Congressmen tour lab used to I.D. missing military servicemen and women

Congressmen tour lab used to I.D. missing military servicemen and women

SEVERAL YEARS, ALAB LOCATEDINSIDE AN OLDWORLD WAR TWOBOMBERASSEMBLY PLANTAT OFFUTT AIRFORCE BASE HASIDENTIFIEDHUNDREDS OFMISSING MILITARYMEN AND WOMEN.ALLOWING THEIRFAMILIES A CHANCETO GIVE THEIRLOVED ONES APROPER BURIAL.AS REPORTERJON KIPPER TELLSUS..A SELECT BI-PARTISAN GROUPFROM THE HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVESTOURED IT TODAY...WHAT THEY SAIDABOUT FUNDING.TRT: 204"EVERYTHING THATCOMES IN, EVERYBONE GETS AUNIQUEIDENTIFIER, AND ISTRACKED IN OURSYSTEM."NATTODAY MEMBERSOF CONGRESS GOTA PEEK AT THE D-P-A-A LAB.WHICH SERVES ASONE OF TWOFACILITIES IN THECOUNTRY TASKEDWITH I-D'YINGFALLENSERVICEMEN ANDWOMEN, WHO AREUNACCOUNTEDFOR SINCE WORLDWAR TWO."WE WEREALLOWED TOFOLLOW ALONG ONTHE TOUR ANDRECORD AUDIO,BUT THEY DIDN'TLET US SHOW YOUWHAT WE'RESEEING, THAT'SBECAUSE THEYDIDN'T WANT US TOPHOTOGRAPH ANYOF THE REMAINS."JON LL BRIDGEIT WAS SEEMINGLYALL A BITOVERWHELMINGFORCONGRESSMAN JIMBAIRD OF INDIANA,A VIETNAM VETAND PURPLEHEART WINNER."IT'S REALLY RE-ASSURING TOKNOW THAT INTHOSE CASES,WHERE YOU MIGHTNOT HAVE BEENABLE TO GET AFRIEND OR ABUDDY, TO KNOWSOMEONE IS STILLTHERE, GONNABRING EM HOME."JIM BAIRD,CONGRESSMAN,INDIANABAIRD WASHOSTED BYCONGRESSMANJEFFFORTENBERRY,WHO BROUGHTALONG A BI-PARTISAN GROUPOF CONGRESSMANTO SEE THE LAB,AS WELL AS THEBASE, INCLUDINGSTRATCOM."YOU'RE TAKEN TOSTRATCOM ANDYOU SEE THISSIMULATION, THETRAININGSIMULATIONS, ONWHAT A NUCLEAREXCHANGE WOULDLOOK LIKE, THATMAKES YOU TAKEYOUR JOBSERIOUSLY."BILL FOSTER,CONGRESSMAAN,ILLINOISDURING THE TOURTHE FOURCONGRESSMENCOULD SEE ALLTHE DIFFERENTCOMPARTMENTSOF THELAB...WHICHIDENTIFIES OVER200 MILITARY MENAND WOMENANNUALLY, WHOWERE PREVIOUSLYMISSING.GIVING CLOSURETO THEIR FAMILIES,OFTENTIMESDECADES LATER."I HAVE TWOYOUNG CHILDREN, IHAVE A SPOUSE, IHAVE A BROTHER,AND I KNOW WHATTHOSE PEOPLEMEAN TO ME.AND I CANUNDERSTANDWHAT THOSEPEOPLE MEAN TOEVERYBODY ELSE."DR.FRANKLIN DAMAN,LAB DIRECTORTHIS IS THE FIRSTTIMECONGRESSMANJEFFFORTENBERRYBROUGHT ACONGRESSIONALDELEGATION TOOFFUTT AND HEPLANS TO DO ITAGAIN.FOR ONE, HEWANTS TO MAKESURE STRATCOMAND THE LABREMAINPROPERLY-FUNDED.FORTENBERRYWOULD ALSO LIKETO MAKE THE TOURMANDATORY."YOU'RE ELECTEDJUST BECAUSEYOU GET MOREVOTES THAN THENEXT PERSON ANDTHEN SUDDENLYYOU ARE PUT INCHARGE OF OURNATIONS MILITARYINFRASTRUCTURE,YOU GO TO ZEROTO 75 REAL QUICKALL FOUR HOUSEREPS LEFT THESTATE TODAY WITHA BETTER IDEA OFTHE IMPORTANCEOF OFFUTT....ANDSAYING CONGRESSWILL CONTINUE TOINVEST IN IT.AT OFFUTT JONKIPPER 3NNDOCTOR FRANKLINDAMAN, WHOLEADS THE LAB,SAYS THERE AREPLANS TO USE THEBUILDING THE LABIS IN..FOR A DIFFERENTPURPOSE.THE PROCESS HASBEGUN TO FIND ANEW LOCATIONFOR THE LAB.