Detachment One is located in Bangkok, Thailand, with its offices located in the U.S. Embassy. Det. One officially stood-up in January 1992 as one of four geographically separated detachments. Det. One’s mission is to provide administrative and logistical functions in support of JPAC operations and conduct command and control operations in the Kingdom of Thailand, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of India and Burma. With a forward operating logistics location at the Royal Thai Naval Air Base in U’tapao, Thailand, JPAC is able to utilize host country facilities for transit of personnel and pre-positioning of equipment.

Det. One is supported by three military personnel and five civilians. In addition to serving as the logistics hub for operations in Southeast Asia, at least three times per year, Det. One provides command and control for approximately 300 United States and host nation personnel to conduct recovery and investigative missions in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of India.

JPAC, Box 30
APO AP 96546
U.S. Embassy
95 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok, Thailand 10330

Lieutenant Colonel James (Rob) Culpepper
United States Air Force

Commander, Detachment One
Bangkok, Thailand

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Lt. Col. James (Rob) Culpepper, U.S. Air Force, assumed command of Detachment One, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, on 10 May 2012. In this role, he provides administrative and logistical support for all Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command operations in SE Asia, and conducts command and control operations in Thailand, Cambodia, India and Burma.

Lt. Col. Culpepper is a 1995 graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the United States Air Force Academy. He started his career as a financial manager in aeronautical system acquisitions. Since then, Lt. Col. Culpepper has served in operational comptroller positions at all management levels -- wing, major command and Air Force headquarters. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the Chief, Budget Operations Branch, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, located at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

In addition, to his Comptroller career field, Lt. Col. Culpepper is an International Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Air Force.

Lt. Col. Culpepper received a Master’s Degree in 2003 in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma and was selected in 2007 for an Air Force Political Advisor (POLAD) fellowship for his Intermediate Development Education.

Lt. Col. Culpepper’s awards include the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (4th Oak Leaf Cluster), the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the AF Organizational Excellence Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Lt. Col. Culpepper is married and has one daughter.

Detachment Two is a selectively manned joint duty, geographically separated and forward deployed in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). Det. Two's mission is to plan, coordinate and execute humanitarian efforts to account-for and resolve the fates of unaccounted-for Americans from the Vietnam War.

Four Joint Field Activities (JFAs) are conducted each year. Each JFA lasts approximately 30 days. During field operations, Det. Two supports investigative and recovery teams that consist of approximatly 95 American military members and United States Department of Defense civilian employees, 20 representatives of the Vietnamese Government, and up to 600 local workers.

53 Tran Phu Street
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam

Lt. Col. Patrick Keane
United States Army

Commander, Detachment Two
Hanoi, Vietnam

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Lt. Col. Patrick Keane was born in Alameda, Calif. and grew up in Boulder Creek, Calif. Upon graduation from high school, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. Lt. Col. Keane graduated in June 1991 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the Armor branch.

Lt. Col. Keane was first assigned as platoon leader with the 1-72 Armor Regiment in the Republic of Korea. He then joined the 177th Armored Brigade (OPFOR) at the National Training Center in California. As the Motorized Rifle Company Commander he won the “Tiger Jack Award”, which is given to the finest tactical leader in the OPFOR Regiment.

Lt. Col. Keane left the OPFOR Regiment in 1996 to attend the Armor Officer Advanced Course. Upon completion from the course, he was assigned to the Divisional Cavalry Squadron for the 3rd Infantry Division as the Assistant S-3 and Commander of A Troop, 3-7 CAV.

In 1999, Lt. Col. Keane was selected to attend the Foreign Area Officer (FAO) program, a course designed to train U.S. Army officers to work in foreign countries and advise senior U.S. military and civilian leaders on regional issues. He was selected to be a regional expert on Southeast Asia with a specialty in Vietnam. In Aug. 2002, Lt. Col. Keane was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, and in April 2003, he assumed responsibility for the U.S. Humanitarian Assistance/Demining Program.

In Dec. 2003, Lt. Col. Keane was selected to attend the Australian Command and Staff College. Upon completion of the course, he was assigned to the Office of Defense Cooperation in Australia, where he managed the U.S. militaries largest Foreign Military Sales Program and served as the Army, Navy, and Air Force Programs Manager.

In 2008, Lt. Col. Keane was assigned to the Army Staff G3/5/7-FAO Proponent Asia. During this time, he developed strategies and long term requirements for the U.S. Army’s FAO Program.

