Armed Forces DNA Identification Lab Collects Servicemen Family Member Samples at Annual Korean/Cold War Briefing

The Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory has collected DNA samples from 426 family members of uniformed personnel at the 2016 Korean/Cold War Annual government briefings held Aug. 11 and 12 in Arlington, Virginia.

The Defense Health Agency said Friday the family members have met with government officials that specialize in policy update, global operations, DNA process and identification to discuss AFDIL’s role in the briefings.

“AFDIL collects, runs and controls a database of family reference samples for past conflicts … They coordinate with the Service Casualty Officers to make sure the right family members are contacted to donate a sample,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alice Briones, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System Defense Department DNA Registry director.

“They also run the remains that come through [Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency] to create a data summary of ‘believed to be’ to be compared to references in hopes of identification.”