News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NLF Update

Date: August 25, 2000

National League of Families
UPDATE LINE: August 23, 2000

Thank you for calling the National League of Families Update Line. This message is being recorded on Wednesday, August 23rd. The number of Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is still 2,014.

During his August 21st address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars 101st National Convention in Wisconsin, Republican candidate for President Governor George W. Bush made the following statement regarding America's POW/MIAs: "To build morale in Today's United States military, we must keep faith with those who have worn the uniform in the past. We must keep faith with America's veterans. This means doing everything in our power to obtain the fullest possible accounting for those who have not yet returned -- those still missing in action in America's Pacific wars. When we send Americans into danger, they will never be abandoned." The League appreciates this commitment from Governor Bush. Sadly, Vice President Gore's published speech to the same gathering included no mention of the need to account for America's POW/MIAs.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Bob Jones was recently in Southeast Asia for talks on POW/MIA matters with Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian officials. Prior to his departure, the League urged Jones to reinforce Secretary of Defense Cohen's message last March on the need for Vietnam to increase its own efforts to account for missing Americans. According to press reports, Jones did reinforce the Secretary's message, as well as raise other areas where improvements are needed. In Laos, Jones once again declined to accept the Lao Foreign Minister's May 1999 offer to bring Lao officials together to receive briefings by JTF-FA, CILHI and DIA's Stony Beach on US accounting efforts in Laos. Jones' reasons are unknown, but this failure defies logic in view of the significant backlog of cases pending excavation in Laos. Later this week, the Lao Vice Foreign Minister is visiting Washington, DC, and will meet with State and Defense Department officials and the League's executive director. He will also travel to Hawaii for briefings and meetings with officials at CILHI, JTF-FA and CINCPAC en route back to Laos.

A team of 43 US specialists from JTF-FA, CILHI and Stony Beach is in Laos, about to conclude another 30-day period of joint field operations. Remains recoveries were scheduled at 3 sites in 2 separate provinces. On August 26th, a larger US team will begin monthlong joint operations in Vietnam. This team will work with Vietnamese citizens and specialists in 16 provinces and cities to investigate 32 cases and excavate six or more sites, including both aircraft and ground losses.

Commitments by Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon to resolve personnel and resource problems are being implemented. Increases in personnel and funding for CILHI, JTF-FA and LSEL, plus office spaces at Hickam AFB in Hawaii for DIA's Stony Beach, have been assured, but additional follow-up actions are underway.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day will be September 15th this year. The national ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Pentagon, hosted by Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon. Planning is well underway for ceremonies across the nation and around the world at US military installations. Contact your local post office and nearby military installations for information regarding ceremonies to be held in your area. The League's POW/MIA flag will fly over most US Government buildings, all major military installations and Federal cemeteries on National POW/MIA Recognition Day. All offices of the US Postal Service are also required by law to post our POW/MIA flag, and listeners are urged to check with your local postmaster to ensure that your post office is adhering to the law.


POW/MIA car-window decals are available at a cost of $20 per 100 by sending a check to the League office at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 919, Washington, DC 20036. POW/MIA lapel pins are also available at $3 each or 2/$5. For added information on any subject, please contact the League's web site at www.pow-miafamilies.org or call the national office at 202-223-6846. If no one is available to take your call, please leave a message and your call will be returned. Again, thank you for calling.