PAKSE, Laos –
Recovery Team 3, part of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s Joint Feld Activity 26-3LA, conducted recovery operations in Laos from March 6 to 30, 2026.
During the activity, the 13 joint service member team uncovered multiple pieces of evidence, including aircraft wreckage, life support equipment and possible remains.
“Despite facing extreme weather and logistical challenges, all 13 team members, hailing from every branch of service, came together and worked extremely hard to make our recovery operation a success,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Divid Huddleston, Team Sergeant for RT3 and a Short Term Individual Augmentee to DPAA from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron. “Over the course of a month spent working and living side-by-side, those shared hardships forged a lasting bond of fellowship that’s in keeping with the vey sprit of the DPAA mission to provide the fullest possible accounting of America’s missing to their families and the nation.”
The remains and evidence will be transported the laboratory at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence for further analysis and potential identification of a missing U.S. service member missing from the Vietnam War and ultimately providing answers to a family who are missing a loved one. “I think this is a beautiful mission we do out here, and we're coming out here to look for our own,” said Ally Campo, the Scientific Recovery Expert for RT3, while reflecting with the team on the importance of the DPAA mission and what they had accomplished during the joint field activity.
Campo, who is part of the DPAA Scientific Analysis Directorate, remarked on the significance of how the U.S. fought in the South-East Asia region during the Vietnam War and that the individual the team was looking for “gave the ultimate sacrifice,” but that time has changed and former enemies have joined hands in this humanitarian mission. “Now we can come out here and actually work alongside the locals to bring our own home,” said Campo.
While the team faced challenges due to unseasonable weather, they continued to work despite rough conditions and were aided by local workers from a village near the recovery site, who shared the work and also their culture. “One of my roles as a DPAA linguist is helping bridge cultural gaps, but I can’t do that alone,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Saowalak Wester, linguist for RT3 and part of the DPAA Indo-Pacific Directorate. “It’s always great to see our team members connecting with the local workers—they’re a huge part of what makes everything work at the site. Without their effort and support, moving large amounts of soil would be much harder and take a lot more time.”
At the end of the mission, both members of RT3 and Recovery Team 4, who shared the same basecamp, donated supplies that included cooking, cleaning, and toiletry items to the local village who assisted RT3 in its operation at its recovery site. Anthony Sepongviwat, a DPAA contractor with Shoulder 2 Shoulder, and team member with RT4, personally reached out and brought a large number of donated items for the villagers provided by War Thai of Hawaii, a Buddhist temple located in Pearl City, Hawaii.
“At the end of the mission, we like to give back with small gifts, food, candy, and essential items for the workers who’ve been out there with us for the past 30 days, rain or shine,” explained Wester. “It’s a simple way to show appreciation, but it also helps build strong relationships and sets the next team up for success.”
The team’s daily drive to the recovery site was always highlighted by the local village children’s warm embrace and when the opportunity presented itself the team was also able to engage with the local children and show America’s good will to the village with positive relations and candy, much like the historic candy drops of the Berlin Airlift.
“At the end of the day, these interactions show that we’re not just here for the mission—we care about the people too,” Wester noted. “It reflects our commitment to honoring both the fallen and local communities and really highlights the humanitarian side of what we do.”
RT3 ensured that the potential remains that were recovered and departed Laos to the United States received appropriate military honors through a Remembrance Ceremony in Pakse prior to the team’s departure from the country.
“Recovery missions in Laos are never easy, and this one was no exception,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Alex Avalos, Team Leader for RT3 and part of the DPAA Indo-Pacific Directorate. “Circumstances in the field prevented us from holding an official repatriation ceremony for the remains we recovered. Still, we upheld the enduring commitment to bring our POWs and MIAs from the Vietnam War home with honor. Though they may be gone, they are never forgotten.”
Before the team left their recovery site on the final workday, Campo shared with them a poem that she was inspired to write during the mission: “Winding roads, green rice paddies in the distance. A hand reaches out the truck, stretching to touch the long grass. Little kids excitedly wave as we drive by. The smell of nature in the cool breeze on my face. Whether rain, or blue skies above us, there's a purpose within us: To bring our own home. This is Laos as we know it.”