals also include absorbing some of JPAC’s worldwide mission. Speak out NOW to the highest levels, or don’t complain when the USRJC is subsumed into the bureaucratic manipulation that DPMO leadership is advocating.
AMERICANS IDENTIFIED: There are 1,705 Americans listed by the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. DPMO recently posted the news that the remains of two US Air Force officers had been recovered and identified. The first is Major Thomas J. Beyer, of North Dakota, listed as MIA in South Vietnam on July 30, 1968. His remains were recovered December 1, 2009, and identified on October 12, 2010. The second officer is Major Richard G. Elzinga, of Oregon, listed as MIA in Laos on March 26, 1970. His remains were recovered June 22, 2009 and identified October 28, 2010. Several others have been identified, but not yet announced by DPMO as they are awaiting family notification by the Service Casualty Offices. The number of Americans returned and identified since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is 878; another 63 US personnel, recovered post-incident and identified before the end of the war, bring the total to 941. Of the 1,705 American POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War, our unreturned veterans, 90% were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control: Vietnam – 1,305 (VN-478, VS-827); Laos – 334; Cambodia – 59; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. Over 450 are considered over-water losses.
ACCOUNTING COOPERATION: The 101st Joint Field Activity (JFA) in Vietnam concluded on November 30th. Three Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) Recovery Teams (RTs), one Investigation Team (IT) and one Research Investigation Team (RIT) operated simultaneously. Following the Change of Command noted below, JPAC Commander MG Stephen Tom, USAR, visited the field teams. Recent high level visitors to JPAC’s Detachment Two in Vietnam included the US Army Chief of Staff General Casey and Secretary of the Navy Mabry, both of whom spent time with JPAC personnel and met with senior SRV officials. These visits are in keeping with increased bilateral military-to-military relations and a broader political and economic agenda within expanded bilateral relations.
On November 16th, four RTs completed the 116th JFA in Laos to account for US personnel lost in two incidents in Savannakhet Province and one in Xekong Province. A repatriation ceremony was held to officially receive remains that could be those of Americans recently recovered. Present for the ceremony were Lao Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Hiem Phommachanh, BG Sisophone, Permanent Secretary of the Lao Ministry of National Defense, and US Charge d’Affaires Pete Haymond. Also present and visiting JPAC teams operating in Laos was COL John Sullivan, USMC, Deputy JPAC Commander, accompanied by LTC Chris Barnwell, USA, Commander of JPAC Detachment 3. On December 1st, POW/MIA Consultations took place in Vientiane in an ever-expanding effort to develop the most effective processes to achieve increased accounting results. JPAC is focusing operations on the Vietnam War at present, but team size has been reduced to allow personnel to be diverted to WWII-related remains recoveries. JPAC has also had ITs operating in Europe and a negotiating team meeting with officials in the PRC and other WWII-related countries to expand operations where larger crews were lost in slower moving aircraft in remote locations that can yield significant numbers of remains identifications. JPAC held an arrival ceremony at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, on December 3rd to honor fallen US personnel from the Vietnam War and WWII, after which the remains were transferred to JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory (CIL) where forensic analysis began.
JPAC DETACHMENT TWO CHANGES COMMANDERS: On November 1st, JPAC’s Detachment 2 in Vietnam conducted a formal Change of Command, with JPAC Commander, MG Stephen Tom, USAR, serving as the officiating officer. LTC Todd Emoto, US Army Special Forces, last of the Special Forces officers still serving as a JPAC Detachment Commander, relinquished command to LTC Pat Keane, USA, a Foreign Area Officer (FAO), specializing in Vietnam. LTC Keane worked for a year attached to the US Embassy in Hanoi while undergoing the additional training required for his specialty, a status that should serve him and the issue well during his tenure. That is our hope. Losing someone as committed to the issue as LTC Emoto is difficult at best. We wish him well in his new assignment at Special Operations Command/Pacific (SOCPAC).
NEW US AMBASSADOR TO LAOS SWORN IN: An impressive ceremony, hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, was held October 25th for Ambassador Karen Stewart to take the oath of office as the new US Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Ambassador Stewart was due to arrive in Vientiane in time to participate in the celebration of Vientiane’s 450th anniversary of its founding but, until her credentials are presented to the Lao President, the US will continue to be represented by Pete Haymond, the current Charge d’Affaires who normally serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM).
This is Ambassador Stewart’s third posting in Laos during her impressive career, having attained the rank of Ambassador when previously posted to Belarus. League Executive Director Ann Mills-Griffiths, a long-time friend and colleague of Ambassador Stewart, attended the formal swearing-in. In addition to offering congratulations to Ambassador Stewart and the Lao Ambassador, appreciation was expressed to Secretary of State Clinton for her recent helpful interventions with senior Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian officials in support of POW/MIA efforts. She also commended supportive actions by current and former US Ambassadors to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Secretary Clinton traveled to Hanoi in early November to represent the US at the East Asia Summit and for talks with senior ASEAN officials. She also visited Cambodia for talks with senior officials familiar to the League, including Prime Minister Hun Sen, before continuing on to Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia where she was joined by Secretary of Defense Gates, before returning to the US. The League applauds efforts being made by State to initiate increased bilateral and multilateral engagement with ASEAN countries, as we do initiatives by DoD and PACOM to expand military-to-military relations between the US and Vietnam, US and Laos and US and Cambodia.