CPT Scott Speicher: Missing in Action

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 The Secretary of the Navy has recently changed the status of Capt. Michael “Scott” Speicher, a missing Navy pilot from the first Gulf war (Jan 1991). Formally, his status has changed as: Missing-In-Action/Captured to simply “Missing in Action.”

Determining this status flies in the face of a Jan 09 Navy status review board which suggested that the F/A-18 Hornet pilot’s status should remain “missing/captured.”

Specifically, Winters conclusion was based on faulty intelligence sources that at one time or another claimed to have seen the downed pilot in captivity. This being said, his summary rested on the assessment that there was no current information in Iraq or other countries where one could substantially conclude Speicher was being held in a prison or similar containment facility.

Moreover, he posed an unrealistic scenario and conspiracy as being required to maintain the captured status. He was quoted as follows, “”For Captain Speicher to be in captivity today one would have to accept a massive conspiracy of silence and perfectly executed deception that has lasted for over 18 years and that continues today.” (See pilotonline.com)

In all, what we have now, is a total of four status changes for Speicher – and arguably more if we take into account 1991’s SECDEF Cheney’s KIA comment. There is no argument that Speicher was downed one way or another in January of 1991. He was either hit by an enemy missile or enemy surface to air weaponry.

Since, 1991, Speicher’s status has seen several status changes. He was originally MIA, this changed to Killed in Action (Body not Recovered) back to Missing in Action-Captured under then president Bill Clinton’s direction, to finally Missing in Action on 10 March 2009.

The International Committee of the Red Cross conducted their own search and inspection mission (weaving their way through Saddam’s secretive security measures) in December 1995 along with military investigators. The mission was essentially an excavation one, where no solid evidence was turned up that could conclusively point to Speicher still being alive.

The current SECNAV Winters, has strongly recommended that a new status review board convene in 2010, with careful hints prodding cooperation with the intelligence community. Although Winters is on his way out, one could make an assessment that without verifiable proof of a body, there will not be a status change for Speicher. The conspiracy theorists jump at the fact, that past wars, including Vietnam showed evidence of prisoners kept over a prolonged period – hence comparatively increasing the overall likelihood for Speicher still being alive. The fact remains however, without some kind of geographical history of prolonged sustainment for Iraq does not exist and surrounding areas like Iran allow virtually no outside observations.

In the end no one should give up hope, and prayers should and will continue for this honorable pilot