By SGT Genzmer, Kyllian, Operations Division (J3), Capture Avoidance and Survival Team (CAST)

On 17 November 2022, the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) hosted Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) Ramón “CZ” Colón-López. As a Chairman Controlled Activity, aligned under the Joint Staff/J-7/Joint Force Development, JPRA leads DoD Personnel Recovery across the conflict continuum to prepare for and execute the recovery and reintegration of isolated personnel. The visit allowed enlisted members to discuss day to day operations related to Personnel Recovery and Rescue to include how they support the agency, as well as allow SEAC Colón-López to bring years of knowledge and experience to JPRA’s enlisted members.

During the SEAC’s visit, enlisted members provided a mission brief for each functional area and highlighted JPRA’s Strategic Goals and FY 2023 Initiatives. Following a great discussion on the way forward of Personnel Recovery to meet future challenges, the SEAC received a tour of JPRA’s Archives and met the Capture Avoidance and Survival Team (CAST). JPRA’s Archives is congressionally mandated to keep record of PR events and is in the process of working to digitize all records into a searchable cloud based portal. With the CAST section, the SEAC was able to get hands-on training with tools the team is designing to push out to the forces to better facilitate evading service members. CAST members also provided demonstrations and examples of efforts to update and modernize survival gear.

Over a working lunch, the JPRA enlisted members and SEAC Colón-López discussed Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Enlisted Force Pay, and how the SEACs primary Lines of Effort and long term goals have pushed to support enlisted members. JPRA Enlisted members were able to share experiences and ideas to drive a valuable discussion. The day was ended by giving the SEAC a tour of JPRAs Assessment Division and highlight key enlisted members role in supporting emerging technologies to support Personnel Recovery.

For more information on JPRA go to: www.jpra.mil

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