Ribbon cutting ceremony held for JCA

  • Published
  • By Ryan Hansen
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the new Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command CONUS Annex here June 17.

The JCA, as it is known, will help the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command meet a congressional mandate to achieve identification on 200 remains per year beginning in 2015.

"Today's opening of the JCA represents another positive step and further commitment of our nation's steadfast dedication to bring home our fallen heroes and return them to their families," said Maj. Gen. Kelly K. McKeague, JPAC commander, who presided over the ceremony. "This new facility will provide benefits that will allow us to grow on a number of levels."

The new $5 million lab is housed inside Building D, originally built as an assembly plant and modification center for the Glenn L. Martin Company, where the Air Force Weather Agency was previously headquartered. They occupy approximately 23,000 square feet for lab and analysis work, evidence and record storage and administrative space.

"This building has a lot of rich history from the thousands of bombers that were built here to AFWA, but this (mission) obviously will add a lot more richness to that history," said. Col. John Rauch, 55th Wing commander, who spoke at the ceremony and officially welcomed the JCA to Team Offutt.

When fully operational, the JCA will employ roughly 50 members. This includes both scientific and support personnel including anthropologists and archeologists as well as forensic odontologists.

"Being here in Omaha improves our staff member's ability to purchase a home, to raise a family and be closer to their families on the mainland," McKeague said. "In essence, this annex provides us an incredible recruiting and retention tool and for that we are grateful to Omaha and the surrounding communities."

In attendance at the ceremony were six POW/MIA family members, which is the sole reason the JCA exists.

"It is them and their missing loved ones we at JPAC are dedicated to serve," McKeague said. "Through this annex the solemn promise to account for our fallen heroes is being strengthened. The ultimate sacrifice they paid is a debt we must never forget because it continues to protect and preserve our freedoms."

"(JPAC) is one of those missions of the highest importance to us," Rauch said. "My uncle was lost in Vietnam, so I know exactly what people go through and the closure that this type of organization brings and we're very excited to have you here."

Headquartered in Hawaii and falling directly under the U.S. Pacific Command, JPAC employs nearly 500 military and civilian specialists.

For more information on the JPAC, visit their website at www.jpac.pacom.mil or follow and like their mission on Facebook at JPAC Teams.