WEBVTT 00:01.030 --> 00:05.197 (soft music) 00:25.259 --> 00:28.926 - Well, I think today was made a special day 00:29.030 --> 00:31.613 to honor the POWs and the MIAs. 00:32.166 --> 00:35.999 We realize that they had made many sacrifices, 00:37.250 --> 00:40.114 those that did not return made the ultimate sacrifice, 00:40.114 --> 00:42.323 and we wanted to have a period, 00:42.323 --> 00:44.451 a day that we can honor those, 00:44.451 --> 00:48.034 that we could remember those that were POWs 00:49.128 --> 00:52.080 and the faith that they showed in one another, 00:52.080 --> 00:53.760 the faith that they showed in America 00:53.760 --> 00:56.143 that they were not going to be forgotten. 00:56.143 --> 00:57.360 We were going to do everything we could 00:57.360 --> 00:59.360 to bring them back home. 01:00.272 --> 01:02.661 - Yeah, I consider myself to be very privileged 01:02.661 --> 01:04.994 to be part of the DPAA team. 01:05.796 --> 01:08.579 ^And I know what an honor it is every day 01:08.579 --> 01:10.595 ^to work in the accounting mission 01:10.595 --> 01:12.658 with the entire accounting community. 01:12.658 --> 01:13.986 And to work with the men and women 01:13.986 --> 01:15.466 of this great organization. 01:15.466 --> 01:19.123 But I do know in the day to day work and the grind of work, 01:19.123 --> 01:22.373 sometimes you can lose the big picture, 01:22.413 --> 01:25.807 you can lose the sacredness of what we do. 01:25.807 --> 01:27.884 So I think it's right and I think it's proper 01:27.884 --> 01:30.757 that we pause with the rest of the community, 01:30.757 --> 01:32.790 with the rest of the nation, frankly 01:32.790 --> 01:35.790 to stop and reflect upon what we do. 01:35.813 --> 01:37.806 The importance of what we do. 01:37.806 --> 01:41.639 And to reaffirm our commitment to one another, 01:42.244 --> 01:44.536 to the families and to the nation. 01:44.536 --> 01:47.381 - That date doesn't just come once a year for us, 01:47.381 --> 01:50.461 ^it's every day for us, we live it every day. 01:50.461 --> 01:54.294 ^So this is a very honorable, a prestigious job 01:55.643 --> 01:58.188 to be part of this accounting community. 01:58.188 --> 02:00.363 - It's to remember their sacrifice 02:00.363 --> 02:02.268 and the sacrifice of their families 02:02.268 --> 02:06.034 who have endured for so many years of not knowing 02:06.034 --> 02:10.201 what happened to that father, that son, that brother, 02:10.880 --> 02:15.047 that husband that they sent off to war, never to return. 02:16.504 --> 02:19.208 And in many cases have unanswered questions 02:19.208 --> 02:21.704 as to what happened for that loved one. 02:21.704 --> 02:25.871 - For me, it is our nation's opportunity, frankly, 02:25.890 --> 02:30.057 to remember POWs and MIAs that, 02:31.458 --> 02:34.082 ^in many cases, never came home. 02:34.082 --> 02:36.192 ^Which is what our mission is all about. 02:36.192 --> 02:37.552 ^We do know that, you know, 02:37.552 --> 02:39.688 ^there are a lot of our US citizens 02:39.688 --> 02:43.855 ^that were able to return and that's a wonderful thing 02:44.161 --> 02:47.089 and that's a blessing for our nation. 02:47.089 --> 02:51.256 But we still have a number of POW/MIAs that are missing. 02:51.841 --> 02:55.098 And DPAA, every single day, is out there, 02:55.098 --> 02:57.169 trying to find as many as we can. 02:57.169 --> 02:59.505 Understanding we can't bring everybody home, 02:59.505 --> 03:02.275 but we're doing everything that we possibly can 03:02.275 --> 03:05.942 to recover those missing and unaccounted for 03:06.041 --> 03:09.874 that have gone lost for so long 03:09.874 --> 03:12.874 and the families are waiting for us. 03:13.090 --> 03:15.051 - For the families of the missing, 03:15.051 --> 03:17.682 it's POW/MIA day everyday. 03:17.682 --> 03:20.932 ^And I think it's great this day exists, 03:21.791 --> 03:23.990 ^to remind the rest of the people, 03:23.990 --> 03:25.456 ^to bring it into the spotlight, 03:25.456 --> 03:28.911 ^that there are still people unaccounted for. 03:28.911 --> 03:32.828 ^- When somebody loses somebody, like my father, 03:34.127 --> 03:38.294 ^and you really don't know what the story is for 70 years, 03:40.945 --> 03:44.815 and then you find an agency that knows about him 03:44.815 --> 03:47.398 and keeps his memory alive, 03:48.030 --> 03:51.378 keeps the mission alive to try to find him, 03:51.378 --> 03:54.814 it's very meaningful in a very personal way. 03:54.814 --> 03:58.981 Because it means you're not just doing this yourself, alone, 04:00.204 --> 04:03.740 you have a whole body of people who are concerned 04:03.740 --> 04:07.490 about finding your dad and bringing him home. 04:08.554 --> 04:10.338 - That will never tire. 04:10.338 --> 04:12.088 That will never quit. 04:12.132 --> 04:14.650 That as long as there are those that are missing out there, 04:14.650 --> 04:18.226 that we will continue to search and hopefully identify them, 04:18.226 --> 04:20.610 because this is a national imperative, 04:20.610 --> 04:23.155 it is very sacred value of the United States 04:23.155 --> 04:26.076 and one that I am very proud to participate in. 04:26.076 --> 04:30.243 So, POW/MIA day for me is really a day of reaffirmation, 04:31.653 --> 04:34.461 reaffirming our commitment to this sacred cause. 04:34.461 --> 04:38.378 - This is a very honorable, prestigious mission 04:39.322 --> 04:40.922 that we're a part of, 04:40.922 --> 04:43.033 and I couldn't think of a better mission 04:43.033 --> 04:47.200 to be a part of as well throughout my military career. 04:47.247 --> 04:50.970 As far as the one day to celebrate 04:50.970 --> 04:54.303 this POW recognition day for our nation, 04:54.853 --> 04:58.103 I think is important to reflect back on 04:58.726 --> 05:00.111 and pay respects for those 05:00.111 --> 05:03.454 who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 05:03.454 --> 05:07.621 - I think it's, I think it's a day that is very special. 05:08.941 --> 05:13.108 I mean, we have other days, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, 05:13.611 --> 05:16.444 to honor our service men and women 05:17.606 --> 05:20.214 that worn the uniform, 05:20.214 --> 05:23.041 but this is a special day for those 05:23.041 --> 05:25.708 who made the ultimate sacrifice. 05:26.793 --> 05:28.793 And that's very special. 05:29.826 --> 05:32.659 And to tell the nation 05:34.360 --> 05:35.904 and the families of those 05:35.904 --> 05:38.571 that they're not forgotten, 05:38.864 --> 05:41.401 that we're never gonna forget 05:41.401 --> 05:43.592 and we're gonna honor that creed, 05:43.592 --> 05:46.962 we all said, leave no one behind 05:46.962 --> 05:49.858 and we're gonna do everything we can to bring them home. 05:49.858 --> 05:54.025 So this is a special day to remember that select group, 05:55.020 --> 05:58.694 the POWs and the MIAs, and to do everything we can 05:58.694 --> 06:00.861 to get the MIAs back home. 06:02.649 --> 06:05.566 (soft music)