Our Mission
Our Mission at the Missing In Action Remembered memorial, is to provide an effective means of community outreach to inform and educate the general public as to the plights of the United States Veterans/Civilians who have been listed as Missing in Action and to provide assistance to those family members.
We are doing this by constructing a Memorial within the Portrait of a Warrior Gallery, located at 1925 Eye St., which will be the home to 82,334 military “dog tags - with the name, rank and date of loss of each missing soldier.
When one of these souls is brought home, their dog tag will be made gold, thus stating that they are finally home.
Our Founders
Missing In Action Remembered (MIAR) was founded by Vietnam veteran William "Bill" Potter and his wife, Denise Potter. The couple’s mission is to educate the public about the plight of missing veterans and provide support to their families.
"Our hope is that this memorial will serve as a constant reminder of the sacrifices made by these soldiers and the families still waiting for their return," said Bill Potter. "When one of these heroes is finally brought home, we will honor them by replacing their dog tag with a gold one, signifying that they are no longer missing."
For over 30 years, Bill and Denise were residents of Bakersfield, CA, where they were deeply involved in the community. They have been active members of veteran organizations, including the VFW at both local and state levels. Bill also owned a business in the community for over three decades. With generations of their family having served in the military, the Potters have a profound and personal understanding of the sacrifices made by our service members and their families.
Meet The Board
William (Bill) Potter
Chairman
A Navy Vietnam Veteran, married, father of two and grandfather of four, Bill has been a Bakersfield resident since 1991 and a local small business owner since 1996. He has held several positions with other non-profits including the VFW Post 97, VFW Department of California, Portrait of a Warrior Gallery, Bakersfield Country Music Museum, Kern Business Connectors, and Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation.
Denise Potter
Secretary / Treasurer
The wife of a Vietnam Veteran, mother of two and grandmother of four, Denise has been a Bakersfield resident since 1991. She has volunteered thousands of hours with VFW Post 97.
Fredrick Mohun
Board Member
A retired Lt. Col. for the United States Air Force Reserve and a married and father of two, Fred has held the State Commander and Quartermaster position with VFW Post 9401 and volunteered his time with USO in Los Angeles, California. He is also a graduate of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.
Wayne Wright
Board Member
A retired Lt. Commander, for the Navy where he received several awards including the Navy commendation medal, Gold conduct medal, and Humanitarian Service medal, to name a few. Wayne is a married father of four and grandfather of thirteen. He has been a member with the VFW, Navy Mustang Association, Military Officers Association of America, and the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association.
Hector Garcia
Board Member
A father and long-time Bakersfield resident, Hector has served on the Rabobank Community Leadership Board, Kern County Hispanic Business and Education Foundation, and Black Chamber of Commerce of Bakersfield, California.