GERMANY –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues to refine its operations to improve efficiency in its mission to provide the fullest possible accounting for missing U.S. personnel.
The DPAA Europe-Mediterranean Detachment, also known as the EM Detachment, recently implemented significant upgrades to its warehouse operations, introducing a new QR code-based inventory system designed to streamline tracking and accountability.
“We realized a long time ago that a regular Excel file just wasn’t meeting the needs of our mission,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joy Tredway, DPAA Europe Deputy Director. “Our NCOs took the lead and developed a QR code system that has completely changed how we manage inventory.”
Previously, personnel relied on spreadsheets to track the movement of equipment. Inventory updates lacked real-time accountability, and accuracy. The check-out and check-in of nearly 500 unique warehouse items were lost until a post-season update comprising of two to three warehouse personnel took place. These updates took several weeks to complete each year. The new system generates a unique QR code for every kind of item and then accounts for the exact quantity of each of those items, a number easily in the hundreds of thousands. Each QR code is then printed and posted like a label on every shelf or bin in the warehouse. Personnel use their personal or official cell phone to open the app and scan every time as it moves in and out of the warehouse. The phone app will beep when it recognizes the QR code, signaling users to add or subtract the ever-changing inventory valued at nearly $1 million. This transition has perfected accuracy, minimized manual errors, and increased overall efficiency.
Building on the system’s success, the EM Detachment is now exploring opportunities to expand the technology to DPAA warehouse operations in Hawaii.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve and share solutions that benefit the entire agency,” Tredway added.
In addition to warehouse improvements, the detachment upgraded its transportation capabilities by replacing its box truck with a newly retrofitted cargo van. The updated vehicle features custom shelving and increased capacity, allowing it to transport up to eight transfer cases, two more than the previous system.
The smaller cargo van also offers greater mobility across Europe’s narrow roadways, enabling access to locations that were previously difficult or impossible to reach. This increased flexibility enhances daily operations between disinterment sites, mortuaries, and storage facilities.
In the past, missions requiring transport of more than six transfer cases often depended on contracted commercial line haul services. The new vehicle eliminates that requirement, saving the agency thousands of dollars annually while improving reliability and control over operations.
Disinterment operations remain a core component of the EM Detachment’s mission, spanning 14 cemeteries across seven European countries and North Africa. These missions present unique logistical challenges, including navigating varying international laws and transportation requirements.
“For each country, we have to work through different regulations to conduct investigations, recover remains, and complete disinterments,” said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jean Rodriguez, EM Detachment NCOIC. “Once evidence is released, we coordinate transport, sometimes driving or flying, to bring it back to the detachment for processing and storage until the next MILAIR movement.”
As technology continues to evolve, DPAA remains committed to adapting and improving its processes, ensuring every step forward supports its enduring mission to account for those still missing and provide answers to their families.