This is our last Bits 'N' Pieces, before we head for Washington D. C. and our Eighth Annual POW/MIA Forum. Once again, we will meet at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel, 1143 New Hampshire Ave N.W., Washington D.C., from June 19th - 21st, 1997. Make your reservations now! Call 1-800-526-7495. Rates are $99.00 per night.

We have an exciting line-up planned and look forward to seeing you there.

Update, scheduled speakers include:

1) Our good friend Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) who will update us on the U.S. Russian Joint Commission.

2) Col. Tom Mc Kenney USMC (Ret.) will speak of his involvement with the Phoenix Program and American POWs. Col. Mc Kenney was extensively interviewed for the new book "Spite House" by Monika Jensen Stevenson.

3) Commander Chip Beck USN (Ret.) former POW special investigator, with DPMO, will speak about his experiences and insights.

4) Former Vietnam POW Frank Anton Jr., author of a new book titled "Why Didn't You Get Me Out," will discuss his experiences as a POW and his belief that POW's were left behind. We've seen an editors' copy of Mr. Antons' book and can only say his presentation should prove both interesting and disturbing. When Mr. Anton is finished you will be asking the question, "Why didn't they get them out."

5) There will be a briefing on last Decembers' trip to the DPRK, by Alliance representatives and much more......

Note: Cmdr. Beck will speak Thursday afternoon, June 19th, at 1:00 P.M. Times for all other speaker have yet to be scheduled.

Our DPMO briefing is scheduled for 8:30 A.M., Friday June 20th. Representatives from the Armed Forces Identification Lab, will follow. They will discuss mt-DNA testing. This looks to be a lively discussion.

Friday evening we have a special guest scheduled. We're keeping this guest a surprise! All we will say now is, you won't want to miss this speaker.

Korea - Cold War Family members please note: We don't know where your DPMO briefing is to be held. Plans keep changing. Please contact DPMO for the location of your briefing.

Our first forum will start promptly at 1:00 P.M., Thursday afternoon, June 19th.

Hope to see you all there.

Remember our meetings are open to all, at no charge. In order to make this Forum a reality, funds are needed. Please consider a contribution to The National Alliance of Families. The Alliance is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization. All donations are tax deductible. Contributions may be mailed to The National Alliance of Families, P.O. Box 40327, Bellevue Washington 98015-4327.

China Documents - We urgently need any documents relating to China and World War II, Korea, Cold War, and Vietnam POWs transfered to China. If you have any documents, please send it to Dolores Alfond, National Alliance of Families c/o Sheraton City Centre Hotel, 1143 New Hampshire Ave N.W., Washington D.C. We must have these documents prior to the start of our June 19th forum.

BAD NEWS FOR OUR FRIENDS ON THE MALL --- A Federal Appeals court has upheld the ban of T-Shirt sales on the Mall in Washington D.C. This ruling effects our good friends at the Last Firebase POW/MIA Vigil Site.

According to the Associated Press "... a lower court had found that the ban violated the free speech rights of a group of Vietnam Veterans who sold shirts by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to raise awareness about soldiers who are still missing in action. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the Park Service ban "does not burden substantially more speech than necessary" in the effort to clear the grassy promenade of a glut of vendors.

...Vendors on the Mall still may sell books, newspapers, leaflets, pamphlets, buttons and bumper stickers. And the court noted Friday that nothing prevents interest groups from distributing T-shirts for free."

We can only hope that Last Firebase has another avenue to pursue in the courts. They give voice to our POW/MIAs at the Wall. It would be a shame to loose their presence, at the wall..

When you are in D.C. stop by the site and show your support.

We will continue with the next installment of the NSC document, after the Forum. See you all in D. C.