The National League of POW*MIA Families

Six years ago, when an idea formed in the minds of area veterans and patriots to find a way to aid in the support of the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. Leader Jim Neal telephoned the executive director of the National League of POW*MIA Families, Ann Mills Griffith, to inquire if someone from their organization could attend an event in American Falls, ID to promote the POW*MIA issue.

From there, Vice Chairman of the National League of POW*MIA Families in Boise, Mark Stephensen, contacted Jim, who then informed Mark about the Awareness Rally that was to include a Motorcycle Rodeo. Mark said an invitation was extended to him by Jim to attend the event in August of 2001. "I have been a part of this event ever since", said Mark of his relationship with the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Motorcycle Rodeo, sponsored by the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp.

Mark said the rally has accomplished two of the most important things needed to support the League, advance the publics awareness and to provide direct financial support. "The rally has done that (public awareness) through the publicity of this event, the integrity of it's staff, and the maturity the organization has brought to this event", said Mark. "This shows the seriousness of the issue. They have influenced political leadership in the state, local, and national level through a very responsible event. That has been a positive for the issue."

Mark said the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. has been the League's strongest and best supporter. "Events like these have a direct influence with area veteran organizations because actions speak louder than words.", he said. The Rally and the League hold a special interest for Mark, who became involved in the National League of POW*MIA Families in 1983.

In 1969, Mark's father, Col. Mark L. Stephensen, USAF, was declared missing in action (MIA). In 1976, his status was changed to KIA/BNR (killed in action/body not recovered). Col. Stephensen's remains were returned to the United States in April 1988. Mark's father was buried in his hometown of Riverton, UT, with full military honors in August 1988.

"Some people ask why we keep bringing up the issue and why we will not just get on with our lives", said Mark. "Promises were made to those in uniform that you and your family will be taken care of. We're making sure that the government keeps it's promise. If you serve, you deserve to be brought home, no matter what."

The families of missing US servicemen organized the League in 1970 to support each other and to compel the government to provide better information regarding the status of their loved ones, alive or dead, according to Mark.

The League's website states that the families, "believing that the U.S. Government policy of keeping a low profile on the POW*MIA issue and encouraging the families to refrain from publicly discussing the problem was unjustified, initiated a loosely organized movement, which evolved into the National League of Families." Voting membership of the League is comprised solely of the wives, children, parents, and other close relatives of Americans who were listed as prisoners of war (POW), missing in actions (MIA), killed in action/body not recovered, and returned Vietnam War U.S. POWs, according to a statement on their website.

As of December 1, 2004, 1845 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, with 450 sea/over water losses. Mark said that at this point in time, the League is asking the current Administration to increase pressure on the Communist Vietnamese to provide the fullest possible accounting.

The Clinton Administration relied on Vietnamese promises to provide for this accounting after giving them diplomatic recognition and normal trade relations. The families strongly believe that the Vietnamese have failed to meet these promises and continue to withhold information.

In an article posted on the League's website, it states, "U.S. Intelligence and other evidence indicate that many Americans can be accounted for by unilateral Vietnamese efforts to locate and return remains and provide relevant documents and records."

"The Administration needs to attain more access in the country and it's territorial waters so that more excavations and recoveries can occur", said Mark. "We need easy access to Vietnamese veterans, archives, and war museums.

The Administration also needs to provide effective operational support to the ongoing efforts of the Department of Defense in not only Southeast Asia, but also Russia and Eastern Europe." This is why the POW*MIA Awareness Rally is important to the efforts the League continues to accomplish.

"Members of the rally are fulfilling their promise to never forget and keep the faith. These men and women do just that, which demonstrates to me, to the families, and to the people of Idaho that they are going to continue to keep the faith. Even now, the members of the 116th of Idaho should know we would never forget them. To talk is one thing, to demonstrate is another. The rally is a perfect example of that," said Mark.

For more information about the National League of POW*/MIA Families, you may access their website at www.pow-miafamilies.org or via a link on the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corporation website at www.powmiarodeo.org.

Those who wish to contact Mark may do so by emailing the Rally Association at powmiarodeo@yahoo.com. Any questions or comments would then be forwarded from there.