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DPAA Families/VSO/MSO Quarterly Call and Update Notes

Thursday, May 9, 2019, 2:00 PM

‘Fulfilling Our Nation’s Promise’

Summary: Keeping the families of our missing as well as veterans informed is a primary objective

of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's (DPAA) mission. This update is intended to

provide an overview of efforts during the previous quarter to account for our missing.

Families-Veteran-Military Service Organization Participants:

• Air Force Association

• Coalition of Families

• Disabled American Veterans

• Honor Release Return, Inc.

• Jewish War Veterans

• Korea-Cold War Families of the Missing

• Korean War Veterans Association

• National League of POW/MIA Families

• Special Operations Assn/Special Forces Assn

• Veterans of Foreign Wars 

• Vietnam Veterans of America

The agenda included:

• Director’s Update (Mr. Kelly McKeague) 

• Deputy Director for Operations Update (RDML Jon Kreitz)

• Outreach and Communications Update (Mr. Todd Livick)

• Policy and Plans Update (Ms. Jennifer Nasarenko)

• Operational Update (Indo-Pac LTC Val Bernat/ Euro-Med COL Brian Pearl)

• Partnerships and Innovations Update (Dr. Tom Holland)

• Scientific Analysis Update (Dr. Bill Belcher)

• AFMES-AFDIL Update (Dr. Tim McMahon)

• Questions & Answers

Director’s Update (Kelly McKeague)

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

Based on the agreements between President Trump and Chairman Kim at the Singapore Summit 

last year, we immediately began discussions with the Korean People’s Army (KPA) for resuming 

joint recovery operations. Those discussions have not yet resulted in an agreement, and with the 

necessary logistical timelines and DPRK weather cycles, it is now too late for us to prepare for and 

conduct field activities before the end of the current fiscal year (FY). Though KPA has not 
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communicated with us since before the Hanoi Summit, we remain open to productive discussions 

with them at some point, including on conducting joint recoveries in FY20.

Budget and Implications

The submission of the FY20 President's Budget to Congress occurred in early March. Our budget 

request is $146.4M, which includes a one-year $16.9M increase for operations that will be reserved 

for any work in DPRK. The biggest challenge for the upcoming FY will be navigating the 

potentially numerous or lengthy continuing resolution (CR) periods. Under any CR, our budget will 

be initially limited to $130M and will likely have a significant impact on operations in the first and 

second quarters. 

VSO Engagements of Note

With the shared desire to increase the pace and scope of operations worldwide, DPAA very much 

recognizes and appreciates the special role the veterans service organizations play in championing 

this noble mission and the opportunities they provide us to educate their constituencies. I had the 

privilege to address this year’s American Legion Commanders’ Call and the Korean War Veterans 

Association Board meeting. In both cases, the strong interest and steadfast commitment of the 

respective members were evident. 

Congressional Engagements

Congressional Members and staff continue to show strong support for the past conflict accounting 

mission. This last quarter three staff delegations visited our team in Hawaii to gain greater 

understanding of our operations. And a Congressional Delegation of seven Senators, led by Senator 

Leahy, also visited. Our visitors saw firsthand the extent of both DoD’s commitment to the fullest 

possible accounting for our missing, and DPAA’s humanitarian efforts and geopolitical effects. 

Vietnam Policy Forum with USAID and USIP

In March, the US Institute for Peace hosted the Vietnam Policy Forum where senior officials from 

the US and Vietnam shared insights into the past, present and future of the bilateral relationship. 

The personnel accounting mission was prominently featured by speakers and panels as having been 

foundational to the strategic partnership our countries share today. Ministry of National Defense 

Vice Minister Vinh said it best when he stated MIA cooperation was key before normalization and, 

"I give you my word that we will continue to work closely with the US and I pledge the cooperation 

of our Vietnamese ministries."

