POW/MIA Awareness

1. THIS MARADMIN DISCUSSES THE DOD PRISONER OF
WAR/MISSING IN ACTION (POW/MIA) PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM AND
SOLICITS SUPPORT FOR THE 2003 NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY.
2. TRADITIONALLY, NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY CEREMONIES ARE
HELD DURING THE THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER. IT IS EXPECTED THAT
PRESIDENT BUSH WILL SIGN A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING 19 SEPTEMBER 2003
AS NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY. ALL FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR,
MILITARY AND CIVILIAN, AND THOSE WHO REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR, SHOULD
BE HONORED BY ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY. 
THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE MADE EXTRAORDINARY
SACRIFICES ON BEHALF OF THEIR COUNTRY.
3. 901 MARINES REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM WARS IN KOREA (660) AND
SOUTHEAST ASIA (241), AS WELL AS THOUSANDS MORE FROM PREVIOUS
CONFLICTS. THE UNITED STATES EXPENDS MORE EFFORT TO RESOLVE
UNACCOUNTED FOR CASES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. NATIONAL
POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO HONOR THESE
MARINES. COMMANDS ARE URGED TO EXPAND PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND
AWARENESS OF THIS ISSUE BY: 
A. ACTIVELY CONDUCTING, PROMOTING, AND PARTICIPATING IN
POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY CEREMONIES. EXTENDING INVITATIONS TO FORMER
PRISONERS OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION FAMILY MEMBERS IS HIGHLY
ENCOURAGED. DECISIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERS TOWARD PARTICIPATION WILL
BE RESPECTED.
B. FLYING THE POW/MIA FLAG AT ALL COMMANDS ON THE FOLLOWING
DAYS: ARMED FORCES DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, FLAG DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY,
NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY, AND VETERANS DAY. THE FLAG MAY BE
PURCHASED FROM THE U.S. FLAG & SIGNAL COMPANY, P.O. BOX 62205,
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23462, COM: (757) 497-8947.
C. ESTABLISHING A DISPLAY/MEMORIAL HONORING POW/MIA PERSONNEL.
D. DISCUSSING POW/MIA ISSUES DURING CODE OF CONDUCT TRAINING,
NOTING THAT EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO REPATRIATE OUR
SERVICEMEMBERS SHOULD THEY BECOME PRISONERS OF WAR OR BE DECLARED
MISSING.
E. ENSURING THAT OUR GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING EFFORTS AND PROGRESS
IN THE ACCOUNTING PROCESS ARE PUBLICIZED IN SPEECHES AND INTERNAL
MEDIA. SUGGESTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
(1) DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS, THE REMAINS OF TWO
MARINES PREVIOUSLY UNACCOUNTED FOR DURING WORLD WAR II AND THE
REMAINS OF ONE MARINE FROM THE KOREAN WAR WERE RECOVERED,
IDENTIFIED, RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES, AND LAID TO REST WITH FULL
MILITARY HONORS. 
(2) ONGOING RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM ARE EXPECTED TO
FOSTER GREATER COMMUNICATION WITH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TO ENSURE THE
FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNTING. OUR EFFORTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA CONTINUE
TO REVEAL ANSWERS LONG AWAITED BY THE FAMILIES OF UNACCOUNTED FOR
AMERICANS FROM THIS CONFLICT.
(3) EFFORTS CONTINUE WITH NORTH KOREA TOWARD THE GOAL OF
RETURNING THE REMAINS OF ALL UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM THE KOREAN WAR. 
(4) THE US/RUSSIAN JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS HAS
MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN DETERMINING THE FATE OF AMERICANS LOST
IN THE COLD WAR THROUGH INTERVIEWS, INVESTIGATIONS, ARCHIVAL
RESEARCH, AND RUSSIAN PRESS RELEASES.
(5) DURING THE PAST YEARS, IN ADDITION TO EFFORTS IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA AND KOREA, U.S. TEAMS TRAVELED TO BRAZIL, THE
PHILIPPINES, THE NETHERLANDS, AUSTRIA, NORWAY, PAPUA, AND NEW
GUINEA TO ENSURE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNTING. 
(6) THE MARINE CORPS CONTINUES TO CONDUCT AN EXTENSIVE
OUTREACH PROGRAM TO CONTACT THE FAMILIES OF MARINES UNACCOUNTED FOR
FROM ALL PAST CONFLICTS.
4. IN REMEMBERANCE OF THESE MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES, IT IS WITH
PROFOUND RESPECT AND APPRECIATION THAT WE SINGLE OUT THOSE WHO MADE
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE BUT HAVE YET TO BE RETURNED HOME.