JPAC DPAA Command “Acutely Dysfunctional…Disgraceful”

JPAC/DPAA IN THE NEWS

2023 UPDATE:  According to the official web site of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), the entire organization has made a grand total of ELEVEN (11) identifications of MIA’s from all wars during the first six months of 2023!!!  Yes, that’s right…11 identifications from January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023.  

To try to mask this abysmal performance, DPAA has instituted what insiders are calling the “NUMBERS SHUFFLE” to keep the public from finding out how little has been accomplished for the hundreds of millions of dollars that Congress invested into DPAA recently.  DPAA is sending out press releases in 2023 on MIA’s that they counted as identifications in past years!  These press releases are very deceptive, to say the least.

Here is just one example dated June 27, 2023:

“The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Paul W. Schmidt, 20, of Rockville Center, New York, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 28, 2022.”

Even though LT Schmidt and the other MIAs were a part of the identification totals that DPAA reported to Congress as their performance numbers in 2022, he now becomes an identification “announced today” for 2023.  Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!

And…as if that kind of “numbers shuffle” wasn’t enough…DPAA issues additional separate press releases when MIAs are finally buried, so that it doubles the positive press that DPAA receives for the same identification.

But no matter how much DPAA shuffles the numbers, here’s the bottom line:

DPAA is on a pace to set an ALL TIME LOW IN THE NUMBER OF YEARLY ID’S in 2023.

 

 

On January 30, 2015, after multiple Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) scandals were exposed by NBC, CBS, Fox News, NPR, the AP, Stars and Stripes and a host of other media outlets as listed in the links below; the Department of Defense finally announced that JPAC was being dissolved.  The end of JPAC took a total of 569 days from the time the first “MIA WORK ‘ACUTELY DYSFUNCTIONAL’ story was reported in the media on July 7, 2013.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, called the situation at JPAC “disgraceful” when he testified before Congress.  With the formal dissolution of JPAC,  the former Secretary of Defense made a pledge to the American public that a “paradigm shift” away from “outdated, institutionalized thinking” at JPAC was in the offing.  

THE FACTS AS REPORTED BY THE MEDIA LEADING TO THE DEATH OF JPAC

In 2013 the Associated Press published a report that revealed some of what went on behind the scenes at JPAC. The report cited JPAC’s management as being “so inept, mismanaged and wasteful that it risks descending from dysfunction to total failure.” The report stated “the decades-old pursuit of bones and other MIA evidence is sluggish, often duplicative and subjected to too little scientific rigor.”

The report noted that the JPAC Command was “woefully inept and even corrupt.” The then JPAC commander, Air Force Major General Kelly K. McKeague, was quoted as saying he would not dispute those who say his organization is dysfunctional.  The report noted that in recent years the process by which the JPAC Laboratory field recovery teams gathered bones and other material useful for identifications had “collapsed” and was “acutely dysfunctional.” The report concluded that absent prompt and significant change, “the descent from dysfunction to total failure … is inevitable.”

Media reports surfaced about an internal report commissioned by the JPAC Laboratory in an effort to place the blame on sections of JPAC other than the Laboratory for what was predicted to be the Laboratory’s failure to achieve a 200 identification per year goal mandated by Congress. Responding to the AP story, the National League of POW/MIA Families issued a statement that “Inaccuracies and manipulated data in his report, largely unfounded assertions and personal accusations reflect a Lab-generated power-play seeking greater Lab control within JPAC.”

A follow-up audit by the Government Accounting Office (GAO) stated JPAC efforts were “undermined by long standing leadership weaknesses, infighting and other problems” including “a fragmented organizational structure.” Sen. Claire McCaskill vowed “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. The problems…are systemic and seem to extend even beyond the problems identified in this report.” A few days later, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, in testimony about JPAC before the Senate Armed Services Committee stated, “It’s so discouraging and it’s moving rapidly toward disgraceful.” And the general soon found many other disgraceful actions by the JPAC command that became public knowledge. The Washington Post reported “Pentagon to Investigate Allegations of Waste, Fraud, Abuse in JPAC”.

NBC News then ran a story titled “Pentagon Agency Under Fire for Refusing to ID World War II Soldiers” stating JPAC “has refused to conduct DNA tests to determine once and for all whose bones are in the graves of the unknowns, even when its own investigators say they have narrowed it down to only one possible match.” The story also noted “The JPAC lab objected first to the formatting of the requests by Stone and other JPAC historians, documents show. The lab rejected reports because commas were in the wrong place, or because they used footnotes instead of endnotes.”

Chief Rick Stone kneeling at the grave of an “Unknown” whose case he had investigated and recommended for identification – Photo by NBC News

The U.S. Senate conducted a committee hearing in which Senator Claire McCaskill and Senator Kelly Ayotte lambasted Gen. Kelly McKeague and DPMO head Montague Winfield over “dysfunctional bureaucracy” and “pettiness, negligence, or willful ignorance.”  Senator McCaskill noted that her office had received calls from dozens of whistleblowers. She ordered McKeague to “get it frickin’ done!” and threatened more hearings and Congressional intervention telling Gen. McKeague that he had “better get used to this room” and “we will meet again.”

