In Hungry Ghosts, the main character, Alice, is a forensic anthropologist who goes to Vietnam to recover the remains of fallen American servicemen. The military and archaeological aspects of this mission fascinate me, but they get short shrift in the play. In earlier versions of the script, they were much more prominent, but as I wrote, the ghosts took over, as you’ll understand when you watch the play. Now, however, I’m going to use this blog as a chance to talk about JPAC and its missions.
JPAC stands for Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. I know, it’s a mouthful, right? JPAC exists to account, as fully as possible, for Americans missing in action from past wars, going all the way back to World War II. The command was originally created following the Vietnam War. Over 30,000 American military personnel were still missing and unaccounted for, and rumors about Americans languishing in Vietnamese POW camps were rife. Understandably, their families were anxious, and felt that the men had been abandoned by the US government. JPAC was created in response to these fears. In 2009, JPAC will conduct over 50 missions around the world, in countries including Cambodia, India, Vietnam, Germany and New Guinea. To date, they have identified 1,300 MIAs.
There are three parts to a JPAC mission: investigation, recovery and identification. During the investigation phase, they carefully research all leads about MIA, gathering as much information as possible. When they have identified a likely location for an MIA, a team of 4-9 specialized members conducts field research, interviewing possible witnesses and surveying the terrain. If sufficient evidence is found, a recovery team is sent to the site. A typica
l team is composed of 10-14 members, led by a military team leader and a civilian forensic anthropologist. The recovery mission is essentially an archaeological excavation. If any remains are recovered, they are transported to the JPAC’s Central Identification Lab in Hawaii for identification. The remains, no matter how small, are transported in a full-size coffin and receive an arrival ceremony. During the identification phase, scientists do their best to identify the remains using DNA, dental records and any other means. Once the remains are identified, which is not always possible, the family is notified.
In some cases, the soldier has been dead and missing thirty years or more. The remains may be returned to a child who never met his or her father, or a widow who has long since remarried and moved on. But they are brought home, finally given the closure and respect they deserve.
JPAC stands for Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. I know, it’s a mouthful, right? JPAC exists to account, as fully as possible, for Americans missing in action from past wars, going all the way back to World War II. The command was originally created following the Vietnam War. Over 30,000 American military personnel were still missing and unaccounted for, and rumors about Americans languishing in Vietnamese POW camps were rife. Understandably, their families were anxious, and felt that the men had been abandoned by the US government. JPAC was created in response to these fears. In 2009, JPAC will conduct over 50 missions around the world, in countries including Cambodia, India, Vietnam, Germany and New Guinea. To date, they have identified 1,300 MIAs.
There are three parts to a JPAC mission: investigation, recovery and identification. During the investigation phase, they carefully research all leads about MIA, gathering as much information as possible. When they have identified a likely location for an MIA, a team of 4-9 specialized members conducts field research, interviewing possible witnesses and surveying the terrain. If sufficient evidence is found, a recovery team is sent to the site. A typica
l team is composed of 10-14 members, led by a military team leader and a civilian forensic anthropologist. The recovery mission is essentially an archaeological excavation. If any remains are recovered, they are transported to the JPAC’s Central Identification Lab in Hawaii for identification. The remains, no matter how small, are transported in a full-size coffin and receive an arrival ceremony. During the identification phase, scientists do their best to identify the remains using DNA, dental records and any other means. Once the remains are identified, which is not always possible, the family is notified.In some cases, the soldier has been dead and missing thirty years or more. The remains may be returned to a child who never met his or her father, or a widow who has long since remarried and moved on. But they are brought home, finally given the closure and respect they deserve.
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