DUSTWUN (
abbreviation
An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ''short'') is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method. It may consist of a group of letters or words taken from the full version of the word or phrase; for example, the word ''abbrevia ...
for ''duty status—whereabouts unknown'') is a transitory casualty status assigned to
United States service members who cannot be located but have not been confirmed dead or captured. A service member can have DUSTWUN status for only ten days.
History
U.S. soldier
Bowe Bergdahl
Beaudry Robert "Bowe" Bergdahl (born March 28, 1986) is a United States Army soldier who was held captive from 2009 to 2014 by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Bergdahl was captured after deserting his post on Ju ...
came to national attention in the United States after spending five years in captivity in Afghanistan; he had left his post in 2009 intending to hike 20 miles to the closest command center when he was captured by the Taliban. His disappearance triggered an unsuccessful 45-day "DUSTWUN" manhunt by the U.S. Army.
See also
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Missing in action
Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
Notes
Military terminology of the United States
War casualties
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