NBC News then ran another story titled “PENTAGON UNIT HELD “PHONY” CEREMONIES FOR MIA’S, USING PLANES THAT CAN’T FLY”,  which revealed what JPAC employees referred to as the “Big Lie” whereby the remains of American servicemen and women were used as props in quarterly stage productions to benefit JPAC’s public relations image.  In the article it was revealed that the average length of time for the JPAC Laboratory to identify casualties had reached 11 YEARS for each set of remains that are recovered.

More investigations and hearings followed and more facts about the “disgraceful” actions of the JPAC command, as described by General Dempsey, were exposed in the media.  Just a few days before JPAC was officially dissolved a JPAC Laboratory manager announced in the media “a big success for us” alleging that  JPAC had made “107 identifications in 2014.”

http://www.stripes.com/news/jpac-107-identifications-of-mia-remains-made-in-2014-1.325044

However, the Department of Defense posted on their web site that the number of identifications by the JPAC laboratory in 2014 was actually only 69 and not 107.   

Click on the Apple Podcast Logo below to listen to NO HOME FOR HEROES Episode 1 for more information on “How It All Began”:

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CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST OF MEDIA STORIES RECORDING MANAGERIAL DYSFUNCTION AT JPAC/DPAA

AP IMPACT: MIA WORK ‘ACUTELY DYSFUNCTIONAL’  By Robert Burns Washington AP    July 7, 2013

PENTAGON TAKES “SECOND LOOK” AT EMBATTLED MIA UNIT  By Robert Burns  Washington AP July 9, 2013

PACOM COMMANDER SUPPORTS REVIEW OF JPAC by Karen Parrish American Forces Press Services  July 11, 2013

US GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILTY OFFICE: DOD’S POW/MIA MISSION, TOP LEVEL LEADERSHIP ATTENTION NEEDED TO RESOLVE LONGSTANDING CHALLENGES IN ACCOUNTING FOR MISSING PERSONS FROM PAST CONFLICTS July 17, 2013

SENATOR AYOTTE TO DEMPSEY: PENTAGON MUST ADDRESS POW/MIA FAILURES     July 18, 2013

PENTAGON AGENCY UNDER FIRE FOR REFUSING TO ID UNKNOWN WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS by Bill Dedman and Mike Taibbi, NBC News  August 1, 2013

C-SPAN: SENATE COMMITTEE REVIEWS DEFENSE DEPARTMENT’S MISSING PERSONNEL OFFICES  August 1, 2013

ALLEGED FRAUD AND WASTE IN MIA UNIT TO BE PROBED BY PENTAGON FOX NEWS, AP PRESS, AUGUST 1, 2013

LAWMAKERS ORDER POW/MIA OFFICE TO FIX PROBLEMS   By Bryant Jordon, Military.com August 1, 2013

NAVY CONCERNED ABOUT JPAC’S EXHUMATION PLANS FOR USS OKLAHOMA UNIDENTIFIED SAILORS Navy Times, Associated Press August 12, 2013

SEARCH FOR WORLD WAR II HEROES’ REMAINS HINGES ON MAN’S RESEARCH By Mark Emmons Daily Democrat, August 14, 2013

LOST AMERICAN HERO FINALLY COMES HOME TO INDIANA  By Rick Stone,  Indystar.com August 22, 2013

FAMILIES EXPRESS FRUSTRATION AT JPAC’S EFFORTS TO RECOVER WAR MISSING  By Matt Burke, Stars and Stripes,  September 23, 2013

PENTAGON UNIT HELD “PHONY” CEREMONIES FOR MIA’S, USING PLANES THAT CAN’T FLY  By Bill Dedman, NBC News,  October 10, 2013

JPAC ADMITS TO PHONY CEREMONIES HONORING “RETURNING” REMAINS  – Stars and Stripes, October 10, 2013

AMERICAN LEGION DEMANDS JPAC REFORMS: Fake arrival ceremonies are deceptive, not symbolic, says national commanderBusiness Wire, October 11, 2013

AMERICAN LEGION DEMANDS JPAC REFORMS OVER FAKE CEREMONIESBy Matthew M. Burke- Stars and Stripes October 15, 2013

70 YEARS ON, FAMILIES OF WWII DEAD HOPE FOR IDs – By Mitch Smith – Chicago Tribune, October 20, 2013

SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM PENTAGON ON “PHONY’ MIA ARRIVAL CEREMONIESBy Bill Dedman, NBC News, October 28, 2013

McCASKILL DEMANDS EXPLANATION OVER STAGED ARRIVAL CEREMONIES FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS By Barnini Chakraborty Fox News, October 29, 2013

Chicago Family Fights to Get WWII Hero’s Remains Brought Home By Jeff Herndon, Fox 32 News, Chicago, November 12, 2013

McCASKILL WANTS REORGANIZATION OF POW-MIA GROUP, By Associated Press, Columbia Daily Tribune, November 16, 2013

PENTAGON LAB, SLOW TO ID HUMAN REMAINS, HAS TIME TO SHOOT BRADLEY COOPER MOVIE, By Bill Dedman, NBC News, November 19, 2013

