Recovery Missions in Remote Locations

Images depict teams sifting through earth and excavating sites in jungles, emphasizing efforts to recover missing U.S. personnel and their remains.

Capt. Valentine Roberts Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue Team Leader speaks with residents of Wainiha valley about their recovery efforts, April 17, 2018, Kauai, Hawaii. In response to the heavy rains and flooding on the the island of Kauai, the Hawaii National Guard was activated to assist in search and recovery efforts. A Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue team provided key reconnaissance manpower.

Members of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) build a screening station during a recovery operation in Santa Fe National Park, Panama, Sept. 28, 2022. DPAA personnel conducted recovery operations in Panama in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. Members assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agencys (DPAA) Recover Team and Laos national, excavate loose bricks during a recovery mission in Kham district, Xiengkhoang Province on Sept. 26, 2022. DPAA team members deployed to the area in hopes of recovering the remains of one pilot unaccounted for from the Vietnam Conflict.

U.S. Army Maj. Jacob McCorkle, a team leader assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), conducts dredge operations during an underwater recovery mission in Wewak, Papua New Guinea on Sept. 10, 2022. DPAA personnel arrived to conduct an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Members of a team assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) walk towards their helicopter in the East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea on Sep. 6 2022. The investigation team visited multiple areas across the mountainous East Sepik Province in hopes of recovering missing U.S. service members lost during World War II. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Capt. Valentine Roberts Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue Team Leader speaks with residents of Wainiha valley about their recovery efforts, April 17, 2018, Kauai, Hawaii. In response to the heavy rains and flooding on the the island of Kauai, the Hawaii National Guard was activated to assist in search and recovery efforts. A Hawaii Army National Guard Search and Rescue team provided key reconnaissance manpower.

Ms. Mindy Simonson, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Scientific Recovery Expert, and Ms. Nicole Rhoton, DPAA Historian, investigate possible aircraft wreckage in Ulingan village, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea on Oct. 6, 2022. DPAA leadership visited the investigation team (IT) in order to see first hand the unique dynamics of an IT and strengthen future operations. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Dan Geltmacher, range and training manager, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, leads a tour of Ulupau Crater Range for Professional Staff Members during a visit to MCBH, Sept. 8, 2022. The purpose of the visit was to discuss how the Navy and Marine Corps are training for future conflict in complex environments, as well as allowing the opportunity for a broader perspective on operations and contributions to national defense.

Operation Junior Expeditionary Team (OpJET), June 17, 2022, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. OpJET provides children the opportunity to see a mock deployment and gives them an idea what their parent experiences when they report for duty away from home, as well as the process when they return.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Carlos Diaz, an aircraft rescue fire-fighting specialist with the Marine Corps Air Stations Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit, gives a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program brief to the U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets during their visit to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, April 20, 2022. The cadets from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, California, and Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, also received an obstacle course demonstration, visited the air traffic control tower, and saw a static display on the flight line as part of a visit to the base to familiarize them with air-station operations and everyday life in the military.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Neil Ormerod, an instructor pilot assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, speaks to a group of Air Force Junior ROTC cadets from Osceola, Sumner and Jefferson High School at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, June 1, 2022. The students were invited to fly and tour the base as part of the Air Force Recruiting Services Aviation Inspired Mentorship program.

A civilian helps build shelter to keep the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) investigation team members out of the sun while screening for dirt at Erima, Rai Coast District, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, Oct. 4, 2022. The investigation team visited multiple areas across the coastal Madang Province in hopes of recovering missing U.S. service members lost during World War II. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Lt. Col. Brian Bosse, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Indo-Pacific Directorate SRT-1 Operations Chief, uses a metal detector to probe for subsurface metal contacts in Ulingan village, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea on Oct. 5, 2022. DPAA leadership visited the Investigation Team (IT) in order to see first hand the unique dynamics of an IT and strengthen future operations. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

U.S. Marines with 2d Reconnaissance Battalion, 2d Marine Division, French Marines with 33e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine, and Dutch Marines with Netherlands Marine Corps await for the winners of the highland games during Exercise Tres Kolos in Savaneta, Aruba, Oct. 22, 2022. This exercise promotes partnerships, shares knowledge, and enhances interoperability between the forces in order to strengthen our common defense, foster stability and defeat threats.

