I had the privilege of visiting and getting a tour of The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam. Talk about a very moving experience. The work that they do is second to known in the world. The United States is the only country that actively searches for its unaccounted for. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel from past conflicts to their families and the nation. Within this mission, they search for missing personnel from World War II (WWII), the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and other recent conflicts. Their research and operational missions include coordination with hundreds of countries and municipalities worldwide.
At present, more than 81,600 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts. Out of the more than 81,600 missing, 75% of the losses are in the Indo-Pacific, and over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (i.e., ship losses, known aircraft water losses, etc.).
One thing everyone can do to help is if you have any family members that are missing from WWII or newer conflicts, is to give a DNA test. This will help them to identify the remains they find. They are only allowed to get DNA samples from families. Contact you casualty assistance office.
ACTIVE-DUTY SHORT-TERM VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Deployable active-duty military are needed to serve as qualified volunteers to fill critical functions across the globe. Volunteering to support humanitarian field activities as a short-term individual augmentee gives you an extraordinary opportunity to exercise your skills and expertise while directly supporting our nation’s promise to leave no one behind from past conflicts. Individuals interested in applying their skills and experience in a unique environment can volunteer for open positions supporting the US Military in foreign theaters.
-ECRAZZ
There are probably a decent amount of Guard and Reserve guys who would be interested as well. However, with no way for people to hit up a website and find out what slots are open, it becomes a matter of hitting the First Sgts office and hoping people are in a helpful mood. By the time an Ops Officer gets involved….
Anyway, I know plenty of guys willing to deploy, but a lot of them are now Guard or Reserve who are bored going to safety meeting and getting sensitivity training.
Here is their website. All you have to do is reach out. There is a section for volunteers
https://www.dpaa.mil/