Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command

JPAC Mission

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command’s (JPAC) mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts. JPAC personnel, along with other U.S. and foreign specialists search for, recover and identify remains of Americans unaccounted-for from the Persian Gulf War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Korean War and World War II.

JPAC also performs other humanitarian missions to recover and identify individuals as directed by Pacific Command.

Personnel

JPAC is located in Hawaii and is comprised of more than 425 military and civilian personnel under the command of a flag officer. The command falls under the direction of the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command and is jointly manned with military personnel from all branches of the armed services.

Accounting Process

The search begins with historians and analysts gathering information from multiple sources and collections. Research investigations are primarily archival in nature. The military records of the unaccounted-for personnel are combed through, outside researchers submit materials and documents are collected from the national archives and record depositories maintained by foreign governments. Veterans, historians and scholars are interviewed regularly and in some cases families of missing Americans submit wartime letters or pre-war medical or dental records.

JPAC maintains six investigation teams, comprised of four to nine personnel with specialized skills including a team leader, analyst, linguist and medic. In some instances an anthropologist, explosive ordnance disposal technician and/or a life support technician will augment the team. Representatives from the Defense Intelligence Agency’s, Stony Beach assist JPAC with investigations in Southeast Asia. The JPAC teams investigate leads to cases in hopes to identify them as potential recovery sites.

JPAC also maintains 18 recovery teams. The typical recovery team consists of 10 to 14 personnel. A team is comprised of a team leader, forensic anthropologist, a team sergeant, linguist, medic, life support technician, forensic photographer, explosive ordnance disposal technician, and several mortuary affairs specialists. These teams conduct field operations for 35 to 45 days per mission. JPAC search and recovery team members commonly deploy five to six months a year in some of the most austere areas of the world.

More than 30 anthropologists and four forensic odontologists (dentists), all with advanced degrees and specialized experience, staff the laboratory section referred to as JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory (CIL). The anthropologists have dual roles depending on whether they are deployed in the field or working at the laboratory in Hawaii. When not deployed on missions, the anthropologists are responsible for the skeletal analysis of human remains and/or the analysis of material evidence such as military uniforms, personal affects and identification tags. When deployed with JPAC search and recovery teams in the field, the anthropologists are responsible for all aspects of the archaeological excavation of the site.

JPAC has the largest staff of forensic anthropologists in the world and several hold the highest “board” certification in forensic anthropology.

History

On Oct. 1, 2003, JPAC was formed. The organization stems from the merging of the 30-year-old U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) and the 11-year-old Joint Task Force - Full Accounting (JTF-FA). The two units combined their personnel, resources, equipment, and experience, to create the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.

The first permanent laboratory was established in 1973 after the Vietnam War, called the Central Identification Laboratory, Thailand (CIL-THAI) focusing on the Americans still missing in Southeast Asia. In 1975 the decision was made to close CIL-THAI and establish the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1976 CILHI opened its doors and expanded its mission to search for, recover and identify missing Americans from all previous conflicts. In 1992, JTF-FA was established to focus on achieving the fullest possible accounting of Americans missing as a result of the Vietnam War. The organization worked closely with CILHI personnel by completing the investigative portions in Southeast Asia and overseeing recovery operations in the region. In August 2002, after an extensive study, the Department of Defense (DoD) determined that POW/MIA accounting efforts would be best served by combining the two units and operating as one.

Dedication

While the accounting process may take years, JPAC remains committed to scientific excellence and the fullest possible accounting of all Americans who died in the defense of their country. JPAC continues to fulfill our nations promise to the POW/MIA families and their missing loved ones. Until they are home.