DNA

You might wonder why we can’t quickly identify recovered remains from a DNA sample like forensic scientists do on TV. The short answer is that we would need a pre-existing sample of DNA from all the missing service members we are trying to identify – and DNA samples were not routinely collected from our service men and women until the Gulf War.

Many Department of Defense (DoD) groups external to Defense Prisoner of War Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) play critical roles in achieving the fullest possible accounting. They bring together many different specialties and perform the majority of our fieldwork. For a more complete explanation of DNA typing please visit the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC CIL) web site.

 

Am I an eligible donor of mitochondrial DNA?

The type of DNA used to identify remains is inherited only from the mother. This means that each person’s mother, as well as brothers, sisters, sister’s children and many other relatives share the same kind of mtDNA. This is useful because it means that mtDNA from relatives (sometimes quite distant ones) can be directly compared to mtDNA from unidentified remains. The downside is that children of a missing male cannot provide an mtDNA reference sample. The sex of the missing person and the donor are irrelevant. In a family tree linking the donor to the missing person, every intermediate person linking the donor to the missing person must be a female.

 

Possible Donors of mtDNA Samples

MtDNA sequencing provides additional scientific detail to lend support for remains identification (Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Typing). MtDNA is a molecule found in the composition of the cell transferred by the mother to her offspring. A family reference database that includes an MtDNA sample for each of the unaccounted-for servicemen enables comparisons between remains to help isolate investigative leads in support of the identification process (Identification of Remains), (NucDNA and MtDNA in Identification Process). Families should provide a blood sample to help establish a comprehensive family database. To provide a blood sample, families should contact the appropriate service casualty office (Points of Contact) for details.

 

This chart will help to identify possible maternal donors:

Has your family provided a sample?