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (Jan. 22, 2022) - U.S. service members deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ) hold a command picnic. CLDJ serves as an expeditionary base for U.S. military forces providing support to ships, aircraft and personnel that ensure security throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. The base enables maritime and combat operations in the Horn of Africa while fostering positive U.S.-Africa relations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan Word)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Andres Iniguez, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recovery noncommissioned officer, shields himself from debris during a resupply in Santa Fe National Park, Panama Sept. 7, 2022. DPAA will be conducting recovery operations in Panama in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

From left: Boatswains Mate Chief Petty Officer Tyler Santos, Boatswains Mate Petty Officer 3rd Class Jaelin Haugabook and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme (NSWC PHD) Division Engineering Technician Chris Clenney work on an underway replenishment receiving station on the starboard side of USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) during a recent Combat Systems Assessment Team event at NSWC PHD.

Members from the Air Force Civil Engineering Center Geo-Integration Office and the 502nd Air Base Wing survey small unmanned aerial systems on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., September 27, 2022. AFCEC GIO, 502nd ABW and the 787th Civil Engineering Squadron captured high resolution imagery and 3D modeling of multiple hangars using innovative technology to save time, money and contribute to a safer working environment.

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Ana Escobar, an administration specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, paints a wooden bench at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2514, New Bern, North Carolina, April 20, 2022. The cleanup was part of the Single Marine Programs eighth annual Days of Service, where Marines volunteered around the air station.

U.S. Coast Guard DV2 David Blincoe, a Coast Guard diver assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), screens dirt as part of an underwater recovery mission in Wewak, Papua New Guinea on Sept. 07, 2022. DPAA personnel arrived to conduct an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Griffin Nosenzo, an explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), conducts research as part of an underwater recovery mission in Wewak, Papua New Guinea on Sept. 21, 2022. DPAA personnel conducted an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

NAVAL BASE GUAM, Santa Rita, Guam (Feb. 14, 2023) Navy Cargo Handling Battalion Sailors, operating under Commander, Task Force 75 and Marines from Combat Logistics Regiment 3, conduct a distributed littoral operational fuel transfer system (DLOFTS) evolution during Cope North 2023 at Naval Base Guam, Feb. 14, 2023. The multilateral training event brings together approximately 1,000 U.S. Airmen, Marines, and Sailors alongside 1,000 combined Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and French Air and Space Force service members. Exercises like Cope North enhance interoperability among the services and highlight their ability to conduct integrated airpower generation from dispersed locations across the Indo-Pacific Theater, demonstrating coalition airpower resilience and survivability in a contested environment.

Col. Andrew Kiser, commander, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, shows a group of senior DOD Civilians and military leaders with the Adaptive Planning and Execution Enterprise (APEX) how to eat a Meal Ready-to-Eat at Fort Carson, Colorado, Sept. 20, 2022. APEX is a program that helps newly appointed executives gain an enterprise-wide perspective on the challenges and opportunities currently facing DOD leaders.

Islanders watch a C-130 Hercules fly overhead during Operation Christmas Drop 2015 at Fais Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 8, 2015. A C-130 assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron delivered over 800 pounds of supplies to the island during the operation. This year marked the first ever trilateral Operation Christmas Drop where the Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force worked together to provide critical supplies to 56 Micronesian islands.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jacob Rickard, a landing support specialist with Task Force Koa Moana 22, I Marine Expeditionary Force, marks a measurement during the reconstruction of a pathway on Peleliu, Republic of Palau, July 27, 2022. The Marines and locals replaced the decaying stairs to provide visitors a safe passage to the Battle of Peleliu memorial at Umurbrogol Mountain, known as Bloody Nose Ridge. Exercises such as Task Force Koa Moana demonstrate U.S. commitment through routine operations that foster peace and security and develop relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

YIGO, Guam (Aug. 9, 2022) - Capt. Nicholas Simmons, commanding officer, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, speaks with war survivors following the Chaguian Memorial ceremony in Yigo, Aug. 8. The Chaguian memorial commemorates the discovery of a massacre site following the liberation of Guam from enemy forces during World War II.

