News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: May 26, 2003

"Update Line
POW/MIAs – IRAQ: The League is thankful for the rescue of American POWs and the full accounting for MIAs who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom and proud of all who served, sharing the sorrow of families who lost loved ones. We're very concerned over the fate of CAPT Scott Speicher, but confident that the President Bush's team will ensure he is accounted for and returned to his family.

POW/MIAs – VIETNAM WAR: There are 1,885 Americans still missing from the Vietnam War, 1,440 in Vietnam, 381 in Laos, 56 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. Over 90% of all Americans missing from the Vietnam War were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Hanoi's wartime control. The names of Americans recently accounted for will be announced when received from the Department of Defense.

JOINT OPERATIONS: POW/MIA consultations were held last week in Vientiane, Laos. A period of unilateral Lao investigations has been underway, and joint field operations resume June 23rd. With the full cooperation and support of the Cambodian government, DIA's Stony Beach team is conducting ongoing investigations to develop leads that will help account for missing Americans. Month-long, joint field operations in Vietnam are due to conclude this coming week, and small-scale talks are scheduled May 22nd to discuss future field recovery operations since there are few sites awaiting excavation. The League urges that DIA's Stony Beach be given a more active in-country role to develop leads, as they are succeeding in doing in Cambodia, a focus during the League's delegation earlier this year. In Vietnam, greater seriousness and expansion are needed in archival research, interviews of relevant sources and field investigations.

MERGER OF CILHI/JTF-FA: CILHI and JTF-FA, both critical to the accounting effort, are slated to merge operations on October 1st. It appears that transition plans are on track, including the proposed name, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, or JPAC, but the process has been fraught with problems, as are all such reorganizations. Final approval by DoD will help ensure the viability of the plan, plus the independence and integrity of the CILHI. Under no circumstance would the League accept without a fight any operational influence on the scientific process, nor would we accept decisions that destroy or undercut hard-fought improvements in field operations. The reorganization must include realistic reporting or progress or lack of same. The new head of JTF-FA, replacing BG Steve Redmann, USAF, has been named. BG W. Montague Winfield, USA, is scheduled to assume command on October 1st, though the assignment may now be in question as BG Winfield was recently nominated for his second star.

34TH ANNUAL MEETING: The League's 34th Annual Meeting will be held June 26-29th at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA. Registration and hotel reservation forms have been distributed to all League members, family and associate. They are also available from the League office or to download from the League website, www.pow-miafamilies.org. All Vietnam War family members are urged to attend.

POW/MIA decals for car windows 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 or call the national office at 703-465-7432.

The National League of Families of
American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
1005 North Glebe Road
Suite 170
Arlington, Virginia 22201
(TEL) 703-465-7432"