DUSTWUN


DUSTWUN is a transitory casualty status assigned to United States servicemembers who cannot be located but have not been confirmed dead or captured. A servicemember can have DUSTWUN status for only ten days.

History

U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl 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.