Col. Ward Nickisch to Present on Search, Recovery of POW, MIAs

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Retired Army Colonel Ward Nickisch will present a lecture on “Fallen, But Not Forgotten: The Search and Recovery of POW/MIAs from Prior Wars,” April 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Greenwich Presbyterian Church at 15305 Vint Hill Road, Nokesville.

“The presentation will provide an update on the nation’s search and recovery operations to bring home the remains of those service members who remain 'unaccounted for' from Southeast Asia, Korea and World War II,” Col. Nickisch said.

Col. Nickisch was invited to speak on behalf of  Bull Run Republicans Women’s Club, a grassroots organization dedicated to the ideals and principles of the Republican party, which has been in existence in the area for 36 years.

The event is open to everyone at no cost and will help to illuminate for citizens what the service is doing to help to recover and reconnect with all of the service members who have not come home from foreign wars.

Col. Nickisch's life-long career led him on a path to research and advocate for the, “1,600 service members who remain 'unaccounted for' from Southeast Asia, 8,000 from the Korean War, and even more than 73,000 from WWII."

His military career comprised 30 years of active military service, including active duty in Vietnam in 1970-71, and as commander of two companies in Germany. During his last military assignment, he served as the Director of Casualty and Memorial Affairs for the US Army. In that position, he supervised the US Army’s Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, which conducted the search, recovery, identification and repatriation of the soldiers whose bodies were never recovered from all prior wars.

As a retired Colonel, he returned to Vietnam to serve as a senior member of the United States Delegation, participating in the first bilateral talks with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which resulted in the first Joint Recovery Operations in North Korea.

By continuing to present on the subject of MIAs, Nickisch believes, “The audience will gain an understanding and appreciation for our nation’s commitment and the dedication of the soldiers and civilians who conduct this arduous duty to achieve the fullest possible accounting.”

The presentation includes colored slides, which Nickisch hopes will allow the audience “to see actual recovery missions, and will be exposed to some of the scientific processes including DNA used to identify the recovered remains and return them to the service member’s family.”

Col. Nickisch currently resides in Gainesville with his wife, and likes to share his knowledge on the subject of POWs.

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