Applying the Power of Partnerships to the Search for America's Missing in Action

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Applying the Power of Partnerships to the Search for America's Missing in Action" at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's mission is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel from past conflicts to their families and the nation. We search for missing personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and other recent conflicts. Our research and operational missions include coordination with countries and municipalities around the world, and also involves a growing number of partner organizations who work closely with the agency. DPAA has initiated and developed its partnerships program over just the past few years. This symposium offers a closer look at its results by opening a window into the efforts, and perspectives, of a select group of partners themselves. From university departments to cultural resource management firms, from the simple coordination of information to the complexity of launching massive field projects, from the involvement of accomplished scholars to passionate amateurs—the power of partnerships already excites. With more than 82,000 Americans still missing, however, we aim here to not only discuss the successes of the program but to also foster dialogue regarding how partnerships can be a sustainable and effective tool in the context of the accounting effort.