U.S. Army Sgt. Austin Jacobs, a mountaineer with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), clears a path during a casualty evacuation drill in Santa Fe National Park, Panama, Sept. 7, 2022. DPAA will be conducting recovery operations in Panama in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. military personnel and civilians assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an underwater recovery mission in Papua New Guinea from August 26 to October 10, 2022. DPAA personnel arrived to conduct an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Air National Guard medical technicians assigned to the 126th Medical Squadron, O'Hare Field, Chicago, Ill. prepare to see the waiting Guyanese patients. The medical unit flew into Malali to provide aid to the local population as part of the first combined humanitarian and civic assistance exercise conducted between the United States and Guyana. Military personnel from Air Force, Air Force Reserve & National Guard, Army, Army National Guard and Marine Corps participated in the exercise which included engineering and medical readiness training. Subject Operation/Series: NEW HORIZON '97 Base: Malali Country: French Guiana (GUF)

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ian Swain, explosive ordinance disposal technician assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducts a metal detection sweep during a joint field activity (JFA) in Savannakhet Province, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, May 14, 2022. A DPAA investigation team searched for and surveyed several locations across the country, gathering key data in the process. Information from the JFA will be used to determine and prioritize future recovery missions. This was the agency's first investigation mission in the country in lieu of new COVID-19 guidelines. The last investigation took place in 2019. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Lance Cpl. Julius Stoudmire, a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, uproots weeds at the Missouri Botanical Gardens June 23, 2011. Marines gave back to St. Louis in multiple community service projects around the city as part of Marine Week.

Members of a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recovery team grab local food during a Papau New Guinea Independence Day celebration at Banak Village, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, Sep. 16, 2022. Members of the village of Banak put together a celebration in memorial of 1st. Lt. Gabriel J. Eggud whose remains were found and accounted for on a recovery mission in 2019. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Otterbacher, Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) mountaineer, screens soil during a recovery operation in Santa Fe National Park, Panama, Sept. 30, 2022. DPAA personnel conducted recovery operations in Panama in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Local villagers greet Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) teams with a traditional welcome parade during a Papau New Guinea Independence Day celebration at Banak Village, Papua New Guinea, Sep. 16, 2022. The village of Banak put together a celebration in memorial of 1st. Lt. Gabriel J. Eggud whose remains were found and then accounted for on a recovery mission in 2019. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

From left, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Anthonie Deyo, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Army senior enlisted advisor, walks with U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Richard Soto, a DPAA recovery team sergeant, during a mission in Quang Binh Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, March 30, 2023. There are currently 1,581 missing Americans from the Vietnam War.

U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 4 Harry Taylor, range officer, Ulupau Crater, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, speaks to Pacific Century Fellows during a visit to MCBH, May 4, 2022. As a part of their Military Day, PCF visited MCBH in order to learn about the bases relationship with the local community and to create a stronger connection for future problem solving.

U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Kevin Anderson, a Mountaineer with the Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), discusses operating procedures with other DPAA service members and service members of Panama Servicio Nacional Aeronaval Security Forces during a training event in Santiago, Panama, Sept. 3, 2022. DPAA will be conducting recovery operations in Panama through mid-December in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation.

Staff Sgt. Kailah Bacon, a team leader with the 773rd Civil Support Team, dons her protective gear before going into the hot zone to sample live chemical warfare agents during Exercise Toxic Valley 2022. Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense teams from 12 NATO nations participated in the exercise Sept. 5-16.The exercise, conducted at the CBRN Training and Testing Center Zemianske Kostolany in Slovakia, gives warfighters the opportunity to train sampling and identification of chemical warfare agents in realistic conditions. The Slovak Republic hosts the exercise to provide world-class training to members of the NATO alliance.

Recruits with Hotel Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, conduct physical training on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Jan. 16, 2024. PT serves to maintain physical fitness and combat readiness during recruit training and in the fleet.