EX-INVESTIGATOR, CRITICS SAY JPAC IGNORING CLUES, TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD BRING UNKNOWNS HOME – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, December 4, 2013

SENATORS URGE AGRESSIVE FIXES FOR POW/MIA OPERATIONS – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, January 17, 2014

INTERNAL MEMO ALLEGES JPAC ETHICS VIOLATIONS, MISHANDLING OF MILITARY REMAINS – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, January 28, 2014

SEN. AYOTTE:  NEED A “FULL INVESTIGATION” INTO MIA/POW AGENCY – By Todd Beamon, Newsmax, January 28, 2014

McCASKILL CALLS FOR ANOTHER JPAC OVERSIGHT REVIEW – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, February 12, 2014

PENTAGON AGENCY SLOW TO ID, RETURN REMAINS OF AMERICA’S FALLEN – By Chip Reid, CBS News, February 18, 2014

AFTER UNFLATTERING REPORTS, HAGEL ORDERS SHAKE-UP OF MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCIES – By Jon Harper, Stars and Stripes, February 21, 2014

JPAC MARINE FACES COURT MARTIAL FOR DEATH OF PROSTITUTE IN HAWAII – Stars and Stripes, February 21, 2014

FRENCH LAB IDENTIFIES US SOLDIER’S REMAINS AFTER JPAC REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, February 24, 2014

NEW $82M JPAC HEADQUARTERS AND LAB BEING BUILT IN HAWAII  – By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, March 4, 2014

SO MANY QUESTIONS:  BOTCHED RECOVERY MISSION DIDN’T FOLLOW JPAC’S OWN PROTOCOL – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, March 6, 2014

GRAVE SCIENCE: AMERICA’S EFFORT TO BRING HOME ITS WAR DEAD IS SLOW, INEFFICIENT AND STYMIED BY OUTDATED METHODS – By Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio (NPR), March 6, 2014

DATED METHODS MEAN SLOW RETURN FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS – OR NONE AT ALL – By Audie Cornish, KQED News, All Things Considered, and Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio (NPR), March 6, 2014

FAILING THE FALLEN: THE MILITARY IS LEAVING THE MISSING BEHIND – By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations , March 6, 2014

U.S. GRAVE SCIENCE MARKED BY RISK AVERSION AND BUREAUCRACY – By Melissa Block and Audie Cornish, KQED News, All Things Considered, and Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio (NPR), March 7, 2014

FAMILIES GATHER IN HOPES OF FINDING MISSING SERVICE MEMBERS – By Pam Kelley, Charlotte Observer , March 15, 2014

JPAC FACES LAWSUIT FOR FAILURE TO ID REMAINS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS By Chip Reid, CBS News , March 31, 2014

HAGEL ORDER OVERHAUL OF POW/MIA IDENTIFICATION AGENCIES By Nick Simeone, American Forces Press, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE , March 31, 2014

PENTAGON OVERHAULS EFFORT TO IDENTIFY ITS MISSING By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations and Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio (NPR), March 31, 2014

PENTAGON REORGANIZES EFFORT TO ID MIA’s AFTER NBC NEWS SERIES By Bill Dedman, Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube, NBC NEWS, March 31, 2014

HAGEL ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURING OF POW/MIA REMAINS OFFICES By Chris Carroll, Stars and Stripes, March 31, 2014

HAGEL ACTS TO IMPROVE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING EFFORT By Robert Burns, ABC News and Associated Press, March 31, 2014

AFTER 70 YEARS, FALLEN WWII SOLDIER WILL FINALLY COME HOME IN SPITE OF JPAC By Megan Towey, CBS News , April 7, 2014

BIG REVAMP OF PENTAGON’S TROUBLED MISSION TO FIND MISSING SOLDIERS LOOKS A LOT LIKE OLD REVAMP:  Without Change of Leadership Throughout, Meaningful Change Could Be Elusive, Critics Say  By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations, April 16, 2014

DOCUMENTS REVEAL SOUTHEAST ASIAN REMAINS BURIED WITH U.S. VET AT ARLINGTON – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, April 21, 2014

HAWAII BASED JOINT POW MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR PAPUA NEW GUINEA ROAD:  Cost and value of road trigger probe By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, May 27, 2014

EXHUMATION OF REMAINS FROM CABANATUAN GRAVE 717 By Philippines Scouts Heritage Society, June 28, 2014

AFTER 7 DECADES, REMAINS OF WWII GI COULD SOON BE COMING HOME – By Megan Towey and Patricia Alulema, CBS News, July 1, 2014

PENTAGON FINALLY DECIDES TO DIG UP REMAINS OF LONG LOST SOLDIER – By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations, July 1, 2014

PENTAGON REPORT FINDS LITANY OF PROBLEM WITH EFFORT TO RECOVER MIA’S – By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations, July 14, 2014

SOME TROOPS KILLED IN WWII STILL HAVEN’T BEEN BROUGHT HOME By Chip Reid, CBS News , July 16, 2014

HAGEL ORDERS AGENCY CONDUCTING SEARCHES TO BE REORGANIZED By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette , September 7, 2014

