Laboratory Support Services

The Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducts global research, investigation, recovery, and laboratory operations to identify and account for unaccounted-for Department of Defense (DoD) personnel from past conflicts. These efforts support the DoD personnel  accounting mission.

DPAA was established on January 30, 2015; however, its predecessor organizations have supported the personnel accounting mission for decades. DPAA operates a satellite laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, which opened in June 2013. DPAA also maintains permanent detachments that support host-nation access, logistics, and in-country requirements for investigation and recovery operations. These detachments include Detachment 1 in Bangkok, Thailand; Detachment 2 in Hanoi, Vietnam; Detachment 3 in Vientiane, Laos; and Detachment Europe in Miesau, Germany.

DPAA Scientific Analysis (SA), also referred to as the DPAA laboratory, is a large and diverse forensic skeletal laboratory staffed by forensic anthropologists, archaeologists, and odontologists. The laboratory performs scientific analysis to support the identification of missing personnel. In 2003, the laboratory became the second Federal laboratory to achieve accreditation under the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) International Standards Program. Laboratory accreditation supports the DoD Defense Forensic Enterprise program and is consistent with DoD Directive 5110.10, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

DPAA regional directorates, including the Indo-Pacific (IP) Directorate and Europe-Mediterranean (EM) Directorate, conduct complex historical research and archaeological analysis in support of recovery, investigation, and disinterment missions. The regional directorates plan and execute field investigations and recovery operations worldwide. The Partnerships and Innovations Directorate supports these global field operations.

This contract supports DPAA laboratory and regional-directorate requirements necessary to advance the Agency’s mission of accounting for as many missing service members as feasible each year. DPAA’s planning objective is to maintain the capacity and capability to account for 200 or more individuals annually.