Click
here for more information
Please note that Det. Commandant Milanowicz is looking for
more Marine Softball players. Contact Det. Commandant
Roman
Milanowicz or Paymaster
Gil Bixler if interested.
08 May 2008
Military Family Relief Assistance Program (MFRAP)
The below link is provided for those members
who requested additional information.
http://www.milvet.state.pa.us/DMVA/541.htm
POW/MIA Update: May 05, 2008
AMERICANS ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED FOR: There are 1,761 US personnel listed
by the Defense POW/MIA Office as still missing and unaccounted for from the
Vietnam War. The remains of Staff Sergeant James K. Caniford, USAF, and
Captain Barclay B. Young, USAF, both listed as MIA in Laos on March
29, 1972,
were recently announced as identified. Their remains were recovered November
21, 2006. The
most recent identifications, though many others are not yet announced,
brought to 822 the number of US personnel accounted for since
the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. 90+%
of the 1,761 still listed as missing and unaccounted-for were lost in Vietnam or
in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s
wartime control.
PACOM
COMMANDER SUPPORTS JPAC: Admiral Tim Keating, USN, Commander of the U.S.
Pacific Command (PACOM) testified before Congress in mid-March that PACOM’s
budget for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) included funding to complete design of
the long-sought new headquarters building for the Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command (JPAC). He also pledged that PACOM’s request for FY10 would include
authorization and funding for construction, estimated currently to be just
over $100M dollars.
Executive Director Comment: That welcome news is long overdue. Expanding
JPAC’s capabilities will help them meet increased demands for recovering
remains of those lost before the Vietnam War, back to WWII. This is also an
important signal to those serving today in the global war on terrorism, but
especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. They
must be able to depend on all of us here at home should they be captured or
become missing in action while serving our country and defending our
freedom.
JPAC
COMMANDER TRAVELS: New JPAC Commander, RADM Donna Crisp, USN, recently
visited Laos for
the first time and Vietnam for
a second time, holding talks with counterpart officials in both
countries. POW/MIA consultations in Laos included US
Ambassador to Laos Ravic Huso, Detachment 3 Commander LTC Brandt Deck, and
DPMO, Stony Beach and
JPAC staff. Ambassador Huso also arranged for RADM Crisp to meet the Vice
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense while in Vientiane. In Hanoi she
held technical talks with the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP), Vietnam’s
interagency committee to deal with the US of POW/MIA accounting
matters. They discussed results from recent joint field operations and
plans for upcoming activities. RADM Crisp is now
in Papua
New Guinea for
talks there related to WWII recoveries and will then travel to Cambodia for
a second visit to that country to hold talks with the Cambodian POW/MIA
Committee, the highest level such group with which JPAC and DPMO deal on a
regular basis. Just before her firstSoutheast
Asia trip,
she visited South
Korea to
discuss ways to expedite solving Korean War losses. Following talks in South
Korea,
RADM Crisp went on toBeijing to
meet with PRC officials in an effort to restore recovery operations in that
country. Prior to that trip, she visited India to
pursue plans to conduct WWII recovery operations there.
UPDATE ON JPAC
OPERATIONS: On May 1st,
two JPAC recovery teams began operations at two sites in Xekong and Attapu Provinces and
are expected to conclude on June 4th. A
JPAC investigation team is also in South
Korea and
will conduct operations in Hwachon Province through
June 15th. A
JPAC Advance Team arrived in South Korean on April 27th to
prepare for the arrival of a recovery team and an underwater investigation
team that will conduct recovery operations in Kangwon and Kyongsang Provinces until
mid-June. The underwater team will investigate two cases in the Han
River \,
near Seoul,
until May 30th. Finally,
two recovery teams and one investigation team are close to concluding field
operations in Papua
New Guinea. US Ambassador
tp PNG, Leslie V. Rowe, visited the two recovery teams in Kokopo Province on
April 29th,
reinforcing the importance of the work being accomplished to recover WWII
losses.