HEAD OF FLAWED EFFORT TO ID MISSING SOLDIERS LOSES JOB : Lab Director Tom Holland Fired – By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations , October 3, 2014

FAMILIES FRUSTRATED BY CHANGES TO POW/MIA SYSTEM By Megan Towey, CBS News , October 15, 2014

JPAC LEADERSHIP CHANGES CRITICIZED:  The ouster of its scientific director is among reforms at the federal agency By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, October 19, 2014

LEADERSHIP DYSFUNCTION THREATENS NEW JPAC COMMAND, DoD IG FINDS – By Travis J. Tritten, Stars and Stripes, October 20, 2014

DPMO HEAD WINFIELD REPORTEDLY RESIGNS AS AGENCY REORGANIZES – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, October 28, 2014

U.S.  FAMILIES OF THE MISSING IN ACTION FIGHT TIME AND BUREAUCRACY – By Jeffrey B. Roth, Huffington Post, November 10, 2014

TURMOIL CONTINUES IN AGENCIES SEARCHING FOR AMERICA’S MIAs – By Richard Sisk, Military.com News, November 11, 2014

HAGEL PRODDED ON STATUS OF EXHUMED USS OKLAHOMA SAILORS – By Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes, November 14, 2014

JPAC COMMANDER LARRY GONZALES PREVIOUSLY RELIEVED OF LEADERSHIP DUTIES AFTER HE WAS INVESTIGATED FOR GROPING A SUBORDINATE AND CARRYING ON AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP By Matt Burke, Stars and Stripes, December 7, 2014

ACCURACY QUESTIONED IN JPAC IDENTIFICATION OF WW II REMAINS FROM PHILIPPINES – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, December 10, 2014

LEAKED EMAILS: CAMERON CROWE’S NEW BRADLEY COOPER MOVIE (USING JPAC RESOURCES) IS A CATASTROPHE By Jordan Sargent, Defamer.com, December 15, 2014 (See original NBC News Story above: PENTAGON LAB, SLOW TO ID HUMAN REMAINS, HAS TIME TO SHOOT BRADLEY COOPER MOVIE, By Bill Dedman, NBC News, November 19, 2013)

ANOTHER FAMILY JOINS LAWSUIT AGAINST JPAC FOR RECOVERY OF REMAINS FROM WW II  – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, December 22, 2014

TURMOIL SURROUNDS NEW JPAC AGENCY; JANUARY DEADLINE QUESTIONED  – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, December 24, 2014

REFORM EFFORT CUTS KEY JPAC EXPERTS:  Congress wants more identifications of war dead By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, December 28, 2014

JPAC’S CRITICS SKEPTICAL THAT NEW POW/MIA AGENCY WILL SOLVE PROBLEMS  – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, January 15, 2015

THE SOURCE: IDENTIFYING OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS  – By Paul Flahive, Texas Public Radio, January 26, 2015

FAMILY’S LONG FIGHT WITH PENTAGON RETURNS NAME TO UNKNOWN SOLDIER  By Kelly McEvers, National Public Radio (NPR), January 27, 2015

PENTAGON FINALLY IDENTIFIES THE REMAINS OF A POW LOST SINCE 1942 By Megan McCloskey, ProPublica Investigations , January 27, 2015

REMAINS OF MIA KELDER IDENTIFIED, BUT FAMILY STILL HAS QUESTIONS  – By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, January 30, 2015

HAWAII’S JPAC FOLDS By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, January 31, 2015

THE PENTAGON’S FAILURE TO FIND LONG LOST SOLDIERS By Sara Afzal, Shore News Network, February 1, 2015

FOR LOVED ONES LOST AT WAR, IS DNA THE TICKET HOME? By Jeff Baillon, Fox News Network, February 5, 2015

CAN PENTAGON FIX SHAMEFUL TRACK RECORD OF FINDING AND IDENTIFYING REMAINS OF MISSING U.S. SOLDIERS IN FOREIGN LANDS?  By Noel Brinkerhoff AND Steve Straehley, AllGov, February 7, 2015

POW/MIA GROUPS ASK CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE JPAC REORGANIZATION By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, February 26, 2015

FAMILY GROUPS CUT FROM PENTAGON UPDATES By William Cole, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, March 16, 2015

MISSING IN ACTION: COULD DNA EVIDENCE BRING OUR WAR HEROES HOME By Jeff Baillon, Fox News, May 13, 2015

FAMILIES WAIT FOR LOST SOLDIERS TO BE IDENTIFIED Siouxland News/Fox News, May 23, 2015

OUTDATED METHODS WILL HAMPER EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY USS OKLAHOMA REMAINS, EXPERTS SAY By Matthew M. Burke, Stars and Stripes, July 2, 2015

DELAY, DENY, AND WAIT FOR THE FAMILIES TO DIE”:  HEAD OF POW-MIA OFFICE FAVORS CLOSER LINKS TO PRIVATE GROUPS – By Robert Burns, ABC News, July 6, 2015

FAMILY OF FALLEN SOLDIER BATTLED PENTAGON TO HAVE REMAINS RETURNED TO CHICAGO By Steve Miller, CBS News, July 9, 2015

REMAINS OF WW II PRIVATE WHO DIED IN JAPANESE POW CAMP IDENTIFIED, RETURNED By Siyao Long, Military Times, July 21, 2015

