DPAA is located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The command was activated on October 1, 2003, created from the merger of the 30-year-old U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, and the 11-year-old Joint Task Force - Full Accounting. Commanded by a flag officer, DPAA is manned by approximately 400 handpicked Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Department of the Navy civilians. The laboratory portion of DPAA, referred to as the Central Identification Laboratory (CIL), is the largest forensic anthropology laboratory in the world.

DPAA is located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The command was activated on October 1, 2003, created from the merger of the 30-year-old U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, and the 11-year-old Joint Task Force - Full Accounting. Commanded by a flag officer, DPAA is manned by approximately 400 handpicked Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Department of the Navy civilians. The laboratory portion of DPAA, referred to as the Central Identification Laboratory (CIL), is the largest forensic anthropology laboratory in the world.