Frequently Asked Questions


What is Personnel Recovery?

What is an isolating event?

How and when was the JPRA established?

What does the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) do?

Who works for JPRA?

How many people work for the JPRA?

Does the JPRA give tours of its facilities?

What is the JPRA’s role/participation with other government agencies/foreign countries?

Who oversees the JPRA?

Can I work for the JPRA?

What does the JPRA seal mean?

What does the POW/MIA flag symbolize?

Who directs the Agency?

Does JPRA rescue people like the Coast Guard does?

Who attends JPRA training?

How do I submit a FOIA request?




 

What is Personnel Recovery?[back to top]

Personnel Recovery is the sum of military, diplomatic, and civil efforts to prepare for and execute the recovery and reintegration of isolated personnel.
 

What is an Isolating Event? [back to top]

An isolating event is an incident where US military, DOD civilians, or DOD contractor personnel authorized to accompany the Armed Forces of the United States (or others designated by the President or SecDef), become separated from their unit (as an individual or a group) while participating in a United States-sponsored activity or mission, and are in a situation where they must survive, evade, resist, or escape.
 

How and when was the JPRA established? - [back to top]

The Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) serves the nation and its warfighters by working to prevent isolating events, preparing the warfighters in the event they are isolated, and responding when isolating events occur.

The JPRA has its roots in World War II and the Korean War. In 1942 a military intelligence service was formed to aid US forces to evade and escape from the enemy. In 1952 the Department of Defense (DoD) designated the US Air Force as executive agent (EA) for escape and evasion activities. Training was mostly for pilots and aircrew as they were considered the most likely to be isolated. After the Korean War DoD implemented a Code of Conduct for the Services; it was revised after the Vietnam conflict.

In the early 1990s, DOD began to focus more on the importance of personnel recovery (PR) and in 1991 the Joint Services Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Agency (JSSA) was designated the DoD EA for DoD Prisoner-of-War/Missing-in-Action matters. In 1994 the Joint Staff appointed the JSSA as the focal point for PR. The Department appointed the US Air Force as the Executive Agent for Joint Combat Search and Rescue (JCSAR). In 1999 JPRA was created as an agency under the Commander in Chief, US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) and was named the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR)or DoD-wide PR matters. After the disestablishment of USJFCOM, JPRA was designated a Chairman’s Controlled Activity in August 2011.

JPRA currently provides… for commanders, forces, and individuals on joint PR activities through development and conduct of education and training courses, and specialized individual training.

The agency assesses, advises, and evaluates PR curriculum and establishes Joint PR standards in collaboration with the DoD Components for formal Joint PR training, including Code of Conduct and SERE. JPRA also provides DoD Components with analytical support, technology research and integration, maintenance of databases and archives, and development of lessons learned. JPRA encourages partnerships by assisting with non-DoD agencies, multinational partners, and others, with PR-related education and training programs.

JPRA continues the tradition and moral imperative, to leave no one behind.
 

What does the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) do? [back to top]

The Joint Personnel Recovery Agency’s primary mission is to support the warfighter by instilling the confidence that they have the skills necessary to protect themselves and avoid isolation, but, if isolated, they will not be left behind. 
 

Who works for JPRA? [back to top]

The JPRA carefully selects well-qualified people with subject matter expertise in, training, education, intelligence, oversight, guidance, analysis, and technology. Selection is highly competitive and employees must complete a background investigation.
 

How many people work for the JPRA? - [back to top]

JPRA is authorized 40 military and 210 civilian positions.
 

Does the JPRA give tours of its facilities? - [back to top]

No. Entry to JPRA facilities is limited to employees and those with direct business with the agency.
 

What is the JPRA’s role/participation with other government agencies/foreign countries? - [back to top]

As the Department of Defense Personnel Recovery Office of Primary Responsibility (DoD PR OPR), the JPRA interacts with other government organizations to advance the United States government’s commitment to the safe and rapid recovery of private American citizens and United States government personnel taken hostage or isolated overseas. JPRA also interacts with the United States’ multinational partners to educate, advise, and assist in their respective personnel recovery programs.
 

Who oversees the JPRA?- [back to top]

The Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 

Can I work for the JPRA?- [back to top]

Selection is highly competitive and employees must complete a background investigation. To find job openings and apply go to the Employment Opportunities page.
 

What does the JPRA seal mean?- [back to top]

The blue background, symbolizing sky and space, exemplify the limitless boundaries of DoD recovery operations worldwide.
The red and white border connotes the personal sacrifices of past warriors who have suffered physical and mental anguish in their loss of freedom, and even life, in defense of the country’s ideals and the valor with which all services carry out their personnel recovery mission.

The stars denote the six articles of the Code of Conduct, which stand as guiding lights to help the US warriors navigate the dangerous territories of survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) toward ultimate recovery.

The eagle and wreath are adapted from the seal of the Department of Defense and symbolize the commitment of Department of Defense forces to protect isolated personnel and the swiftness of response.

The laurel (left side of the wreath) represents honors received in combat and the olive branch (right side of the wreath) represents defending peace.

The broken chain depicts the mental and physical oppression that the Code of Conduct, personnel recovery training and DoD recovery forces serve to defeat.
 

What does the POW/MIA flag symbolize?- [back to top]

The flag was designed as a symbol of personnel taken as prisoners-of-war or missing-in-action.

The flag was awarded official status by US Public Law 101-355 August 10, 1990. It was designated "as a symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation.”
 

Who directs the Agency?- [back to top]

The agency is led by a director who is a military officer. The director reports to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. See the Leadership page.
 

Does JPRA rescue people like the Coast Guard does?- [back to top]

No. JPRA does not directly rescue isolated personnel. JPRA enables the DoD to prevent, prepare for, and respond to isolating events.
 

Who attends JPRA training?- [back to top]

JPRA trains personnel who are in charge of recovery planning and those persons at high risk of isolation. Typical students include the military, DoD civilians, and interagency personnel.
 

How do I submit a FOIA request? - [back to top]

Click here to read about submitting a request. Please pay special attention to the exemptions and exclusions page. Requests for the information covered by those exemptions and exclusions will be denied.