BRINGING HAROLD HOME: FAMILY’S 70 YEAR JOURNEY TO PUT WWII PILOT TO REST – Little Brother Has Lost Hope of Burying Pilot Beside Parents By Anita Wadhwani, The Tennessean, August 16, 2015

FAMILIES TURN TO MISSOURI SENATOR FOR ANSWERS ABOUT MISSING MEN FROM 1952 ALASKA MILITARY PLANE CRASH – Family members and loved ones of 52 military men killed in a November 1952 plane crash in Alaska are expressing frustration that remains recovered from that crash last year have not been identified By Mike Lear, MissouriNet, September 11, 2015

TAMPA WOMAN PUSHES MILITARY TO IDENTIFY REMAINS OF SERVICEMEN IN ALASKA CRASH By Keith Morelli, The Tampa Tribune, September 13, 2015

MORE DELAYS FOR FAMILIES AWAITING IDENTIFICATION OF REMAINS FOUND AT 1952 ALASKA MILITARY CRASH SITE By Sean Doogan, Alaska Dispatch News, September 18, 2015

IDENTITIES OF REMAINS FROM 1952 MILITARY PLANE CRASH KNOWN, UNRELEASED, SINCE MARCH By Mike Lear, MissouriNet, September 19, 2015

FAMILY BATTLES TO GET POW REMAINS 73 YEARS LATER By Jan Anderson, Great Falls Tribune, October 25, 2015

AFTER 74 YEARS, N.J. VETERAN WANTS BROTHER’S REMAINS BACK FROM PEARL HARBOR By Andy Polhamus, NJ.com, February 6, 2016

FAMILY GOES PUBLIC WITH FIGHT TO BRING HOME REMAINS OF MONNET MAN KILLED IN LAOS IN 1966 By Debby Woodin, The Joplin Globe, April 9, 2016

GOVERNMENT INACTION LEAVES 93 YEAR OLD WAR WIDOW DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS – By Jeff Baillon, Fox News, October 27, 2016  http://www.fox9.com/news/investigators/214070684-story

OMAHA POLICE DETECTIVE WORKS THE CASE OF HIS UNCLE’S WWII PLANE CRASHBy Steve Liewer, The Omaha World-Herald, January 16, 2017 http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-police-detective-works-the-case-of-his-uncle-s/article_e69d367d-4332-54f8-a7cb-3a793f6d5841.html

VETERAN GREEN BERETS PEEVED AT POW/MIA RECOVERY SLOW DOWN By John Stryker Meyer, SOFREP News, February 13, 2017

https://sofrep.com/74625/veteran-green-berets-peeved-at-powmia-recovery-slowdown/

WIDOW FEARS SHE WON’T LIVE TO SEE HUSBAND BURIED IN MINNESOTABy Jeff Baillon, Fox News, April 14, 2017 

http://www.fox9.com/news/investigators/248443905-story

FAMILY FIGHTS TO BRING MONET MAN MIA BACK HOMEBy Robert Jackson, Cedar County Republican, May 25, 2017 

http://cedarrepublican.com/news/family-fights-to-bring-monet-man-mia-back-home/article_dbcece44-3ff1-11e7-b2ec-839584189cf3.html

FAMILY SUING FOR DNA TESTING OF POSSIBLE REMAINS OF WWII MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT By Matt Burke, Stars and Stripes, May 26, 2017 

https://www.stripes.com/news/family-suing-for-dna-testing-of-possible-remains-of-wwii-medal-of-honor-recipient-1.470367#.WSiiO2eGOpr

NEW MEXICO WOMAN WANTS GREAT UNCLE’S REMAINS FROM WWII RETURNED HOME  – By Jeannie Nguyen, KRQE News 13, May 26, 2017

http://krqe.com/2017/05/26/new-mexico-woman-wants-great-uncles-remains-from-wwii-returned-home/

FAMILIES OF WORLD WAR II MIAs SUE TO IDENTIFY REMAINS, BRING THEM HOME – By Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 26, 2017

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2017/05/26/families-world-war-ii-mias-sue-identify-remains-bring-them-home/342885001/

MILITARY STILL FAILING FAMILIES OF MISSING SOLDIERS – By Bob Collins, MPR News, May 26, 2017

http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2017/05/military-still-failing-families-of-missing-soldiers/

DPAA STILL PLAGUED BY PROBLEMS AFTER REORGANIZATION, REPORT SAYS  – By Matthew Burke, Stars and Stripes, May 28, 2017

https://www.stripes.com/news/dpaa-still-plagued-with-problems-after-reorganization-report-says-1.470784#.WSrJb2eGOpo

WAR HERO’S FAMILY SUING IN ITS DECADES LONG FIGHT TO IDENTIFY REMAINS  – By David Phillips, New York Times, May 29, 2017 (Click on photo to read complete article).

    “DPAA is a self-perpetuating, in-bred organization of dysfunctionally inept people       in management positions who have no idea how to do the job for which they are entrusted.”

