One team, one mission

U.S. service members work with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic at a wet screen station March 16, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. The Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency works with other countries to recover America’s missing heroes. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

U.S. Army Sgt. Lee Ritterbeck, 303D Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion communications NCO, screens sediment with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic March 16, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. Service members from all branches of the armed forces work with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency to recover America’s missing heroes. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

U.S. Army Sgt. Lee Ritterbeck, 303D Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion communications NCO, works with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to clean out a wet screen station March 16, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. The purpose of a wet screen station is to sift through excavated sediment to locate material evidence and possible osseous material. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

Jack Kenkeo, Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency life support investigator (LSI), screens sediment with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic March 16, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. The screening of sediment is a key part of the DPAA mission because it can reveal if any remains of America’s missing heroes are present. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

Traci VanDeest, Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency anthropologist, screens sediment with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic March 16, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. Missions with DPAA in other countries involve frequent interaction with the citizens of those countries. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Franois Sangiamvongse, Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action analyst and Lao linguist, speaks with citizens of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic March 24, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. Partnerships with different countries guarantee mission continuity with DPAA of returning America’s missing heroes home. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)

U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Matthew Chamberlain, Naval Information Operations Command Hawaii yeoman, excavates with a citizen of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic March 24, 2017, in the Khommouon province in the country of Laos. Partnerships with different countries guarantee mission continuity with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency of returning America’s missing heroes home. The mission of DPAA is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lynette M. Rolen/Released)