State Department-hosted Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogues (CBD)

In the US-Vietnam and US-Laos CBDs held in March, Foreign Affairs Vice Ministers Son and

Thongphane headed their respective delegations. Participating in both, I highlighted and thanked 

them for the progress over the last year, and I emphasized the importance of increasing the pace and 

scope of operations by finding more effective ways to work together. Both Ministers stated our 

issue is very important to them and committed to continuing cooperation. In the September Lao 

Consultations, we will press the Lao on some key, unresolved initiatives that I raised in the CBD for 

their delegation’s awareness. 

Strategic Off-site and Operations Symposiums

Last week, the DPAA leadership gathered for these annual events, which ensure synchronization of 

DoD and Agency policies, programs and strategic planning. Unique to this year’s symposium was 
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aligning our functions within four lines of effort – accounting; research and analysis; 

communication and engagement; and business enterprise – that establish our strategic goals over the 

next five years. In late June, we will publish our FY20-25 Strategic Plan that will better delineate 

our mission requirements and objectives.

Senior Enlisted Leader Retires

On May 3rd, we bid farewell to Sergeant Major (SGM) Mike Swam as he retired after 32 years of 

service in the US Army. A good portion of his career was spent dutifully serving this noble mission 

during four tours. He has represented your families, veterans, and this agency with honor and sheer 

dedication, and his leadership will be missed. His relief is also a mortuary affairs SGM.

Deputy Director of Operations Engagements

In January and February, I completed successful senior leader engagement visits to Indonesia, 

Cambodia, Burma, India, and Malaysia. We are working toward completing Memorandums of 

Arrangement with Indonesia and Malaysia, and continue to pursue increased partnership 

opportunities in India. As one of the only US Government activities in Burma, the Government of 

Burma continues to remain supportive of our humanitarian effort. US Ambassador to Burma, 

Ambassador Marciel, presided over a repatriation ceremony in March after the completion of the 

first recovery mission there in fifteen years. Continued engagements in Indonesia, Burma, India, 

and Malaysia will enhance our relationships, build trust, increase access, and allow for even more 

successful partnerships in years to come.

In March, I accompanied US Ambassador Bitter on a site visit to our first bivouac location in Laos. 

The successful proof-of-concept of utilizing a bivouac site enables us to increase the pace and scope 

of investigations and excavations in the more remote areas of Laos. Right after my visit to Laos, I 

joined the VFW National Leadership Delegation on their visit to Vietnam. I accompanied Bob 

Wallace, Hal Roesch, and Kevin Jones, along with US Ambassador Kritenbrink, on a site visit 

where they were able to observe the largest Joint Field Activity (JFA) on record. In all, the JFA 

involved more than 1,000 personnel, including DoD service members and civilians, VNOSMP 

members, and local workers. The JFA culminated with a repatriation ceremony and the return of 

possible remains to our lab facility in Hawaii. We just sent out our next JFA to Vietnam which is 

even larger. 

 

I recently returned from visits to the Philippines, Palau, Guam, Papua New Guinea, and Japan. In 

the Philippines, I participated in the annual commemoration ceremony in remembrance of the 

Bataan Death March. I also toured our disinterment facilities at the ABMC Cemetery in Manila. I 

met with the Pacific-Superintendent, Mr. Larry Adkison. Larry will be retiring shortly after the 

New Year and he has been a strong, steady supporter of our disinterment line-of-effort we have 

been pursuing in the Philippines. We also had terrific engagements with senior Philippine officials 

during which we discussed opportunities for future cooperation. 

In Palau, I met with the Director of Palau’s Historic Preservation Office. Palau is one of the 

benchmarks in the Indo-Pacific area of operations for how we conduct partnership operations. 

DPAA will be hosting a regional scientific exchange forum later in the year and Palau has agreed to 

assist us in organizing the event.
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In Papua New Guinea (PNG) I presented the Director's Distinguished Public Service award to US 

Ambassador Ebert-Gray, who has been a stead-fast supporter of DPAA's accounting mission and 

has truly enabled us to grow our investigation and recovery operations in PNG. We also had 

engagements with PNG senior officials and senior leaders from the Australian High Commission, 

all geared toward further improving our access and operations throughout PNG.