THOUSANDS OF TEXAS MILITARY PERSONNEL STILL WAITING TO REST IN PEACE – By Craig Malisow, Houston Press, May 29, 2017

http://www.houstonpress.com/news/trying-to-account-for-lost-texas-soldiers-9473144

DoD’s DEFENSE PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION ACCOUNTING AGENCY (DPAA) STILL HAS NOT NAMED A DIRECTOR AFTER A YEAR – By John Stryker Meyer, SofRep News, June 2, 2017

DPAA Cartoon

https://sofrep.com/82354/dods-defense-prisoner-warmissing-action-accounting-agency-dpaa-still-not-named-director-11-months/

A 70- YEAR FIGHT TO BRING HOME A HERO HEATS UP WITH LAWSUIT – By Walt Buteau, WPRI News, July 6, 2017

http://wpri.com/2017/07/06/a-70-year-fight-to-bring-home-a-hero-heats-up-with-lawsuit/

OVER 70 YEARS AFTER GOING MISSING: “I don’t think it should take a U.S. Senator calling the defense department to be able to get this done.”  – By Todd Wilson, KSTP News, July 6, 2017

http://kstp.com/news/minnesota-serviceman-missing-identified-homecoming-widow/4535241/

FOR OVER 70 YEARS, WIDOW CATHERINE TAUER DID NOT KNOW WHAT BECAME OF HER HUSBANDBy William Bornhoft, Mendota Heights Patch, July 7 2017

https://patch.com/minnesota/mendotaheights/klobuchar-presents-mn-vets-widow-purple-heart-photos

MEDALS PRESENTED TO WIDOW OF LATE MN WORLD WAR II VETERAN: “The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) which is responsible for locating missing service members has been heavily criticized for operating at a sloth-like pace and keeping families in the dark.” – By KMSP, Fox 9 News, July 7, 2017

http://www.fox9.com/news/266170495-story

“NOBODY TOLD US ANYTHING”: Agency fails to notify family of missing WWII soldier from Nebraska that remains weren’t a match – By Steve Liewer, Omaha World Herald, August 11, 2017

http://www.omaha.com/news/military/nobody-told-us-anything-agency-fails-to-notify-family-of/article_21c7fd40-572f-5832-8854-0b2e24f09d3f.html

AMERICA’S MISSING KOREAN WAR VETERANS COULD BE IN RUSSIA, FAMILY SAYS: Another MIA family forced to sue DPAA for information- By Tom O’Connor, Newsweek, August 12, 2017

http://www.newsweek.com/america-missing-war-veterans-could-be-russia-family-648966

DNA DEBATE CONNECTED TO A 70- YEAR FIGHT TO BRING A HERO HOME: “DPAA…not transparent…not accountable…very bureaucratic.  And they don’t answer their mail. They don’t answer their phone calls, treating us almost as the enemy.”  By Walt Buteau, WPRI News, August 21, 2017

http://wpri.com/2017/08/21/dna-debate-connected-to-70-year-fight-to-bring-a-hero-home/

MOTION TO DISMISS FILED IN LAWSUIT INVOLVING SOLDIERS’ REMAINS THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND: “It is unfortunate that these families have to resort to a lawsuit to sue for relief the government could provide immediately.” By Walt Buteau, WPRI News, September 15, 2017

http://wpri.com/2017/09/15/motion-to-dismiss-filed-in-lawsuit-involving-soldiers-remains-that-were-left-behind/

FALLEN & FORGOTTEN: WHY WERE THESE MISSING WWII HEROES BURIED UNDER PAVEMENT ?- By Mike Valerio, WUSA9 News, November 9, 2017

http://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/local/military/fallen-and-forgotten/fallen-forgotten-why-were-these-missing-wwii-heroes-buried-under-pavement/65-488897166

FALLEN & FORGOTTEN: SEVEN DECADES LATER, AMERICANS REMAIN IN FORGOTTEN PACIFIC GRAVES.  A FAMILY SAYS THE MILITARY LEFT THEM IN THE DARK ABOUT THEIR WWII HEROES FATE – By Mike Valerio, WUSA9 News, November 10, 2017 (Video)

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/military/fallen-and-forgotten/could-your-relative-be-mia-on-tarawa-heres-our-database-of-wwii/490723556

PENTAGON PROBLEMS UNDERMINE RECOVERIES OF MIA TROOPS, AS FAMILIES WAIT 74 YEARS LATER – By Mike Valerio, WUSA9 News, November 18, 2017

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/military/fallen-and-forgotten/pentagon-problems-undermine-recovery-of-mia-troops-as-families-wait-74-years-later/492945238

75 YEARS LATER, U.S. REFUSES PLEA TO BRING HOME REMAINS OF FALLEN BROWARD WAR HERO  – By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org, December 4, 2017

http://www.floridabulldog.org/2017/12/75-years-later-u-s-refuses-plea-to-bring-home-remains-of-fallen-broward-war-hero/

PENTAGON ISSUES NO APOLOGY FOR KEEPING WWII GRAVE DESTRUCTION SECRET – By Mike Valerio, WUSA9 News, December 30, 2017

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/military/fallen-and-forgotten/pentagon-issues-no-apology-for-keeping-wwii-grave-destruction-secret/503295529

