Friday, September 19, 2025, is National Prisoner of War and Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Recognition Day. This day is intended to honor American service members who were prisoners of war and/or missing in action. As Americans, we should all take time to honor their service and sacrifice, and to remember the sacrifice of their families as well.

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of 2025, there are still nearly 81,000 American servicemen and women reported missing or listed as prisoners of war. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is a U.S. Department of Defense Agency whose mission is to recover and identify remains of U.S. military personnel from wars and conflicts such as WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and others. To this day, they are still locating missing servicemen and women from decades ago and supplying their families with closure.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter. The proclamation was created due to the undying advocacy of families of Vietnam War POWs and MIAs who wanted full accountability regarding their loved ones. The third Friday of September was chosen as the annual date for National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

On this day, you may see POW/MIA flags being flown. The flag features the silhouette of a prisoner of war against the backdrop of a guard tower and barbed wire, set within a black and white field. The inscription “POW/MIA” appears above, with the words “YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN” below. The flag’s black and white design symbolizes sorrow, anxiety, and hope. Many Americans display this flag during September, while others display it year-round as a tribute to these veterans and their families. The POW/MIA flag is flown year-round over the White House to honor our nation’s prisoners of war and missing service members.

In addition to displaying the POW/MIA flag, you can honor these service members by visiting a POW/MIA memorial site. For instance, there is a commemorative chair at Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, D.C. which has the following statement engraved on it:

“Let this empty chair serve as a memorial to those who served in the military of our great nation but have not returned home to us.

They are Prisoners of War and Missing in Action.

America will forever be grateful for your bravery and sacrifice in service to our nation. We will never forget.”

There is also a Flame of Hope monument located in Virigina Beach, Va. This monument was created for Vietnam prisoners of war and those missing in action. There is a flame that burns continuously and will remain burning until the return of all POW/MIAs. This memorial park is open 24 hours a day and serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by prisoners of war and those missing in action during the Vietnam War.

You can show support for the families of these men and women by attending veterans rallies in your community — particularly with your children. Our children should learn about the history of what this day truly means. 

I encourage you to take time on National POW/MIA Recognition Day to remember our service members who were prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action. Without their sacrifices we would not have the nation that we have today.

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