A volunteer from Camp Courtney English School scoops dirt during a town beautification at Kin, Okinawa, Japan, May 21, 2022. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps' only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

HURRICANE KATRINA COAST GUARD. Pictures from the media. Hurricane Katrina

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joshua Huff, surface force independent duty corpsman assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), rides a canoe across a river during a joint field activity (JFA) in Savannakhet Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, May 18, 2022. A DPAA investigation team searched for and surveyed several locations across the country, gathering key data in the process. Information from the JFA will be used to determine and prioritize future recovery missions. This was the agency's first investigation mission in the country in lieu of new COVID-19 guidelines. The last investigation took place in 2019. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Anthony Worsley, Senior Enlisted member of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), uses a predator tool to expose subsurface metal contacts in Ulingan Village, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea on Oct. 5, 2022. DPAA leadership visited the Investigation Team (IT) in order to see first hand the unique dynamics of an IT and strengthen future operations. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Ahmed Ismail, the cultural advisor for the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron and the Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, applies an Arabic perfume sample to Senior Airman Daedree Amaya Wollaston, a cyber security specialist assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, during International Heritage Night September 2, 2022, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The intent of the event was to allow Airmen across the spectrum of diversity to come out and share their cultures.

Ahmed Ismail, the cultural advisor for the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron and the Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, applies an Arabic perfume sample to Senior Airman Daedree Amaya Wollaston, a cyber security specialist assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, during International Heritage Night September 2, 2022, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The intent of the event was to allow Airmen across the spectrum of diversity to come out and share their cultures.

DN-SN-89-02441. Base: USS Sumter (LST 1181) Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

Howard Mariteragi, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) life support investigator,sorts through materials during a DPAA recovery mission in England, April 27, 2022. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

A National Aeronautics and Space Administration member showcases a T-38 Talon static display to attendees during the Misawa Air Fest at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Sept. 11, 2022. The air show gave community members an opportunity to see various aircraft, meet military personnel and observe ground and aerial demonstrations, encompassing the power of the joint and bilateral forces. This years aerial demonstrations included the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35A Lightning II, Mitsubishi F-2, a CH-47J and UH-60 helicopter alongside a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon and U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler.

100430-M-3643B-003 U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jorge A. Dimmer a combat graphic reproduction specialist from Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., is placing a chalk line on a mural commemorating Marine Week Boston, April 30, 2010. A team of U.S. Combat Camera Marines, along with Gregg Bernstein from the Boston Mayor's Mural Crew, are creating the Marine-designed mural as part of a community outreach project for Marine Week Boston, May 3-9.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Isis Guerra, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recovery noncommissioned officer, screens soil during a recovery mission in Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Oct. 3, 2022. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

041209-M-9023R-079. Base: Marine Corps Base Hawaii State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Keegan Frandsen, a heavy equipment operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, and native of Idaho, poses for a photo after pouring concrete into a foundation footer at the Ban Prakaet school at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 12, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps

U.S. Sailors with the USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) visit the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore to assist with vegetation management during Maryland Fleet Week & Flyover Baltimore, Maryland, Sept. 8, 2022. Maryland Fleet Week & Flyover Baltimore is an annual public event that provides the opportunity for the U.S. sea services from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard to engage with each other and civilians. More than 2,300 service members participated in Maryland Fleet Week & Flyover Baltimore 2022 engaging and assisting with ship tours, live bands and static equipment displays.

Tracey Spencer from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Environmental Division, provides a tour to Stephen Woodall and Diederik Advocatt showcasing Parris Islands infrastructure and resiliency projects aboard MCRD Parris Island, S.C., Aug 26, 2022. The information shared will help inspire future resiliency programs on Hilton Head Island and will help strengthen local community relations. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Randall D. Whiteman)

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Gary Raymundo, a mission commander assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), left, and Joe Zadrozny, the Charge D Affaires, a.i., to Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, speak to personnel assigned to DPAA during underwater recovery mission in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 22, 2022. DPAA personnel conducted an underwater excavation operation in an effort to find a U.S. aircraft crew lost over Papua New Guinea during World War II. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

220816-N-IX644-1024 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 16, 2022) Mason Murawski, a civilian contractor, takes a cruisebook portrait aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) , Aug. 16, 2022. George H.W. Bush provides the national command authority flexible, tailorable warfighting capability as the flagship of a carrier strike group that maintains maritime stability and security to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

A U.S. service member with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), scales a rock-face during a casualty evacuation drill in Santa Fe National Park, Panama, Sept. 7, 2022. DPAA will be conducting recovery operations in Panama in hopes of finding missing naval aircrew members lost during a training flight in 1985. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Crew members assigned to USCGC Mohawk (WMEC 913) participate in a beach clean-up with 350 Côte dIvoire and local kids at Vridi Beach in Abidjan, Côte dIvoire, Aug. 15, 2022. Mohawk is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