FEDS TO DISINTER WWII “UNKNOWNS”, BUT NOT MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT – By Walt Buteau, WPRI-12 News, April 26, 2018

http://www.wpri.com/target-12/feds-to-disinter-wwii-unknowns-but-not-medal-of-honor-recipient-with-ri-ties/1143097581

HISTORY FLIGHT HAS A DPAA GOVERNMENT CONTRACT FOR 1.7 MILLION,  “Also looks at private donations”:  VIETNAM VET PAYS $30K OF HIS OWN TO BRING FALLEN BROTHERS HOME – By Mike Valerio, WUSA9 News, April 26, 2018

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/military/fallen-and-forgotten/vietnam-vet-pays-30k-of-his-own-to-bring-fallen-brothers-home/65-546311789

HISTORY FLIGHT, INC. NOW HAS MULTIPLE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS TOTALING $6.4 MILLION,  WHILE CONTINUING TO ACTIVELY SEEK CONTRIBUTIONS AS A “NON-PROFIT” CHARITY – By GovTribe.com, June 12, 2018 

https://govtribe.com/contract

Enter History Flight in “Search” field

JAPANESE GROUP ACCUSES U.S. OF ABANDONING WWII REMAINS ON SAIPAN- By Matt Burke, Stars and Stripes, June 26, 2018

https://www.stripes.com/news/japanese-group-accuses-us-of-abandoning-world-war-ii-remains-on-saipan-1.534717

FIGHT TO RECOVER WWII HERO WITH RI TIES GOES TO FEDERAL COURT – By Walt Buteau, WPRI-12 News, June 27, 2018

https://www.wpri.com/target-12/fight-to-recover-remains-of-wwii-hero-with-ri-ties-goes-to-federal-court/1263245698

LAWSUIT:  WE KNOW THE IDENTITIES OF “UNKNOWN” SOLDIERS – By Brian Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, June 28, 2018

https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Lawsuit-We-know-identities-of-unknown-13032173.php

AS AMERICANS’ REMAINS RETURN FROM NORTH KOREA, FAMILIES BLAST U.S. AGENCY – By David Tweed, Minnesota Post Tribune, July 31, 2018

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/world/as-americans-remains-return-from-north-korea-families-blast-us/article_ffdc7227-4f68-56a0-af23-74eae657ce82.html

ST. CHARLES GREAT NEPHEW TO SEE MARINE GET PROPER BURIAL 75 YEARS AFTER WAR – By Burt Constable, Chicago Daily Herald, October 6, 2018

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181006/constable-st-charles-great-nephew-to-see-marine-get-proper-burial-75-years-after-war-

NATIONAL GUARD NCO CHARGED AND BANNED FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES OVER TAKING OF WWII DOG TAGS: Affiliated with M.I.A. Recovery Network and DPAA Contractor History Flight – By Rose L. Thayer, Stars and Stripes, May 18, 2019

https://www.stripes.com/news/national-guard-nco-charged-and-banned-from-national-archives-over-taking-of-wwii-dog-tags-1.581600

NATIONAL GUARD NCO STOLE WWII DOG TAGS FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES:  Researcher for History Flight, Inc. arrested by Federal Investigators– By Cheryl Hinneburg, American Military News, May 21, 2019

National Guard NCO stole WWII dog tags from National Archives

Families of missing WWII servicemen want the Pentagon to exhume and ID their remains– By Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, July 23, 2019

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Aimed at Recovering Remains of Medal of Honor Winner – By Walt Buteau, WPRI.com, August 3, 2019

TRIAL DELAYED FOR  GUARDSMAN CHARGED WITH STEALING WW II DOG TAGS:  Suspect claims affiliation with M.I.A. Recovery Network and DPAA Contractor History Flight, Inc. – By Associated Press, Army Times, August 13, 2019

ROBERT RUMSBY: HISTORIAN, RESEARCH, & ANALYST AT HISTORY FLIGHT – By Linkedin 

VIRGINIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY  IN WW II DOG TAGS THEFT:  Suspect claims affiliation with DPAA Contractor History Flight, Inc. – By Associated Press, New York Times, November 11, 2019

VIRGINIA MAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING WWII DOG TAGS FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES – Claims to be historian for DPAA Contractor History Flight, Inc. – By David Aaro, Fox News, January 23, 2020

UNSOLVABLE: FORENSIC SLEUTH SAYS HE’S IDENTIFIED LONG-DEAD WWI DOUGHBOY, BUT WHOSE JOB IS IT TO BRING HIM HOME? – By Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes, December 10, 2020

FAMILY OF STILL MISSING WW II MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT ASKS DOD TO STOP USING HIS NAME – By Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes, January 12, 2021

IN DOD REVERSAL, AGENCY WILL ANALYZE REMAINS THOUGHT TO BE WW II’S FIRST MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT– By Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes, January 13, 2021

DOD STEPS BACK FROM DECISION TO DISINTER REMAINS BELIEVED TO BE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT – By Wyatt Olson, Stars and Stripes, April 14, 2021

