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Volume 9 Issue 38
DPAA hosts POW/MIA recognition Senior Airman Apryl Hall
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Personnel from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), along with members of the community, veterans and other special guests — including Consulates General of Japan, Philippines, Australia, Republic of Korea and New Zealand — observed National POW/MIA Recognition Day during a ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Sept. 21. More than 250 people attended this year’s ceremony, which was hosted by DPAA. The hourlong event recognized the sacrifices of Americans who have been prisoners of war, and honored those who are still missing in action. DPAA’s mission is to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing service members to their families and the nation. The agency has positively identified 191 service members to date in 2018. Among those fortunate family members who were able to bring their loved one home this year were Retired Col. Charles McDaniel Jr. and his brother. “I have to commend DPAA and the associated agencies,” McDaniel Jr. said. “They get it. You have to realize that, even when you’re not thinking about (it),
Photo by Staff Sgt. Leah Ferrante
Members from a local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter lay a wreath during a ceremony for National POW/MIA eco nition a at the National Memorial emeter o the Pacific, onolulu, Sept. 2 . there is a whole bunch of people that are very talented and very serious about finding things. To all those who are saying, ‘No man left behind,’ God bless you.” Following the official ceremony, the McDaniel brothers placed a rosette by their father ’s name on the memorial wall of nearly 30,000 names who are missing, symbolizing he has been found. “I waited 68 years for
this,” McDaniel Jr. said, holding up his father ’s identification tags. “I wasn’t sure it would ever come. I’m trying to show how important this moment is for lots of people, not just me. Sixty-eight years is a long time, but it happened. So don’t give up.” The ceremony featured guest speakers Rear Adm. (Ret.) Peter Gumataotao, director of the Daniel K. Inouye
ROK-US alliance continues Story and photo by Master Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay Seventh Air Force Public Affairs Members of the Republic of Korea’s Air Force Public Affairs (ROKAF/ PA ) l e a d e r s h i p t e a m traveled to Pacific Air Force (PACAF) Head quarters to conduct periodic PA cooperation training Sept. 11-13. During the visit, aimed at facilitating relationships and dialogue between ROKAF/PA and their U.S. counterparts, Col. Sang-ky Lee, chief of Public Affairs, ROKAF/ HQ and Capt. Sang-bum Nam, ROKAF/PA officer, received an introduction in the missions of PACAF/PA and Seventh Air Force (7th AF).
“I really wanted to focus on the PA mission and our core capabilities as a PA office,” said Capt. James Moore, PACAF/PA. “Including strategic communication and the guiding principles that are provided by our commander.” In addition to providing context into the way Air Force PAs communicate, the purpose of the visit was to foster an environment to enhance PA cooperation discussions, facilitate dialogue, and to share best practices as the U.S. and ROK continue to pursue peace on the peninsula. “One of my most memorable experiences was during my time working in the ROK Ministry of Defense PA during a crisis. What made it bearable was the relationships I built with U.S. PAs,” Lee said.
“When needle meets the needle, that’s when needle action and real production happens and I’m glad I get the opportunity to help do that before it’s needed.” During the meeting, Lee and Nam, also met with professionals from the PACAF/PA, PACAF Band, PACAF historian, Indo-Pacific Command, 7th AF, and the Korean international affairs liaison, and discussed future ways to engage on the Korean Peninsula. PACAF and INDOPACOM senior PA leaders expressed the importance of communicating in an integrated, synchronized, and purposeful way to build a united PA system capable of achieving common operational goals in case of emergencies and bilateral operations.
.S. ir orce t. ol. Me an Scha er, P P director and Na apt. William a a, IN P M pu lic a air o ficer, rie epu lic o orea ir orce ol. San u ee, chie o P , a out the importance o trate ic communication at P , Sept. .
Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, and M c D a n i e l J r. , s o n o f U.S. Army Master Sgt. Charles McDaniel Sr., who was recently identified amongst the 55 boxes of remains DPAA received from North Korea in August. “On behalf of all of us at the Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency, we are honored to have you here with us as we pause in our busy lives to
remember and acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of these U.S. military personnel,” said Rear Adm. Jon Kreitz, DPAA deputy director. “They forfeited their individual freedoms and liberty as prisoners of war or lost their lives and remain unaccounted for.” M c D a n i e l J r. s p o k e about what the day means to him. “I am humbled this morning,” McDaniel Jr.
said. “I cannot even begin to tell you how inadequate I feel, to deal with my emotions of the last few weeks, but yet my emotions certainly are no different than so many other hundreds of thousands of people who have lost loved ones.” In addition to guest speakers, the ceremony also featured a wreath presentation, rifle salute and the reading of the names of U.S. service members who have been identified and returned home since last year’s observance. National POW/MIA Recognition Day began in 1986. Every year since, the president of the United States issues a proclamation commemorating the holiday on the third Friday of September. While National POW/ MIA Recognition Day is observed just once a year, the commitment to achieve full accounting of missing personnel is a year-round mission for DPAA personnel. “In dutifully serving this noble mission, every day is POW/MIA Recognition Day for each of us at DPAA and our accounting community partners,” said Kelly McKeague, DPAA director. “But may the day itself especially remind us of why our commitment must be resolute and our efforts tenacious.” To fulfill our nation’s promise, DPAA continually strives to recover, repatriate and identify these heroes, for they are not forgotten.
dm. Philip a id on, commander, .S. Indo Pacific ommand, reet oe oc e , u tralian am a ador to the .S., durin a reception, Sept. .
US, Australian Sailors celebrate ‘100 years of mateship’ Story and photo by MC2 Charles Oki Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs Sailors from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and the Hobart-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart (DDG 39) celebrated 100 years of mateship during a reception aboard Wayne E. Meyer and Hobart at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Sept. 18. Mateship is an Australian cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship and derives from mate, meaning friend, commonly used in Australia. The 100 years of mateship signifies the partnership of American and
Australian armed forces when they first fought alongside one another during World War I at the Battle of Hamel, July 4, 1918. “Mateship is standing by each other through the darkest of hours, being honest with each other, being loyal to each other and -when anyone is under threat- we fight,” said the Honourable Joe Hockey, Australian ambassador to the United States. “Today, I stand proudly with the crew and all Australians in saying that mateship is ac tually more about the next 100 years than 100 years we’ve endured together. I look forward to challenges in the years ahead.” Since the battles on the Western Front, the
U.S. and Australia have fought alongside in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the global war on terroism. “I am so proud to see the Hobart here in Pearl H a r b o r, ” s a i d A d m . Philip Davidson, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. “It is an alliance of history and an alliance that is going to define our collective futures together in the region and for the entirety of the region’s benefit as well. I couldn’t be more proud to be alongside mates like Australia.” The evening ended with a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band and the Hobart’s ceremonial guard conducted a ceremonial sunset gun salute.