240221-N-SY758-1046 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (Feb. 20, 2024) MC2 Ryan Hartman assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) volunteer at the Equi-Kids Horse Ranch, Feb. 20, 2024. George H.W. Bush is undergoing a planned incremental availability (PIA) to increase lethality and serviceability, and to complete preservation and upgrades for future operations. Navy

Marine Safety Unit - 26-HK-132-96. Hurricane Katrina

050225-F-5040D-116. Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA)

MSGT William Brandenburg and SSGT Scott Mulder, engineers assigned to the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron Engineering Squadron Nellis AFB, NV, unload donated school supplies at the Moruca Community Center, Moruca, Guyana. The supplies were donated by military members and private organizations from the United States, and given to the Kumaka Region School as part of the first combined humanitarian and civic assistance exercise conducted between the United States and Guyana. Military personnel from the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and National Guard, Army, Army National Guard and Marine Corps participated in the exercise which included engineering and medical.... Complete Scene Caption: MSGT William Brandenburg and SSGT Scott Mulder, engineers assigned to the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron Engineering Squadron Nellis AFB, NV, unload donated school supplies at the Moruca Community Center, Moruca, Guyana. The supplies were

221119-N-XN177-2290 PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 19, 2022) - Damage Controlman 1st Class Beny Martinez, from Hollywood, Florida, becomes a trusty shellback during the crossing the line ceremony aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) Nov. 19, 2022. Tripoli is underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet.

An American serviceman in civilian clothes helps a man with his bags at the Lungi Airport, just north of Freetown, Sierra Leone, after the arrival of a helicopter loaded with evacuees during Operation Sharp Edge. The civilians, who were evacuated from the midst of the civil war in Liberia, were processed aboard a U.S. Navy ship off the coast of Liberia before being flown to Sierra Leone. Subject Operation/Series: SHARP EDGE Base: Lungi Country: Sierra Leone (SLE)

Army Staff Sgts. David Kwasnik, Austin Bean, and Kyle Dallman, 2nd Brigade, 11th Airborne Division, break for a sandwich on Colony Glacier June 13, 2022, while part of the team working to recover the remains of 52 passengers and crewmembers, and wreckage of an Air Force C-124 Globemaster aircraft that crashed Nov. 22, 1952, near Mount Gannett, Alaska. Soldiers assigned to the Alaska Army National Guard discovered the debris on June 10, 2012, during a routine Black Hawk helicopter training mission on Colony Glacier nearly 14 miles from where the plane first crashed. (Army photo/John Pennell)

DIEGO GARCIA, British Indian Ocean Territory - Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) 1st Class Juan Coello, assigned to U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, poses for a portrait Feb. 5, 2024. NSF Diego Garcias mission is to provide critical support to U.S. and allied forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean, while supporting multi-theater forces operating in the CENTCOM, AFRICOM, EUCOM and PACOM areas of responsibilities in support of overseas contingency operations. Navy

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Lucas Cristaldi, 23rd Contracting Squadron contracting officer, and John Diaz, local logistics contractor, shake hands outside a row of tents in the Republic of Palau, Nov. 2, 2022. The continued collaboration between the 23rd Wing and Palau contractors exemplifies the Pacific Air Forces vision to ensure the Indo-Pacific is a free and open region comprised of nations adhering to the international rules-based order.

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. (Jul. 23, 2022) Hospital Corpsman Melanie Kitching from Mountain Home, Idaho assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 tests the water quality to see if its acceptable for human consumption during the light weight water purification system setup and use exercise during Operation Turning Point, also known as their Field Training Exercise. Operation Turning Point is an around-the-clock exercise that focuses on constructing advanced bases while maintaining proficiency in tactics and survivability. NMCB 1 is homeported out of Gulfport, Miss. They are conducting an intense homeport training plan to expand their ability to execute construction, humanitarian assistance, and theater operations.

040805-F-1351B-076. Base: Sadr City State: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM

PEARL CITY, Hawaii - A community liaison officer from Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, left, shares information about the Navys Drinking Water Long-Term Monitoring program with a Sailor during at the Pearl City Peninsula Navy Exchange minimart in Pearl City, Hawaii, Jan. 11, 2024. The Navy hosts the monthly booth at various locations to keep the public informed about the program, and how to read drinking water results on the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Safe Waters website.