(DPAA CONTRACTOR) BEHIND SOLDIER RECOVERY ORGANIZATION MUST PAY US GOVERNMENT $40,000 FOR EQUIPMENT SOLD ON EBAY – By Lauren Abbate, Bangor Daily News, May 28, 2021

FAMILIES UNHAPPY WITH PLANS FOR UNIDENTIFIED 85 USS ARIZONA CREW MEMBERS – By William Cole, Honolulu Star Advertiser, June 12, 2021 

FAMILIES UPSET WITH PLAN TO DISINTER AND MOVE 85 UNIDENTIFIED WWII SOLDIERS – By Bill Galluccio, iHeartRadio June 14, 2021 

IT’S TIME TO USE SCIENCE TO ITS FULL EXTENT TO IDENTIFY FALLEN AMERICAN SOLDIERS: The current system is costly and ineffective – By Editorial Board, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 28, 2021 

FAMILY HEARTBROKEN ALL OVER AGAIN AFTER ARMY SAYS WWII SOLDIER’S REMAINS STILL UNFOUND – By Susan Bromley, Hometown Life, May 12, 2022

A KOREAN WAR WALL OF REMEMBRANCE SET HUNDREDS OF ERRORS IN STONE – By Dave Philipps, New York Times, January 9, 2023

“ALL OF THEM NEEDED TO BE DEAD”- DPAA ignored the opinion of its own anthropologist, the findings of the U.S. government’s intelligence agency, aeronautical science, the Matejov family and even the North Vietnamese   – By Ralph Wetterhahn, VFW Magazine, February 21, 2023

LAWMAKERS FURIOUS OVER MISSPELT NAMES ON KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL – By Leo Shane III, Army Times, March 6, 2023

INTERNATIONAL ARTICLES

Copyright (C) 2012-2024 Chief Rick Stone & Family Charitable Foundation. All Rights Reserved

7 thoughts on “JPAC DPAA Command “Acutely Dysfunctional…Disgraceful””

  1. Disgusting, nauseating! As a patriotic American, veteran and TAXPAYER, I am shocked at the story of the “Arrivals Ceremonies” JPAC has been conducting and the fraud involved there. What were they thinking? Did they think they would not get caught? Was there any shame in their hearts over the fraud perpetrated on the American public? In my years in the military, I saw many episodes of unethical, immoral and illegal behavior, but this is over the top. What in the *&%$ is going on in JPAC? The story I read had interviewed a veteran who said “whoever is responsible should be reassigned”. Reassigned? REASSIGNED? You’ve got to be kidding me! They deserve a Courts Martial and to be tossed in jail. In the interim, assign them to Shemya, Alaska, pending the Courts Martial.

  2. A current member of JPAC recently sent an email that was passed on to many former members of JPAC who had left the organization in frustration over poor management, lack of leadership, and the way that JPAC has treated families of missing American servicemen and women. Here is the email altered to protect the sender and the recipients from further retaliation by JPAC and to direct the criticism to where it is deserved:

    “(JPAC management’s) performance (exposed) on CBS News was utterly disgusting. Slow rolling family members until they die?? Really??
    I have met many lowlifes in my decades of service to our Nation, but none lower than (JPAC’s management). None!
    My hope is that karma will deliver (JPAC management) to the public exposed for what (they) really are.”

    (Name and title withheld)

  3. As the son of a missing airman from 1942, I suspected problems with JPAC after attending two of their rather patronizing regional meetings. It is easier dealing directly with the French. They now care.

    Larry Smelser, son of Major Harold C.Smelser, whose B-17 from the 91st BBG and crew were never recovered after being shot down on November 23,1942 off the coast of France.

  4. I was taken by surprise concerning those who are to find and locate POW/MIA and the misuse of funds. My brother was killed in the Vietnam War, and I wanted to share the information with the many military sites I’m on. Thank you.

  5. We got word that my great uncle has been identified in a grave at
    Punchbowl. I just want to say thank you to Chief Stone and the foundation. My uncle will soon be buried in Independence Kansas. (I know Chief Stone was once an officer in Wichita) I have read a lot on Chief Stone and cannot thank him enough for his perseverance and push to get the government to do what was right and bring these men home.
    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
    Christie Malone

  6. How is it that the JPAC Commander from back in 2015 when JPAC was under fire and agreed that his organization was dysfunctional could retire only to be brought back as the highly paid civilian director of the new DPAA. All that was done was the name was changed and some people got promotions! Good work for our MIAs that has been exploited by the good old boy network

  7. This is to inform you that I have received our ‘Family Report’ as I had requested.
    Your prompt response truly amazes me! But then, so does the amount of information that
    you have somehow gathered and reported on. This is difficult to read, to be sure. However,
    I feel as though I know my Uncle, and an inkling of what he faced, in a different way. Who
    can truly imagine what an 18 year old young man could have faced in a time as that? Just
    unimaginable, to be honest.

    Your team is outstanding. That records can be withheld from you is something we cannot
    understand. That you continue to keep trying, and how you come to these detailed reports,
    shows your loyalty and devotion to our War Dead. How does one thank you for this?
    Though meager, my gratitude and prayers remain with you. God Bless your Christmas/and or
    just passed Hanukkah Holiday Seasons.

    Gratefully yours-

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