FAMILIES OPPOSE ANOTHER SELECT COMMITTEE ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS: With a
unanimous vote of the League’s Board of Directors preceding a unanimous
membership vote at the 38th Annual
Meeting last June, the
League is on record as strongly opposing H. Res.111. Previously
disproven claims of conspiracy and cover-up are again being raised, but past
investigations have completely tied up assets and resources and the
accounting was put on hold to allow time and attention to respond to
Congress. The League will continue to oppose another wasteful,
time-consuming special committee or commission unless and until there is
nothing further that can be done constructively. In that event, the League
would then reconsider. That time is NOT yet here.
We urge
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Members of the Rules Committee to stop
this resolution from being attached to another measure coming to a vote in
the full House. If
that happens, the League will do its best to prevent the negative impact
that historically has occurred.
COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC): Though technically now concluded, the
League was notified that the stringent criteria for the 2007 campaign were
met; our new (five digit) number is 10218, assigned by the US Office of
Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC. The
League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing American POW/MIAs,
KIA/BNR’s and their families eligible for donations through CFC & United
Way. Despite
the reality of many competing charities and much need, especially in a time
of war, the League is proud of our eligibility, due to tough requirements
that must be met. We have also applied for the 2008 Combined Federal
Campaign and, if again successful, our eligibility number will remain the
same: #10218.
39TH ANNUAL
MEETING SCHEDULED: Plan now to attend the League’s 39th Annual
Meeting, June 19-22nd,
again being held at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel,Arlington, VA. The
Defense Department has again authorized commercial flights for two family
members to represent each missing Vietnam War serviceman or civilian. The
two persons authorized travel must be designated by the primary next-of-kin
(PNOK). For most, the arrival date will be Wednesday, June 18th,
to ensure availability for early Thursday morning when the sessions actually
begin. The 39th Annual
Dinner will be that same evening, and the Military Services will again host
luncheons on Friday.
39TH ANNUAL
MEETING PROGRAM AD RATES
INSIDE BACK COVER - $1,000*
FULL PAGE (8
½” x 11”) - $500*
½ PAGE (8
½” x 5 ½”) - $250*
¼ PAGE (4
¼” x 5 ½”) - $125**
BUSINESS CARD - $50
(As submitted)
“IN HONOR OF” - $25
(Submit Name of POW/MIA with Your Name)
PATRON - $10
(Your Name Listed)
Send camera-ready ads by email; mail text
with payment to:
National League of POW/MIA Families
1005
North Glebe Road, Suite 170
Arlington, VA 22201
703-465-7432
Deadline: June
1, 2008
*Donors at this level receive League
Membership, Newsletters, Updates
and registration for the 39th Annual
Meeting.
**Donors at this level receive League
Membership, Newsletters and Updates.
The League is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt,
non-profit organization; Federal Tax ID #23-7071242
CHECK THE LEAGUE’S UPDATED WEB SITE
Ann
Mills Griffiths
Executive Director
National League of POW/MIA Families
1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 170
Arlington, VA 22201
(PH) 703-465-7432 (FX) 703-465-7433
www.pow-miafamilies.org
POW/MIA Update: April 24, 2008
AMERICANS ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED
FOR: There are now 1,761 US personnel listed by the Defense POW/MIA Office as
missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.. Staff Sergeant James K.
Caniford, USAF, and Captain Barclay B. Young, USAF, both listed as MIA in Laos
on March 29, 1972, have now been accounted for. Their remains were recovered
November 21, 2006 and recently identified. The most recent identifications,
though many others are not yet announced, brought to 822 the number of US
personnel returned since the
end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
90+% of the 1,761 still listed as missing and unaccounted-for were lost in
Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE VISITS JPAC:
During a visit to the US Pacific Command in February, Secretary of Defense Bob
Gates visited JPAC, receiving briefings on JPAC’s vast worldwide operations,
and touring the Central Identification Laboratory.
PACOM COMMANDER SUPPORTS JPAC: Admiral
Tim Keating, USN, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) testified
before Congress in mid-March that PACOM’s budget for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09)
included funding to complete design of the long-sought new headquarters
building for the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). He also pledged
that PACOM’s request for FY10 would include authorization and funding for
construction, estimated currently to be just over $100M dollars.
That welcome news is long overdue.
Expanding JPAC’s capabilities will help them meet increased demands for
recovering remains of those lost before the Vietnam War, back to WWII. This is
also an important signal to those serving today in the global war on
terrorism, but especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. They must be able to
depend on all of us here at home should they be captured or become missing in
action while serving our country and defending our freedom.
