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FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MRC//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N03461//
MARADMIN 431/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/M-RA//
SUBJ/POW-MIA AWARENESS//
POC/J. B. PRUSS/GYSGT/MRC/-/TEL:703-784-9512 DN 278//
RMKS/1. THIS MARADMIN DISCUSSES THE DOD PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING IN
ACTION (POW/MIA) PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM AND SOLICITS SUPPORT FOR
THE 2000 NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY.
2. TRADITIONALLY, THE THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER HAS BEEN DESIGNATED TO
HIGHLIGHT THIS EVENT. THIS YEAR, PRESIDENT CLINTON IS EXPECTED TO
SIGN A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING 15 SEPTEMBER 2000 AS NATIONAL POW/MIA
RECOGNITION DAY. ALL FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR, MILITARY AND
CIVILIAN, AND THOSE WHO REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR, SHOULD BE HONORED BY
ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY. THESE
INDIVIDUALS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, HAVE MADE EXTRAORDINARY SACRIFICES
ON BEHALF OF THEIR COUNTRY.
3. MORE THAN 900 MARINES REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM WARS IN KOREA
AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, AS WELL AS THOUSANDS MORE FROM PREVIOUS
CONFLICTS. NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY IS A MOST APPROPRIATE
TIME TO HONOR THESE MARINES. COMMANDS ARE URGED TO EXPAND PUBLIC
KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF THIS ISSUE BY:
A. ACTIVELY CONDUCTING, PROMOTING AND PARTICIPATING IN POW/MIA
RECOGNITION DAY CEREMONIES. EXTENDING INVITATIONS TO FORMER POW'S
AND/OR MIA FAMILY MEMBERS IS APPROPRIATE AND ENCOURAGED. WISHES OF
FAMILY MEMBERS NOT TO PARTICIPATE SHOULD BE RESPECTED.
B. FLYING THE POW/MIA FLAG AT EACH COMMAND ON THE FOLLOWING
DAYS: ARMED FORCES DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, FLAG DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY,
NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY AND VETERANS DAY. THE FLAG MAY BE
PURCHASED FROM THE U.S. FLAG SIGNAL COMPANY, BOX 62205, VIRGINIA
BEACH, VA 23462, COML (757) 497-8947.
C. ESTABLISHING A DISPLAY/MEMORIAL HONORING POW/MIA PERSONNEL.
D. ENSURING THAT OUR GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING EFFORTS AND PROGRESS
IN THE ACCOUNTING PROCESS IS PUBLICIZED IN SPEECHES AND INTERNAL
MEDIA. SUGGESTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
(1) DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS, THE REMAINS OF EIGHT MARINES
PREVIOUSLY UNACCOUNTED FOR DURING THE WAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA WERE
RECOVERED, IDENTIFIED, RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES AND LAID TO REST
WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS. THE MARINE CORPS STILL HAS 255
UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM THE WAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
(2) EFFORTS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA
TOWARD THE GOAL OF RETURNING THE REMAINS OF ALL THOSE WHO DID NOT
RETURN FROM THE KOREAN WAR. THE FIRST JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY,
CONDUCTED IN 1996, RESULTED IN THE RECOVERY, IDENTIFICATION AND
RETURN TO THE FAMILY OF ONE AMERICAN.
(3) TO DATE, REMAINS OF OVER FIFTY INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN
RECOVERED AND ARE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING FORENSIC ANALYSIS TO
DETERMINE IDENTIFICATION.
(4) THE MARINE CORPS CONTINUES TO CONDUCT AN EXTENSIVE
OUTREACH PROGRAM TO CONTACT THE FAMILIES OF MARINES UNACCOUNTED FOR
FROM THE KOREAN WAR TO KEEP THEM INFORMED OF ONGOING EFFORTS TO
DETERMINE THE FATE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
(5) THE US/RUSSIAN JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS IS IN
ITS EIGHTH YEAR OF EXISTENCE. THE COMMISSION HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS IN DETERMINING THE FATE OF AMERICANS LOST IN THE COLD WAR
THROUGH INTERVIEWS, INVESTIGATIONS, ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND RUSSIAN
PRESS RELEASES.
(6) ONGOING RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM ARE EXPECTED TO
FOSTER GREATER COMMUNICATION WITH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TO ENSURE THE
FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNTING. OUR EFFORTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA CONTINUE
TO REVEAL ANSWERS LONG AWAITED BY FAMILIES OF UNACCOUNTED FOR
AMERICANS FROM THIS CONFLICT.
(7) DURING THE PAST YEARS, IN ADDITION TO EFFORTS IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA AND KOREA, U.S. TEAMS TRAVELED TO BRAZIL, THE
PHILIPPINES, THE NETHERLANDS, AUSTRIA, NORWAY, AND PAPUA, NEW
GUINEA, TO ENSURE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNTING.
(8) THE USE OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA HAS BEEN APPROVED TO ASSIST
IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF REMAINS. THIS GROUND BREAKING TECHNOLOGY,
AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ARMED FORCES DNA IDENTIFICATION
LABORATORY (AFDIL) CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES OUR COUNTRY'S COMMITMENT TO
ITS MISSING SERVICEMEMBERS.
E. DISCUSSING POW/MIA ISSUES AND EFFORTS DURING CODE OF CONDUCT
TRAINING, NOTING THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO REPATRIATE ALL OF
OUR SERVICEMEMBERS SHOULD THEY BECOME PRISONERS OF WAR OR BE DECLARED
MISSING.
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