Volunteers from the Greek U.S. embassy pick up trash at a port near Elefsina as part of a community outreach event between service members aboard the USNS Trenton (T-EPF 5), the Hellenic Marine Environmental Protection Association, and the U.S. Embassy on November 25, 2022. Marines assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, embarked aboard USNS Trenton (T-EPF 5) to improve interoperability while refining the U.S. capability to rapidly deploy forces aboard U.S. Navy expeditionary fast transport vessels.

U.S. Marines with a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Course prepare to shallow water grapple during a MCMAIC culminating event, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oct. 06, 2022. The purpose of the MCMAIC culminating event was to challenge and test the course participants on both MCMAP techniques and endurance before becoming a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor.

NASSAU, The Bahamas (April 3, 2022) - Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (Electrician) Jandavy Eseque, left, and Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Heather Wessel, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) volunteer at The Bahamas Red Cross center to help plant vegetables for the Community Resilience and Food Security Pilot Program, April 3. Porter, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is currently in the U.S. 2nd Fleet area of operations to conduct routine certifications and training.

Sgt. Maj. Robin C. Fortner (Ret.) holds up a photo from within the time capsule on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island S.C., May 5, 2022. Fortner buried multiple items as the Battalion Sergeant Major in 2012 at the time of the celebration.

Airmen with the 96th Medical Group Airmen begin building a wash tent during a decontamination exercise April 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The chemical/biological exercise was part of required home station training for Airmen medics. Approximately 20 medics completed the three-day training course.

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Carl Clegg, public affairs specialist with the South Carolina Air National Guards 169th Fighter Wing interviews Colombian Air Force Col. Pedro Vega, Air Combat commander, during Relampago VII, an exercise in Barranquilla, Colombia, Sept. 7, 2022. The purpose of this exercise is to provide the Colombian Air Force with requested realistic interoperability training as allied countries, under NATO standards. South Carolina is Colombias State Partner in the State Partnership Program.

Memphis, Tenn. (June 15, 2022) Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a native of Duxbury, Massachusetts, assigned to the Navy Office of Community Outreach, trims bushes while volunteering with Memphis City Beautiful during Memphis Navy Week. Memphis Navy Week is one of 14 Navy Weeks in 2022, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America's Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people -- about half the U.S. population.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, for tours, discussions with local officials

Special Agent Kevin Miles, the FBI post blast school instructor, points out a booby trap at the edge of the road during the first day of the post-blast investigation scenario, Sept. 28, on the Eglin Air Force Base range. The investigations were part of the FBI's large vehicle post blast school attended by state and local law enforcement agencies as well as Navy and Air Force explosive ordnance disposal technicians. Three vehicles were blown up to create the crime scenes that students would investigate. The week-long course was the second held on Eglin with 67 students representing 18 different U.S. agencies.

Philippine city officials, service members with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippines National Police, Philippines Coast Guard Auxiliary, and U.S. Special Operations Task Force 511.2 participate in a flood cleanup at barangay Santa Maria in Zamboanga, Philippines, Nov. 13, 2022. Personnel from multiple organizations supported the flood cleanup by providing waste trucks, water, and lunch for children in the community. Our continued, face-to-face interactions with allies and partners are the foundation of our bilateral relationships, creating confidence in the region that we are going to be there when times are good, but also when times are bad.

Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Hyson, the senior enlisted advisor for the 7th Mission Support Command and Maj. McVay Chambers, the Deputy Chief of Staff - Engineers remove debris from the grounds of the Landstuhl Army Fisher House during a unit-sponsored community-service project, Thursday, July 7, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Sept. 1, 2022) - U.S. Navy Sailors participate in a beach clean-up during a community outreach event at Rove Childrens Park in support Pacific Partnership 2022. Now in its 17th year, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is a unifying mission that fosters enduring friendships and cooperation among many nations. The years mission in Solomon Islands will include participants from the United States, Japan and Australia.

Ms. Esther Sablan, 36th Wing executive director of plans, programs and readiness, gives a quality of life tour of the installation to Matthew M. Mihelcic, commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 30, 2022. VFW is an organization comprised of 1.5 million eligible veterans and military service members from all six branches of the armed forces.

