Missing soldier’s family gets update

WASHINGTON – Carolyn and Keith Maupin walked into the Pentagon Friday hoping for any new bits of information about their son, who was captured by insurgents near Baghdad more than 18 months ago.

They left after more than two hours, saying defense officials assured them the military is continuing to search for Army Reserve Sgt. Keith “Matt” Maupin. But they got no definitive answer to the question that haunts them most: Is he still alive?

“Even though you see a smile, your heart still aches,” Carolyn Maupin said after the meeting.

Surrounded by journalists and escorted by two Army officials, Keith Maupin – wearing a POW-MIA hat – said he believes “they’ll find something soon. They’ll find him.”

The Maupins met with Lt. Gen. James L. Campbell, the director of the Army Staff, as well as officials from the Casualty Assistance Office and the Joint Personnel Recovery Office. They also had a video conference call with senior officers in Iraq.

Asked whether they learned anything new, they said nothing.

“We will not discuss the specifics of the update because it is an ongoing operation and saying anything could be detrimental to Matt’s safe return and the safety of those involved in the search,” they said in a written statement.