The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSD (P)) is the principal staff assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for all matters on the formulation of national security and defense policy, and the integration and oversight of DoD policy and plans to achieve national security objectives.

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs (ASD (IPSA)) is the principal advisor to the USDP and the Secretary of Defense on international security strategy and policy on issues of DoD interest that relate to the nations and international organizations of the Indo Pacific regions, their governments, and defense establishments, and for oversight of security cooperation programs, including Foreign Military Sales, in these regions.

The United States and Vietnam are comprehensive strategic partners with a friendship grounded in mutual respect. Over the past thirty years, since establishment of diplomatic relations, U.S.-Vietnam cooperation has become comprehensive, and spans political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties. The United States supports a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security; engages in mutually beneficial trade relations; and respects human rights and the rule of law.

U.S. efforts to address war legacy issues such as Unexploded Explosive Ordnance (UXO)/demining, personnel accounting, and dioxin remediation underpin the U.S.-Vietnam defense relationship. The United States and Vietnam are committed to strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries in a number of areas, including addressing war legacy issues.

Problem:

Upon the conclusion of hostilities between the United States and Vietnam in 1975, the United States had a total of 2,646 missing U.S. personnel in the area of operations. As of Aug 2025, 1067 individuals have been repatriated. It is estimated that Vietnam has between 200,000-300,000 missing Vietnamese missing persons as a result of hostilities. The vast majority of which have not been located. In 2018, the Vietnamese Government officially requested U.S. assistance in locating and identifying its unaccounted personnel from the war.

Objective:

The Department of Defense is seeking to enter into a cooperative agreement with three organizations that have demonstrated experience and expertise to meet the objectives of the legislation articulated in Section 1245 of the FY22 NDAA, as amended by Section 1342 of the FY25 NDAA. The Department intends agreements with a base-year and up to four option periods.  

Miscellaneous

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