Returning heroes home: How DISA supports DPAA’s mission to bring the missing back to their families


By Lauren Carter, DISA J-6 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) Enterprise Directorate

January 3, 2025
 
Sharon Woods, DISA J-6 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Enterprise Directorate director speaks with John Figuerres, DPAA Operations acting deputy director, and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Worsley who sit to her right at a conference table.
Sharon Woods, DISA J-6 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) Enterprise Directorate director, speaks with John Figuerres, DPAA Operations acting deputy director, and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Worsley, during a tour at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Austin Boucher)
 
Every U.S. Warfighter who answers the nation’s call carries a solemn promise: they will never be forgotten. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lives up to that promise by working to recover and identify Defense Department personnel still unaccounted for as prisoners of war or missing in action.

With teams spanning 46 countries, DPAA’s mission requires a blend of expertise, from excavation specialists and divers to forensic scientists and data analysts. The agency operates laboratories in Hawaii and Nebraska to identify missing service members and return them home.

In 2024, DPAA identified the remains of 172 service members, providing closure to grieving families. Yet, there are an estimated 82,000 troops still unaccounted for from past conflicts.
Behind their mission is the Defense Information Systems Agency, ensuring DPAA’s teams stay connected with the tools and data they need to succeed.
During a visit to DPAA at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Sharon Woods, DISA J-6 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) Enterprise Directorate director, praised DPAA as “an incredible organization that is reuniting military members with their families.” She said that the technology DISA provides is an enabler, connecting their workforce with the data they need to operate effectively anywhere in the world.

DISA J-6 plays a critical role in enhancing DPAA’s operational efficiency through its first-generation DOD Network.
 

“DODNet release one is aimed at creating a scalable cloud-based security environment to support [Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router] [Contiguous United States] DODNet users,” said Tabitha Kuykendall, DISA J-6 communications manager. “Users will experience a smooth onboarding transition, balancing speed, agility and control to leverage optimized, secure services.”

This network offers DPAA’s personnel seamless access to data, whether they’re analyzing forensic evidence in a lab or conducting recovery missions abroad.
“Implementation of DODNet has allowed DPAA to streamline and allocate scarce resources from the cost and burden of maintaining legacy commodity IT and infrastructure to a focus on our mission IT technologies, including Amazon Web Services enhanced products, Salesforce initiatives, global map visualization software, and Qlik Operational Dashboards,” said Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA principal deputy director.

To support DPAA’s global mission, DISA J-6 plans to expand DODNet capabilities with the roll out of release two in calendar year 2025.

“DODNet release two increases scalability by extending capabilities to NIPR [Outside the Contiguous United States], [Secure Internet Protocol Router] and future users,” said Kuykendall. “Enhancement from the first generation of DODNet to the second generation postures DISA to migrate component organizations more seamlessly and efficiently. Future releases will continue to build upon established strengths to further enhance the service offering.”
Woods said DISA J-6 is committed to supporting DPAA’s global operations and ensuring the fullest possible accounting for missing personnel.

“Data informs and drives DPAA’s mission, and their ability to make sense of that data and communicate effectively is crucial,” said Woods. “DISA J-6 is proud to provide the services DPAA needs to bring home the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.”