The trip concluded with a visit to Japan, where we signed a historic Memorandum of Arrangement 

(MOA) with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare to facilitate a collaborative, 

bilateral relationship to aid in the recovery of Americans still unaccounted for on World War II 

Indo-Pacific battlefields. The arrangement includes information exchanges, collaboration of field 

activities, and the sharing of forensic and scientific methods such as stable isotope, DNA sampling, 

and testing methods. The MOA will improve site and remains preservation throughout the IndoPacific and better position both the US and Japan to find more WWII unaccounted-for at a greater 

pace and scope than in the past.

This weekend I’m heading to Tunisia where we will sign an MOU; then to Germany. 

Outreach and Communications

Public Portal/FAMWEB

We continue to make steady progress on adding new features and updates to include:

We have continued to develop loss profiles and will be finished with the Korean War profiles this 

summer. We have worked with our University partners to continue developing operational/battle 

feature articles -- this gives a higher tier of content/context for our losses from each war. 

We have added 325 new photographs to the case profile dataset. These photos are coming in via 

family members and are greatly enhancing the portal. We are working to continue the improved 

collaboration and data sharing across the Accounting Community. 

Family Member Updates (FMU)

The FMU in San Jose, CA, was on February 21, with 250 family members attending. Senator 

Harris’ office had a staffer who attended the entire meeting; the VFW had two members attend. The 

DAV provided refreshments for the families. Other highlights included: DPAA briefed ROTC 

students representing three universities to inform and discuss the DPAA mission and its importance 

as they prepare for entrance into military service; the team also met with officials from the Defense 

Language Institute to discuss each other's missions and how we can better connect; and they finished 

the day by briefing Foreign Area Officers, who upon graduation, will take posts around the world 

and will interact with DPAA and our mission.

On March 23, we hosted an FMU in San Antonio, TX, where 350 family members attended, one of 

the largest in the history of the FMU program. Representatives Roy and Castro staff members 

attended. The American Legion and the VFW both had attendees and the American Legion 

provided refreshments for the families. Other highlights included an outreach engagement with 

USAA; a briefing with the Director of Military Affairs, Texas A&M at San Antonio; and an office 

call with Representatives Cuellar and Hurd staff.

On April 27, we hosted an FMU in Salt Lake City, UT, with 92 family members attending. Staff 

members from the offices of Senators Lee and Romney, and Representatives Curtis and McAdams 
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attended. The American Legion was in attendance and also provided the refreshments for the 

families. Brigham Young University’s (BYU) Director of the Center for Family History and 

Genealogy and some of her students attended and stayed for the entire day. Other highlights 

included giving three Agency briefs at Hill AFB and briefing BYU staff and educators. 

Our next FMU will be on May 18 in Omaha, NE. Of note, we have Vietnam War, Korean War, and 

WWII families, who will be visiting our Offutt Laboratory for a tour on Friday, May 17. And our 

final FMU for this FY will be in Dayton, OH, on September 7.

The National League of POW/MIA Families Annual Meeting will be June 19-22; this year marks 

the 50th Anniversary of this meeting. The Korean/Cold War Annual Briefing will be August 1-2. 

Last year we had 724 family members attend, representing over 300 losses, and are anticipating a 

large number to attend this year.

Arlington National Cemetery Funerals

From January through April, there were seven military burials of service members who were 

accounted for. DPAA staff always take advantage of proximity to Arlington National Cemetery 

and attend these services. It is a powerful reminder of the dedication our team has to our missing 

and their families in providing them the answers they have long sought.

