CRYSTAL CITY, Va. –
Marking a historic milestone in a decades-long partnership, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency hosted the Lao People’s Democratic Republic POW/MIA delegation for the fiscal year 2026 Consultative and Technical Talks in Crystal City, Virginia, from Aug. 10 to 14, 2026.
These bilateral talks usually occur annually in Laos; however, this event establishes a triennial cycle where every third year the talks transition to the United States and are led by the DPAA deputy director for operations.
This year’s iteration, led by U.S. Navy Capt. Meghan Bodnar, marked the first time the Lao POW/MIA delegation has traveled to the continental United States for the engagement.
“This vital engagement between the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and Laos’s POW/MIA official delegation reaffirmed the strategic commitment of both nations to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing U.S. service members and bring them home and further strengthened the relationship between the U.S. and Lao POW/MIA teams,” said Bodnar.
The strategic talks were designed to facilitate discussions on the prioritization of joint field activities, policy updates, and other critical objectives necessary to advance the agency’s mission in Southeast Asia. The Vietnam War remains DPAA’s top priority, and Laos is a vital partner, providing the support necessary to advance the agency’s mission in challenging environments.
“The Southeast Asia Consultative and Technical talks are a creative and innovative way to strengthen DPAA and the Laos POW/MIA relationship,” said Chris Phelps, DPAA Indo-Pacific director. “It sustains a long-lasting partnership with roots starting in 1985, leading to over 170 joint field operations in pursuit of the fullest possible accounting.”
During the talks, DPAA and its humanitarian partners reinvigorated their strategic plan of action. Discussions focused on securing access to difficult-to-reach sites in dense jungle terrain, refining research strategies to advance investigations, and coordinating the ground and air resources required to maximize the operational footprints of Joint Field Activities.
“The engagement fostered excellent collaboration between the DPAA and the Lao POW/MIA Committee, bolstering trust, communication, and a shared operating picture to advance our fullest possible accounting mission,” Phelps said. “The talks also served as a critical forum to address upcoming DPAA operational budget cuts with our Lao counterparts ahead of FY27 beginning on Oct. 1, 2026.”
Operationally, the strategic engagement allowed DPAA to capture decisive information needed to develop a solid regional action plan, prioritizing the tactical employment of upcoming investigative and recovery teams. One of the most critical breakthroughs arranged with the Lao delegates was the discussion of continued access to the remote, historic area of Phou Pha Thi, a sacred mountain in northeast Laos.
During the Vietnam War, Phou Pha Thi was the location of the covert CIA and U.S. Air Force radar facility known as Lima Site 85. Today, DPAA continues to conduct humanitarian recovery operations there to bring home the 11 American airmen lost in 1968, an event that marks the largest single ground-combat loss of U.S. Air Force personnel during the conflict. For more than three decades, DPAA has maintained an unwavering commitment to the sacred mission at Phou Pha Thi. Spanning thirty-two years of rigorous surveys, exhaustive investigations, and four high-risk recovery missions, DPAA’s relentless efforts have successfully accounted for eight missing American airmen. Undeterred by the passage of time or the perilous terrain, DPAA remains resolute in fulfilling our nation’s promise, with follow-on recovery operations programmed for 2027.
Since 1973, the remains of 1,068 Americans killed during the Vietnam War have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. Of the 1,565 Americans still unaccounted for from the conflict, hundreds are believed to be in a “non-recoverable” category—meaning rigorous investigation has determined the individual perished, but recovery of remains is not possible. However, on rare occasions, new leads generated by these international partnerships can bring a case back to active status.
Continuous strategic engagements with Southeast Asian partners in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia remain critically important. These meetings open doors to innovative methods and strategies, continuously improving the humanitarian mission and bringing DPAA closer to achieving the fullest possible accounting of the nation’s heroes.
Because this was the delegation’s inaugural visit to the Washington area, DPAA organized a cultural exchange day. The Lao delegation visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and attended a Washington Nationals baseball game. Most notably, DPAA Director Kelly McKeague led the delegation on a tour of the Pentagon. The tour included the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, the historical Vietnam War corridor, and the DPAA corridor.
The historic engagement was further highlighted by an unexpected connection during the official delegation dinner. When the hotel’s event manager called upon the executive chef to assist with the dining room setup, the chef noticed the placement of the flag of Laos and proudly identified himself as a native of the country. Honoring the moment, Bodnar introduced the chef to the Lao delegation and presented him with a token of recognition to commemorate the occasion.