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JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — Thirty college STEM students from the Military Affairs Committee summer intern program toured the Daniel K. Inouye Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 27, 2025. This is the first year that the MAC is running the Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative internship program with Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering's VICEROY MAVEN program and Defense Innovation Unit. These interns came from many universities including University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Hawaii - West Oahu, Chaminade University of Honolulu, and others to learn how DPAA uses technology to account for missing personnel. “I like how everything (about DPAA) is intentional,” said Daniel Ontai, Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative intern and Colorado State University student. “I think the humanitarian aspect, being able to connect families to their loved ones, it has to be very rewarding to be a part of these projects.” During their visit, they saw how DPAA scientists use DNA, isotopes, and other collected evidence to identify recovered remains, supporting the DPAA’s mission of providing the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. “It’s actually scary,” said Upumoni Logologo, Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative intern and Chaminade University of Honolulu graduate. “But at the same time, it’s fascinating. The fact that technology has advanced to the point that we can identify stuff like this and our fallen soldiers, it’s amazing. I was inspired by what Dr. Amanda Friend (DPAA forensic anthropologist) said, that everything they do here is considered data. This is something I never thought I (as a Data Science major) could use my skills for.” They also were exposed to the recovery process from start to finish, led by U.S. Navy Capt. Meghan L. Bodnar, DPAA deputy director for operations. “With these interns,” said Jason Chung, Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative co-chair. “We’re building the next generation of national security and technical (experts), such as cybersecurity, data science, intelligence, information, and technology. We thought it would be important for (the interns) to understand the mission of the Department of Defense and DPAA.” The scientists and workforce of DPAA is dedicated to fulfilling our nation’s promise through continuous innovation and the recruitment of the sharpest minds the U.S. has to offer.
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2025 15:24 |
| Story ID: | 501786 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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