U.S. - Russia Archival Conference
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
April 13-15, 2004
Schedule of Topics
Tuesday, April
13
9:45-10:45 A.M.
Welcoming Comments: Hon. John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United States
Opening Remarks: Hon. Jerry D. Jennings, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Affairs
Programmatic Note: Mr. Norman D. Kass, Conference Moderator, and Senior Director, Joint Commission Support Directorate, Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
10:44-12:30 P.M.
Research in the U.S. and Russian Archives: The Human Dimension
This session will stress the importance of archival research to the work of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs (USRJC). Specific examples will be presented to demonstrate how documents identified at the Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defense (TsAMO) have been correlated with official U.S. records to assist in clarifying the fates of missing servicemen. A Power Point presentation will be included.
Presenter: Mr. Danz Blasser, Senior Analyst, Korean War Working Group, Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD)]
Commentator: Colonel Sergey Ilyenkov, Chief of Archival Services, General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
2:00-4:00 P.M. Korean and Vietnam War Materials Held in Russian Archives
The Russian side will present an overview of major record groups in the Russian archives pertaining to the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Presenter: Colonel Sergey Chuvashin, Chief, Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defense
Commentator: Dr. James G. Connell, Special Projects, Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, JCSD
Wednesday, April 14
I. DECLASSIFICATION PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO KOREAN-AND VIETNAM-WAR MATERIALS
10:00-12:00 Noon Session 1: The View from Washington
Presenters: Ms. Laura Kimberly, Deputy Director, Interagency Security Oversight Office, NARA, and
Mr. Donald McIlwain, Branch Chief, Initial Processing and Declassification Division, NARA
Commentator: Colonel Sergey Ilenkov, Chief of Archival Services, General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
1:30-2:30 P.M. Session 2: Moscow's Perspective
Presenter: Colonel Sergey Ilenkov
Commentator: Ms. Jeanne Schauble, Director, Initial Processing and Declassification Division, NARA
These two complimentary presentations compare and contrast archival declassification in concept and design within a historical framework of particular significance to the Joint Commission's work: the periods of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Challenges arising from requirements for proper storage, timely transfer and comprehensive review of classified documents will be presented from both the U.S. and Russian vantage point. Discussion will hopefully elicit ideas for improving the effectiveness of the declassification process and the role of the archivist as its facilitator.
II. ASSISTING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
2:30-3:30 P.M. Veterans' Information Requests
A theme central to the work of both NARA and TsAMO is that of providing documentary assistance to veterans and their families. Often records made available by each of these two facilities have been critical to decisions regarding definition of status and eligibility for benefits. This hour-long session allows for a comparison of concepts and approaches to a humanitarian issue shared by both sides. Presentations and ensuing discussion will hopefully generate fresh ideas for providing effective and timely responses to veterans and their families.
Co-Presenters: Dr. Timothy Nenninger, Chief of Modern Military Records, NARA
Colonel Sergey Chuvashin, Chief, Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defense
Thursday, April 15
10:00-12:00 Noon Finding Guides
This session features a joint presentation on finding guides as a basic tool in configuring and accessing archival records. Audience participation at the end of the briefings will hopefully elucidate the value of finding guides at the various archives represented and identify ways in which finding guides nay be used to advance the work being conducted on behalf of missing servicemen and their families.
Presenters: Dr. Sharon Thibodau, Director, Access Programs, NARA, and
Ms. Brenda Kepley, Archivist, Old Military Records and Civil records, NARA
Commentator: Ms. Irina Pushkareva, Archivist, Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defense
1:30-3:30 P.M. Impact of Modern Technology on Archival Operations
The concluding presentations offer a sampling of technologies which may be of assistance in facilitating efforts to locate, examine, analyze and share information helpful in the process of clarifying incidents of loss and subsequent circumstances relating to the fates of missing servicemen.
Presenters: Mr. Robert Richardson, Director, Special Media Archival Services Division, NARA, and
Ms. Jeannine Swift, Archivist, Modern Military Records, NARA
Commentator: Vladimir Viktorovich Kozin, Chief of the Central Archives, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation
3:30-4:00 P.M.
Closing Remarks: Dr. Timothy K. Nenninger, National Archives and Records Administration, and Co-Chairman, World War II Working Group, U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs
Courtesy DPMO