U.S. Marines unveil a Gold Star Families Memorial monument in Hagatna, Guam on July 21, 2022. This monument honors the families of servicemen and women from Guam and surrounding Pacific Islands, who made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives while serving in the military.

120528-N-KS651-068 CEBU, Philippines (May 28, 2012) Boatswains Mate 1st Class Christopher Haywood, left, and Gunners Mate 1st Class Vincent Delisi, both assigned to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), clear overgrown bushes from the Childrens Shelter of Cebu during a community service event. Pearl Harbor and embarked Marines attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are on deployment conducting operations in the 7th fleet area of responsibility as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group.

U.S. Soldiers with the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade host a Spouse Lift event for spouses of the brigades Soldiers. Spouses were given tours of the brigades flight facilities and flights in CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as a token of appreciation for their support. The event was held at the brigades flight facilities at Muir Army Airfield at Fort Indiantown Gap and John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport at Johnstown. Participants at Fort Indiantown Gap were given flights around the greater Harrisburg, Hershey and Blue Mountain area. Participants at Johnstown were given flights around the scenic Laurel Highlands of the Alleghenies.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

From left to right, U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Lyka Cubolfrancisco, from Guam, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Solomon Jose, from San Diego, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Camille Erespe, fro Sacramento, California, paint a Pacific Partnership mural on the side of the Palau National Olympic Committee gym in Koror, Palau, during Pacific Partnership 2024-1, Jan. 4, 2024. Pacific Partnership, now in its 19th iteration, is the largest multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific and works to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, for tours, discussions with local officials

Members from the Government of Guam and military officials from agencies on the island pay their respects after laying a wreath during the Sumay Memorial Ceremony, on Naval Base Guam, June 20, 2022. Sumay was the first village attacked by the Japanese on December 8, 1941 and no longer exists as a village today.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Liszewski, left, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and leaders of Okinawa observe the Futenma Flight Line Fair on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 1, 2022. Status of Forces Agreement personnel and local nationals attended Marine Corps Community Services fair to see local vendors, participate in games, and watch live music performances; helping to form a stronger alliance between the United States and Japan.

Katie Rubin, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) scientific recovery expert, checks the distance between two spots during a recovery mission in Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Jan. 17, 2023. Recovery teams search for missing U.S. personnel from previous conflicts in foreign countries. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

U.S. Air Force Captain Martinez with Joint Task Force-Bravo worked side-by-side with the locals to aid and inoculate nearly 80 cows thus encouraging food stability for the region. (U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jaylen Molden)

DF-ST-89-10711. Base: Seoul Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

220526-O-NR876-654SATTAHIP, Thailand (May 26, 2022) A Royal Thai Navy diver and Navy Diver 1st Class John Ahnen, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, pose for a photo while participating in a marine habitat clean up and restoration during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2022. CARAT Thailand is an annual bilateral naval exercise between the U.S. Navy and Royal Thai Navy. Thailand has been part of the CARAT exercise series since 1995. Now in its 28th year, the CARAT series comprises multiple multinational exercises, designed to enhance U.S. and allied and partner navies abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Capt. Dean Logan, KC-135 Instructor Pilot and Wing Executive Officer, 117th Air Refueling Wing, gives a tour of the KC-135 to Southern Museum of Flight members during May UTA at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Ala. May 14, 2022.

041030-M-3843C-039. Base: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Country: Thailand (THA)

Director of US Southcom Exercises and Coalition Affairs, Mr. Kevin J. Bostick, meets with forces training at Belizean Police Academy for Tradewinds 2022. Tradewinds 2022 is a multinational exercise designed to expand the Caribbean regions capability to mitigate, plan for, and respond to crises; increase regional training capacity and interoperability; develop new and refine existing standard operating procedures (SOPs); enhance ability to defend exclusive economic zones (EEZ); and promote human rights and adherence to shared international norms and values; fully integrate women into defense, peace and security missions; and increase maritime domain awareness to deter illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities.

Ms. Camela Owens, a a command cyber-security manager and operations supervisor with Service Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, is presented an award during her award and retirement ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California Feb. 27, 2024. The ceremony was held in honor of Owen who honorably dedicated 39-years in a federal government career. Marine Corps

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