Media Engagements of Note

1. Tuskegee Airman Capt. Lawrence E. Dickson funeral service at Arlington National Cemetery 

DPAA identified Capt. Dickson in 2018. He was laid to rest on March 29 at Arlington National 

Cemetery during a ceremony honoring him and his legacy as a Tuskegee Airman.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-tuskegee-hero-is-buried-75-years-after-his-death-in-worldwar-ii/2019/03/22/cb5046cc-4a4b-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html?utm_term=.86dae785c719

2. DPAA identifies third service member from the 55 boxes of remains turned over by North Korea. 

This is a story about the funeral of Sgt. Frank Suliman, who was laid to rest on April 30 in his 

hometown of Edison, New Jersey: 

https://abc7ny.com/society/korean-war-hero-who-died-a-pow-finally-laid-to-rest-in-nj/5277788/

3. Col. Richard Kibbey was lost in Vietnam in 1967 when his helicopter was shot down as he was on 

a mission to rescue a downed pilot. DPAA identified him in December, 2018. Fittingly, on Friday, 

March 29, 2019 – National Vietnam War Veterans Day – Col. Kibbey was laid to rest at Arlington 

National Cemetery:

https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/delmar-veteran-richard-kibbey-killed-in-vietnam-war-to-be-laidto-rest-friday

4. DPAA Makes 200th Identification from USS Oklahoma Unknown Remains:

https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1779664/dpaa-makes-200thidentification-from-uss-oklahoma-unknown-remains/
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5. Looking ahead, DPAA is currently working with Harry Smith from NBC’s Today Show to 

produce a Memorial Day story about efforts to account for World War II US personnel still 

unaccounted-for in Germany.

Policy and Plans

Annual Accounting Community Meeting

In March, we hosted the Annual Accounting Community Meeting in San Antonio prior to the FMU. 

This is a critical meeting where stakeholders in the accounting mission discuss policy issues and 

work towards consensus on subjects that shape the path the Accounting Community will move 

forward on and continue to strengthen its collaboration. 

DMZ Demining and Remains Recovery

Our information is based off open source news reports: It is our understanding the South Koreans 

resumed demining operations on April 1st and are making initial preparations for remains recovery. 

Just as they did last Fall, they are finding remains as part of their demining. To date, we are not 

aware any US remains have been recovered from the Arrowhead region. North Korea has not yet 

participated in either effort per the Inter-Korea Military Agreement.

Case Management System (CMS)

CMS is an internal DoD case file management system that was mandated by Congress. It is 

designed to consolidate all case file information into an electronic system of record for the 

Individual Case Files for all missing service members and civilians. The CMS tools provide the 

DPAA staff with advanced capability for managing and reporting case data and is making 

information more readily available for historians, analysts, scientists, and the Service Casualty 

Offices. 

FY 2019 Field Operations Overview

Europe-Mediterranean (EM) Region

Jan-Apr Operations: EM executed two field investigations, one research investigation, and initiated 

two excavations led by DPAA and augmented with US European Command personnel. In addition, 

History Flight, under contract with EM, conducted remote sensing work at six aircraft crash sites they 

will excavate later this spring and summer. Finally, under EM contract, a Dutch contractor is currently 

conducting underwater survey work.

May-Jun Operations: Over the next two months, missions discussed above will wrap up; one 

recovery supported by Partnerships and Innovations will be initiated; History Flight will begin 

excavation on at least two of their six sites; and other contractors will investigate underwater crash 

locations.

Jan-Apr Disinterment Operations: EM executed 25 disinterments from American Battlefield and 

Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemeteries in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. This brings the 

FY total for EM to 26 unknowns disinterred. Among the unknowns disinterred are a family request for 
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an Omaha Beach loss, and a family request by 2 sisters in their 90s for a Germany air loss. MILAIR 

dropping off DPAA Recovery Teams (RT) returned to Offutt on 15 April with 15 disinterments and 3 

unilateral/joint recovery remains. The 10 remaining disinterments will travel via MILAIR 25 May, on 

next flight carrying DPAA RTs from Germany. 

May-Jun Disinterment Operations: ABMC does not allow disinterments in Europe during the 

month of May. EM has 12 disinterments scheduled in June at ABMC cemeteries in Italy and France. 