JPAC COMMANDER TRAVELS: New JPAC
Commander, RADM Donna Crisp, USN, has just visited Laos on her first visit to
that country and is going on to Vietnam for a second visit. Shortly after
returning, she will go to Papua New Guinea then on to Cambodia for a second
visit to that country. Just before her first Southeast Asia trip, she visited
the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to discuss ways to expedite solving Korean
War losses. On that trip, RADM Crisp went on to Beijing to meet with PRC
officials in an effort to restore recovery operations in that country. Most
recently, RADM Crisp visited India to pursue plans to conduct WWII recovery
operations there.
UPDATE ON JPAC OPERATIONS: The JPAC
teams operating in Vietnam and Laos have now concluded operations and returned
to headquarters in Hawaii. JPAC Commander RADM Donna Crisp, USN, has just
visited Laos, holding her first consultations with Lao officials. US
Ambassador to Laos Ravic Huso participated in the talks, as did Detachment 3
Commander LTC Brandt Deck, and DPMO, Stony Beach and JPAC staff. Ambassador
Huso also arranged for RADM Crisp to meet the Vice Ministers of Foreign
Affairs and Defense while in Vientiane. She went on to Hanoi where technical
talks were being held with the VNOSMP to discuss results from recent joint
field operations and plans for upcoming activities.
FAMILIES OPPOSE ANOTHER SELECT
COMMITTEE ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS: With a unanimous vote of the League’s Board of
Directors preceding a unanimous membership vote at the 38th Annual
Meeting last June, the
League is on record as strongly opposing H. Res.111.
Previously disproven claims of conspiracy and cover-up are again being raised,
but past investigations have completely tied up assets and resources and the
accounting was put on hold to allow time and attention to respond to
Congress. The League will continue to oppose another wasteful, time-consuming
special committee or commission unless and until there is nothing further that
can be done constructively. In that event, the League would then reconsider.
That time is NOT yet here.
We urge
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Members of the Rules Committee to stop
this resolution from being attached to another measure coming to a vote in the
full House. If that
happens, the League will do its best to prevent the negative impact that
historically has occurred.
COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC):
Though technically now concluded, the League was notified that the stringent
criteria for the 2007 campaign were met; our new (five digit) number is 10218,
assigned by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC. The
League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing American POW/MIAs, KIA/BNR’s
and their families eligible for donations through CFC & United Way.
Despite the reality of many competing charities and much need, especially in a
time of war, the League is proud of our eligibility, due to tough requirements
that must be met. We have also applied for the 2008 Combined Federal Campaign
and, if again successful, our eligibility number will remain the
same: #10218.
39TH ANNUAL
MEETING SCHEDULED: Plan now to attend the League’s 39th Annual
Meeting, June 19-22nd,
again being held at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA. The Defense
Department has again authorized commercial flights for two family members to
represent each missing Vietnam War serviceman or civilian. The two persons
authorized travel must be designated by the primary next-of-kin (PNOK). For
most, the arrival date will be Wednesday, June 18th,
to ensure availability for early Thursday morning when the sessions actually
begin. The 39th Annual
Dinner will be that same evening, and the Military Services will again host
luncheons on Friday.
39TH ANNUAL
MEETING PROGRAM AD RATES
INSIDE BACK COVER - $1,000*
FULL PAGE (8 ½” x 11”) - $500*
½ PAGE (8 ½” x 5 ½”) - $250*
¼ PAGE (4 ¼” x 5 ½”) - $125**
BUSINESS CARD - $50
(As submitted)
“IN HONOR OF” - $25
(Submit Name of POW/MIA with Your
Name)
PATRON - $10
(Your Name Listed)
Send camera-ready ads by email; mail
text with payment to:
National League of POW/MIA Families
1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 170
Arlington, VA 22201
703-465-7432
Deadline: June 1, 2008
*Donors at this level receive League
Membership, Newsletters, Updates
and registration for the 39th Annual
Meeting.
**Donors at this level receive League
Membership, Newsletters and Updates.
The League is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt,
non-profit organization; Federal Tax ID #23-7071242
CHECK THE LEAGUE’S UPDATED WEB SITE
