The VFW will not rest until we
achieve the fullest possible accounting of all missing American military
service members from all wars.
The numbers of unaccounted-for personnel are staggering, and the length of time
since they have been lost is extensive. Many will never be recovered because
the loss occurred over deep water or the eyewitnesses to the incidents have
long passed away.
The VFW encourages the U.S. government to continue its missing personnel
accounting efforts, and is directly engaged with other nations and their
veterans’ groups to urge their cooperation and assistance to obtain information
about missing Americans.
VFW national officers make annual trips to Pacific, Asian and European
countries where they always meet with senior host-country officials to stress
the importance of conducting investigation and recovery operations, as well as
gaining access to documents and archival research facilities.
Regarding overseas trips, the VFW
is the only veterans organization to return to Southeast Asia every year since
1991, to Russia since 2004, and now into China for the past few years. The VFW
open doors on a vet-to-vet level that makes us the envy of U.S. government
politicians and bureaucrats who must follow a strict protocol.
In January 2012 the VFW hosted a
six-member delegation from Russia’s largest veterans organizations, who came to
Washington to learn more about the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VFW also
hosted similar Russian delegations at a half dozen previous national conventions,
and did so again at our 113th National Convention in Reno.
In April, the VFW sponsored a
dinner to recognize six Bataan Death March survivors, and on June 8, VFW
representatives attended a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to
commemorate the 45th anniversary of Israel’s attack on the USS Liberty, along
with 10 ship survivors.
The VFW's Washington Weekly
e-Newsletter lists returned MIAs once their names are posted on the Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office’s website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/news_releases/.
Below are links highlighting the
VFW's efforts for the POW/MIA mission over the past year, to include ensuring
our fallen are properly cared for at Arlington National Cemetery and Dover Air
Force Base.
November 16, 2012
VFW Letter to the Editor Protects Full Accounting Mission
October 17, 2012
VFW
Overseas Initiative Helps POW/MIA Mission
September 21, 2012
Today
is POW/MIA Recognition Day
June 07, 2012
VFW
Applauds Arlington National Cemetery Improvements
May 29, 2012
VFW
Visits Chinese Military Archives
May 25, 2012
VFW
Commander to Join in National Memorial Day Observances
March 08, 2012
VFW
Discusses Issues with President
November 9, 2011
VFW
Statement on Dover AFB Mortuary Affairs
October 25, 2011
VFW
Thanks Russia for Renewed POW/MIA Support
September 30, 2011
VFW
Leadership in Washington
September 15, 2011
VFW
Asks America to Remember MIA Families
July 13, 2011
Opinion
Editorial: DOD Breaking Sacred Promise with POW/MIA Families
June 20, 2011
Medvedev
Appoints Russian Cochairman to Joint POW/MIA Commission
DOWNLOAD VFW'S POW/MIA AWARENESS BROCHURE