Bring Them Home

We are currently working on cases from the USS Arizona loss at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, among other WWII loss events. Our professional genealogists shown below are conducting the research at the request of the US Navy POW/MIA Branch. Only these professional genealogists are officially conducting this research on behalf of Navy. You are encouraged to verify this by calling the Navy POW/MIA Branch toll free number - 800-443-9298. We will request information that includes - your relationship to the Sailor, your name, address, and phone number so that Navy may contact you. We do no collect personal information. Our contract with Navy complies with federal privacy laws that require us to meet standards in our research and reports, and how we transmit and store that Personally Identifiable Information. We do not share your information with anyone other than the US Navy POW/MIA Branch. All of our researchers have passed federally mandated background checks. Beginning with contract five, all of our work is conducted, stored and transmitted within a federally approved FedRamp secure workspace under the new Department of War -mandated Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to protect your Personally Identifiable Information (PII). We are aware of volunteer groups conducting unofficial research about the USS Arizona. They may not operate or have accountability under the same federal privacy laws. We are not affiliated with them. They cannot verify details about our work or personnel, and we are unable to answer questions about them. We will never ask you for money, we do not sell merchandise - the United States' repatriation effort is at no cost to the families. This is part of our country's sacred mission to "Leave No One Behind." If you have any questions - verify by contacting Navy - 800-443-9298. You may also use the contact form below to start a conversation with the Prime Contractor Dee King. I will be happy to answer any of your questions about our work. Full transparency - Forensic Genealogy Services, LLC is the prime contractor for the US Navy POW/MIA Branch from 2009, contracted through 2031. We have conducted research from World War II through Desert Storm. Our research has been instrumental in helping to bring home nearly 500 Sailors, Merchant Marines, and civilians contracted to the US Navy who were unaccounted-for during war losses. Our work is part of the "Leave No One Behind" policy of the US military branches and the federal Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). This is a repatriation effort to locate and identify our unaccounted-for service personnel and return the remains to their families for final burial with the honors that they deserve. Forensic Genealogy Services is not part of the US Navy. We are an independent contractor for the Navy. BringThemHome.navy website is not associated with the US Navy; it is a private domain belonging to Forensic Genealogy Services. The US Navy does not endorse private websites. The professional genealogists mentioned on this page do not work for the Navy but collaborate with Forensic Genealogy Services in our part of the mission to Bring Them Home.

What We Do

Phase 1 - Identify and Locate DNA Donors
Our partner professional genealogists research the family tree of the unaccounted-for Serviceman to identify and locate family members in the right lines and provide DNA Family Reference Samples (FRS) to aid in the possible identification of remains. We seek autosomal DNA of close relatives, yDNA from the direct male lines, and mtDNA passed from the females to daughters and sons; however, only daughters continue to pass it to their children. The Navy provides the DNA kit, which consists of a set of simple swabs for the inside of the mouth. A postage-paid envelope delivers the kit to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System's Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFMES-AFDIL) at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Only the Lab has access to the DNA.
Phase 2 - Identification of Primary Next of Kin
When remains are identified through DNA and other evidence, our professional genealogists develop a family tree that identifies the Serviceman's two oldest living, legal next of kin. These are the Primary Next of Kin (PNOK) and Second Next of Kin (SNOK). The PNOK works with a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) to determine the family's wishes and the final burial details with honors. The CACO is the official representative of the Secretary of the Navy. It provides information, resources, and assistance to the PNOK or SNOK. The CACO's full-time responsibility and mission are to assist families. There is no charge to the family for these services.
Reports to the Navy POW/MIA Branch
In both phases, we developed a limited family tree. We only collected the reports' names, addresses, and telephone numbers so that Navy POW/MIA case managers could contact the family members. We do not ask for or collect private information. All your information in our reports is confidential and only shared with the Navy POW/MIA Branch. There is never a charge to the families for any aspect of the repatriation effort. We are not Navy case managers, so we often do not have details of the Serviceman's case or status. Our job is to conduct the research and provide the information to the Navy, which contacts the family based on the information in our reports.

The Repatriation Effort

Navy POW/MIA Branch
For more information about this program or to verify that we work for the Navy:
+1 (800) 443-9298Navy Personnel CommandNavy POW/MIA Branch Pers-00C5720 Integrity DrMillington, TN 38055-0000
Navy POW/MIA Branch Website
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
The mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is to provide the most thorough possible accounting for our missing personnel from past conflicts to their families and the nation. Within this mission, DPAA searches for missing personnel from World War II (WWII), Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War, Gulf War, and other recent conflicts.
DPAA Website
The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System
The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System's Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFMES-AFDIL) is the Department of Defense's (DoD's) only human remains DNA testing laboratory. It is charged with providing human remains DNA testing in support of past accounting operations of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).
AFMES Website
Photo Credit: Copyright Dee Dee King
The Ultimate Goal - Burial with Honors
The ultimate mission is to Bring Them Home. Approximately 81,500 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and other conflicts. The repatriation effort honors their greatest sacrifice for their country and helps bring their families closure.

Professional Genealogists

Dee King
Owner, credentialed forensic genealogist, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG). Contract Genealogist for the Navy POW/MIA Branch since 2009.
Juli Whittaker
Lead Researcher, credentialed forensic genealogist, CAFG—a forensic genealogist with eight+ years’ experience with Navy FRS and PNOK cases. Juli specializes in Kansas and the Midwest US.
Stephanie Carbonetti
Lead Researcher, credentialed genealogist, Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). FRS specialist with experience with 100+ Navy cases, including Guam.
Katrina Adams
Directed research, Intern. Communications and Social Media Specialist
Julie Walker
Lead Researcher, credentialed genealogist, Board for Certification of Genealogists. Specialist in Navy FRS cases and Servicemen from Montana.
Ruth Solomon
Lead Researcher, accredited genealogist, International Commission for the Accreditation of Genealogists, ICAPGen. Specializes in DNA FRS cases and Servicemen from Arizona and the Mid-Atlantic.
Jacqui Peck
Directed Researcher, an investiagtive genetic genealogist. Works with a credentialed genealogist to identify DNA donors in Navy FRS cases.
Jamie Anderson
Lead Researcher, an investigative genetic genealogist. Accredited genealogist, International Commission for the Accreditation of Genealogists, ICAPGen.
Loren Schnell
Directed Researcher. Works with a credentialed genealogist to identify DNA donors in Navy FRS cases. Specializes in Michigan cases.

Contact Us

Mailing AddressP.O. Box 546, Elgin TX 77578
Hours of OperationMonday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (CT)
Photo By: Sgt. 1st Class Robert Duran
Photo Credit: Copyright Dee Dee King
Photo Credit: Copyright Dee Dee King