Nation will not forsake missing Published June 30, 2003 By Rudi Williams American Forces Press Service ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) -- The quest to account for missing servicemen from the Vietnam, Korean and Cold Wars and World War II "is unwavering, untiring and will not fail." That is what Jerry D. Jennings said during the 34th annual National League of Families conclave here June 27. The war against terrorism, including Afghanistan and Iraq, will not diminish the nation's efforts to account for the missing from past conflicts, said Jennings. He is the deputy assistant secretary of defense for prisoner of war and missing personnel affairs and director of the defense POW and missing in action office. Missing servicemembers will not be forsaken to take care of those in harm's way today, he said. "Our mission of the fullest possible accounting has not and will not be diminished by combat operations around the world," Jennings said. He told the gathering of other loved ones of missing servicemen that Congress has made clear its desire that the mission to account for the missing will not be cut. "In fact," he said, "much of our field work and resources have actually increased because Congress supports our mission. And they've also specified that the manpower and the budget of (the POW/MIA office) will not be touched." The office has more than 600 people of different specialties working every day around the world to account for the more than 88,000 Americans missing from all conflicts, Jennings said. "In another new initiative, I've invited senior policy-level representatives from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to attend POW/MIA consultations in Bangkok, Thailand, in October," Jennings told the audience. "We plan to discuss lessons learned from the past, craft strategies to advance the effort in Southeast Asia and forge together a vision for the future." Jennings said he foresees the countries exchanging ideas, fostering greater cooperation and ultimately getting the answers to America's and the families' questions about the missing. The office is also planning a veteran-to-veteran exchange in Southeast Asia. "American veterans organizations have already offered support for this initiative," he said. "We're appreciative of their willingness to join with us in what we believe will be a very productive initiative." American efforts to press for greater cooperation continue beyond Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia into Russia and other countries, Jennings said. He said efforts are underway to allow declassification of some Russian military records from the Vietnam War era. "In recent months, the Russians have provided us with excerpts of classified materials that we're correlating with our own records relating to American loss incidents," Jennings said. "Unfortunately, as long as nations have disagreements, there will be wars," he said. "We're not finished until the job is done to bring home every American warrior.”