USABCI pushes US businesses to support Vietnam in searching for missing servicemen

Among its latest activities, the USABCI connected Atlas Air with the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington on September 10, introducing the corporation's participation in the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative (VWAI).

The VWAI is a US government initiative assisting Vietnam in searching, verifying, and identifying wartime missing personnel. As an official implementation partner, the USABCI is tasked with mobilizing US corporate resources, bridging Vietnam's needs with the private sector’s  capabilities, expertise, and contributions.

VWAI activities focus on four pillars: digitizing archival records; forensic DNA profiling for identification; field-based search and recovery of remains; and dialogue and information sharing. To date, the program has mobilized US$360,000 from the private sector to support these efforts.

Alongside resource mobilization, the VWAI has launched various cooperative activities with Vietnamese agencies and organizations. A VWAI delegation visited Vietnam from June 1-5 and held a working session with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense on August 10. The USABCI has also brought US corporate delegations to Vietnam to directly assess local needs and fieldwork.

The corporate delegations met with veteran groups, visited a war martyrs' cemetery in Quang Binh province, inspected the crash site of an Mi-17 military helicopter that resulted in the loss of all on board, and visited an active search and recovery site. In Ho Chi Minh City, the delegation continued exchanges with war veterans.

Margaret Hanson-Muse, President and Managing Director of the USABCI, noted that the institute operates as a humanitarian charity. She explained that the US government facilitated the USABCI's participation in the initiative to raise the private sector’s awareness about supporting missing service member searches and advancing bilateral reconciliation.

Hanson-Muse stated that following its involvement in the VWAI, the USABCI recognized the need to deepen its contribution and encourage greater US corporate participation, particularly in fields such as DNA profiling, search and recovery support, ground-penetrating radar, and atmospheric data.

According to Hanson-Muse, the USABCI first identifies specific requests from Vietnam and then searches its member network for companies with matching capabilities. Once identified, the USABCI discusses contribution formats, whether in cash or in kind, to secure the necessary funding for project implementation.

Regarding DNA profiling, Hanson-Muse said that during discussions with the Ministry of Defense and Vietnamese medical experts, the two sides addressed DNA testing, reagents, and support capacities. The sole supplier of DNA testing materials also participated in the meeting. The USABCI is utilizing mobilized funds to procure additional supplies, supporting the "500-Day-and-Night" Campaign in achieving its targets.

Hanson-Muse emphasized that resolving the issue of wartime missing personnel holds not only profound humanitarian significance but also serves as a foundational pillar for US-Vietnam relations. The USABCI expects that the private sector’s  strengthened engagement will provide supplementary resources and technologies for the search, verification, and identification processes.

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