US – Russia Joint Commission (USRJC) Update

Our USRJC team continues to aggressively pursue information from the Russian Side, but 

cooperation has been inconsistent among the four working groups. The US Side now has the full 

complement of Congressional Commissioners – Senators Lankford and Manchin; and 

Representatives Panetta and Wenstrup – all of whom General Foglesong recently met with to 

update them and enlist their support

Planning and preparations for a joint exhumation of a cemetery burial in Vladivostok, Russia later 

in mid-September are well underway. The Russian Side is working closely with local authorities 

to obtain the necessary permissions and permits needed to excavate specific locations identified 

during an investigation conducted in May 2018. (This site is possibly associated with a Nov. 6, 

1951 Cold War incident)

The next round of technical talks for WWII and Vietnam War Working Groups will take place 

June 18, 2019 here in Washington. Technical talks for Korea and the Cold War will take place in 

November the normal time for the annual USRJC Plenum. Based on the Russian side changeover 

of USRJC commissioners they have asked for the 2019 Plenum to be moved to early 2020, date to 

be determined.

DPAA-contracted researchers continue their work in Russian archives on a monthly basis.

Indo-Pacific (IP) Region

Jan-Apr Operations: During this period, the IP Regional Directorate conducted seven missions 

across Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, and Papua New Guinea. Additionally, History Flight,

under contract, continued work in Tarawa, locating the elusive “Row D” of Cemetery 33 which 

should provide over 30 more accessions this summer.

 

Vietnam War missions consisted of four total JFAs. At the beginning of the year, we resumed 

operations in Cambodia (11 Jan to 13 Mar) with a single JFA consisting of an Investigative Team 

(IT) and a RT. Two JFAs took place in Laos (23 Jan to 4 Mar, 9 Mar to 16 Apr) consisting of one 

IT and three RTs each. Our JFA in Vietnam (19 Feb to 9 Apr) consisted of two ITs and five RTs. 

This increased pace and scope of operations was made possible by a $10 million add from Congress 

for Vietnam War recovery efforts. 

WWII missions included an underwater JFA in Papua New Guinea (2 Feb to 3 Mar) consisting of a 

combined Investigative and Recovery Team. Additionally, we conducted one JFA in Burma (16 

Jan - 21 Mar) consisting of an IT that transitioned into recovery efforts due to the quality finds on 

site. 
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May-Jun Operations: Planned operations through June include JFAs in Vietnam, Laos, Tarawa, 

South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Palau, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Solomon Islands. 

We recently launched another JFA to Laos (4 May to 20 June) consisting of one IT and three RTs. 

The JFA in Vietnam (7 May-24 June), also now getting underway, consists of three ITs and six 

RTs, a little larger than our last. 

WWII, Korean War, and Cold War IP missions will include a JFA to Papua New Guinea (26 Apr -

10 Jun) consisting of one IT and one RT. An IT working multiple sites across South Korea (1 Apr -

3 May) recently returned. We currently have an IT in China (5 - 18 May) surveying two ground 

loss sites and coordinating for archive access. The intent of our PLA Archive request is to gain 

further information on eleven (11) cases; we anticipate receiving this information with the PLA 

annual report provided in September. One IT will travel to Indonesia (24 Jun - 2 Aug) with one 

more visiting Malaysia (30 Jun - 25 Jul). We are planning two concurrent missions to the Solomon 

Islands (7 Jun – 11 Aug), with the first consisting of one IT and two RTs, and the second comprised 

of an Underwater IT. 

Disinterment Operations

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific 'Punchbowl' (Hawaii) completed Phase One of the 

Korean War Identification Project (KWIP) with exhumations of 43 Unknowns Jan through Mar 

(plus a single WWII Unknown). This brings our total exhumations from the Punchbowl to 84 since 

October 2018 and concludes Phase One of the KWIP. Approval for Phase Two is in final staffing 

and we are planning 16 Punchbowl exhumations per month beginning on 10 June. The Manila 

American Cemetery & Monument (Philippines) exhumed 26 WWII Unknowns in January with 

another 30 in March and April. This brings our Manila total to 81 to date for this FY.