In the summer of 2009, Lt. Col. Keane deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, where he developed the International Security Assistance Force Border Strategy. This strategy was developed closely with Afghan government authorities, the Afghan Border Police, Coalition Forces, and civilian agencies, and continues to be the basis for current operations and development programs along the Afghan border.

Lt. Col. Keane’s awards include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (Three Oak Leaf clusters) and the Army Achievement Medals (Three Oak Leaf Clusters).

Lt. Col. Keane is married and has three sons.

Detachment Three is located in Vientiane, Laos with its offices located in the U.S. Embassy. Det. Three was officially established in January 1992 as one of four geographically separated detachments under Joint Task Force-Full Accounting Headquarters at Camp Smith, Hawaii. JTF-Full Accounting Headquarters later migrated to Hickam AFB and became JPAC. Det. Three 's mission is to provide command, control, and logistical support required to conduct field operations in Laos. With a forward operating logistics location in Savannakhet, Laos, Det. Three is able to utilize host country equipment and facilities for transit of personnel and pre-positioning of equipment.

Det. Three is supported by three military personnel, two DoD civilians, and seven host nation civilian personnel. The detachment is responsible for the safe conduct of five field operations per fiscal year. These duties entail monthly liaisons with various members of the government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

JPAC
U.S. Embassy
Rue Bartholonie, That Dam
PO Box 114
Vientiane, Lao PDR

Major Christopher M. O'Brien
United States Army

Commander, Detachment Three
Vientiane, Laos

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U.S. Army Maj. Christopher M. O’Brien was born and raised in Massachusetts. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and received a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science. Upon graduation, Maj. O’Brien was commissioned as an Infantry Branch 2nd Lt.

Maj. O’Brien began his career as a platoon leader and staff officer assigned to 101st Airborne Division (AIR ASSAULT), Fort Campbell, Ky, where he served as a rifle platoon leader, heavy weapons platoon leader, scout platoon leader, and Battalion Adjutant. During his time as a rifle platoon leader, he served in the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

Following the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Maj. O’Brien attended the Special Forces Qualification Course. After graduation he served with the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, Washington as a detachment commander and staff officer. Following duty at Fort Lewis, Maj. O’Brien attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., graduating from the Thai Basic Course.

After language school, Maj. O’Brien attended the Royal Thai Army Command and General Staff College. Following graduation, he served as a ground operations officer at the Joint United States Military Advisory Group in Bangkok, Thailand. Upon his return to the United States, he studied at the University of Wisconsin where he received a Masters of Arts in Southeast Asian Studies. Maj. O’Brien’s next assignment was under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Training Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan with the Security Assistance Office, where he was Chief, Afghan National Police Foreign Military Sales Branch.

Maj. O’Brien’s professional military education includes the Infantry Officers Basic and Advance Courses at Fort Benning, Ga., the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, NC., Royal Thai Army Command and General Staff College in Bangkok, Thailand, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Belvoir, Va., and the Joint and Combined Warfare School at Norfolk, Va.

Maj. O’Brien’s awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (first Oak Leaf Cluster), the Afghan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, the NATO ISAF Medal, the Multinational Force and Observer Medal, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

I&R Group is located on Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. I&R Group mission is to organize, train, equip and deploy teams worldwide to locate and recover missing service members in support of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command objectives. The Group consists of over 150 joint-service members and DoD civilians comprised of 22 recovery teams, and specialty sections including forensic photographers, medical specialists, explosive ordnance technicians, field communications specialists, mountaineers and underwater recovery specialists. When directed, I&R also deploys teams to assist with contingency humanitarian operations.

Lt. Col. Ronald J. Minty, JR.
United States Army

Commander, Investigation and Recovery Group
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii

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Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Minty earned his commission on May 30, 1992 as an Infantry Officer.

Lt. Col. Minty served as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Mortar Platoon Leader and HHC Executive Officer in 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He deployed to 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Casey, Korea, where he served on battalion staff and commanded a mechanized infantry company.

After relinquishing command in March 1999, Lt. Col. Minty served as an observer/controller at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. Upon completion of Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Lt. Col. Minty assumed duties as the G3, Chief of Operations for 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Carson, Colo.

Subsequently, he served as the Battalion Executive Officer for 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from September 2005 to March 2008. Lt. Col. Minty then served as the Brigade Executive Officer of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, later reflagged to 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from April 2008 to September of 2009.

Lt. Col. Minty returned to the Republic of Korea assumed command of 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey.

His awards and decorations include; the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Tour Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge.

Lt. Col. Minty is married to Kristine and has one daughter and two sons.