Partnerships & Innovation (PI) Update

Partnerships and Innovations continues to develop and coordinate partnerships for field recovery 

missions. Already in FY19, partners have conducted investigative or recovery operations at a variety 

of terrestrial and underwater sites, such as Germany, Italy, Belgium, Kuwait, Papua New Guinea, 

Malta, Palau, and the Philippines. Summer is the time of greatest partner activity due to the majority 

of the partners being academic institutions. In the next several months, PI will support partner 

missions in the Marshall Islands, the Northern Marianas Islands, the Solomon Islands, Austria, 

Germany, Italy, and Croatia. In total, the PI team has planned and will execute in excess of 30 

partner missions this FY.

In addition to supporting field requirements, PI also works with academic partners to support DPAA 

research needs. Currently we are working with the history departments at academic institutions such 

as The Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin, and Temple University on a wide variety of 

archival and research projects. PI also had developed a long-term project with the University of 

Utah to support the DPAA laboratory's isotope research. Researchers there are now engaged in 

taking soil and water samples from around the US that they will use over the next two years to 

develop what are called isoscape maps. These maps will show the relative concentrations of oxygen 
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and other isotopes (e.g., strontium) in the US and will allow the DPAA scientists to estimate where 

an unknown individual represented by remains in the lab may have spent the first decade of their life. 

PI continues to work to expand the bench of partners by identifying reliable and professional 

institutions and organizations and negotiating longer-term partnership arrangements with them. 

Early efforts often were characterized by a "one-and-done" model. PI now has the experience and 

manpower to develop a program that results in long-term and repeat partners. Having a stable of 

proven, repeat partners results in greater efficiency and less on-the-job learning. At the same time PI 

always is on the look-out for new partners who can expand our existing capability and bring new 

tools to our existing toolkit. 

Scientific Analysis (SA) Update

Isotope Analysis

The SA Directorate is working to produce an isotope capability for forensic isotope testing. This 

project will develop a series of specific forensic laboratory testing for determining the geographic 

origins of unidentified remains. These tests will prove vital to resolving identity when common 

DNA sequences are shared between multiple persons, only partial DNA profiles can be obtained, no 

DNA results are available, etc. These tests will also serve to delineate US remains from foreign 

nationals, allowing DPAA to focus efforts on the remains that will yield a US identification. To 

this end, SA is installing and testing a variety of equipment that will enable measuring various 

isotopes such as carbon, nitrogen, strontium, helium and hydrogen from a variety of biological 

materials such as bone, tooth enamel, hair, finger/toe nails, etc. Isotope testing offers us operational 

and fiscal efficiencies. 

Laboratory Diplomates

The American Board of Forensic Anthropology is the premier organization for the certification of 

forensic anthropologists. Recently, five SA anthropologists (Drs. Ingvolstad, Kindschuh, 

Skorpinski, Taylor, and Van Deest) obtained the Diplomate status of the ABFA, after intensive

written and practical examinations in February. SA currently has 15 Diplomates out of 91 active 

Diplomates in the organization for a total of 16.5% for this national organization; if we include 2 

individuals outside of SA, DPAA houses 17 Diplomates for a total of 18.7% of the organization. 

Additionally, the 12-person board of directors seats 3 DPAA anthropologists for a total of 25% of 

the BoD.

Statistics (As of May 9, 2019):

FY 2019 Identifications

Total = 71 (identifications ofunaccounted-forpersonnel)

WWII = 51

Korean War = 17

Vietnam War = 3

AFMES-AFDIL Update

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) 
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After three years, we have completed 1,000 NGS tests and produced 100 first-time believed-to-be 

reports. Our throughput has increased from 8 samples per month to 45 per month. Our success rate 

has risen from 30% to 55%. And we are now utilizing NGS for all conflicts.

Questions and Answers

1. Disabled American Veterans: Is there any guarantee that DPAA will be getting $130 

million next year? Answer: The budget request is for $146.4M, however, if Congress 

does not pass a Defense Appropriations bill and we are under a continuing resolution 

(CR), we will initially only receive $130M and will likely have a significant impact on 

operations in the first and second quarters of the fiscal year.

2. Has there been any progress made on Last Known Alive (LKA) cases for Vietnam? 

Answer: The LKAs are the priority of the Research and Investigation Teams (RIT) 

which is staffed by our most experienced personnel. In FY18, we investigated 18 LKA 

cases, and so far in FY19 we have investigated 16 LKA cases. I think it important to 

state that we have no credible evidence American prisoners were held against their will 

after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords or currently. All those lost from the 

Vietnam War have been declared killed. The LKA list is an internal US Government 

tool to ascertain what happened to those Americans last seen alive and in close 

proximity to enemy forces, but who did not come home during Operation Homecoming 

in 1973. After the end of the war, we assessed 296 individuals could have met the 

LKA criteria. Today, after many years of rigorous investigations, we have resolved the 

fates of all but 43 individuals (representing 35 cases). Let me reiterate we do not 

believe these men are captive or were held captive after the war.

3. Was there any damage to the lab at Offutt by the recent storms? Answer: No damage 

occurred from the extensive flooding.

4. When is the next call going to be scheduled? Answer: In July.

5. Korean War Veterans Association: I want to make sure I understand your statement 

on the suspension of communicating with North Korean on resumption of remains 

recovery operations; can you elaborate, please. Answer: As you know, based on the 

agreements between President Trump and Chairman Kim at the Singapore Summit last 

year, we immediately began discussions with the KPA for resuming joint recovery 

operations. Those discussions have not yet resulted in an agreement, and with the 

necessary logistical timelines and DPRK weather cycles, it is now too late for us to 

prepare for and conduct field activities before the end of the current fiscal year (FY). 

Though KPA has not communicated with us since before the Hanoi Summit, we remain 

open to productive discussions at some point with them, including on conducting joint 

recoveries.

6. Regarding the field operation in South Korea that you mentioned, are those 

investigating US or Republic of Korea (ROK) losses? Answer: Our recent 

investigation team was searching for US losses. The ROK demining efforts in the 

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), however, are looking for ROK casualties from the 

Korean War.

7. Regarding operations in China, are they WWII or Korean War losses? Answer: The 

field operations are WWII losses. We have asked the PLA Archives for information 

on several Korean War losses.
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8. Coalition of Families: Regarding Joint Recovery operations, does that leave the 

possibility of Oct. FY 2020 operations? Answer: No, due to the weather window 

closing soon after and the logistical timelines necessary, there is no realistic 

opportunity to begin operations until the spring of 2020 at the earliest. 

9. Are there any investigative teams in South Korea? Answer: No, our team has 

recently conclude its mission and returned. They were investigating losses in Pusan, 

Seoul, and the DMZ. 

10. Any information on live sighting reports in Korea? Answer: We have received no 

live sighting reports relating to Korean War POW/MIAs for several years. We have 

no credible information that any POWs were held against their will after the 

exchange of prisoners in 1953. 

11. Regarding the cases we have asked the Chinese for archival information on, they are 

Korean War air losses, correct? Answer: Yes. 

12. Is the archival agreement with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) or the Ministry 

of Foreign Affairs (MFA)? Answer: It is with the PLA; however, we pass our 

research requests through the MFA as a conduit to the PLA.

13. Who controls the POW camp records? Answer: The PLA. We have made requests 

for those records but to date have not been successful in gaining any new 

information.

14. Korean War Advocate: Any information on the K-208? Answer: The work is 

ongoing. We have identified one K-208 soldier so far this fiscal year. 

15. In the past the negotiations ran through the MFA, what is the process now? Answer: 

Last summer, we were communicating through the MFA United Nations Mission in 

New York. In early fall, the North Koreans asked us to run all further 

communications to the Korean People’s Army (KPA) via the UN Command to 

Panmunjom.