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States whose nationals benefit from the services of the Central POW Information Agency, arerequested to give the Central POW Information Agency the financial aid it may require. 770The provisions of the GPW establishing the Central POW Information Agency do notrestrict the humanitarian activities of the ICRC and of the relief societies described in Article 125of the GPW. 771The GPW contemplates that the ICRC shall, if it deems necessary, propose to the Powersconcerned the organization of a Central POW Information Agency. 772 The role of the CentralPOW Information Agency has been performed by the ICRC Central Tracing Agency, which hasalso performed this role for protected persons under the GC.9.31.4 U.S. Practice in Reporting to the ICRC Central Tracing Agency. For the UnitedStates, the National POW Information Bureau, which has been established and managed by theSecretary of the Army, has been referred to at different times as the National Prisoner of WarInformation Center (NPWIC) in Operation DESERT STORM in 1991, 773 and as the NationalDetainee Reporting Center (NDRC) in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003. TheNPWIC/NDRC has performed the same function for certain protected persons under the GC.In general, the Theater Prisoner of War Information Center (TPWIC) has received reportsfrom all subordinate POW facilities, regardless of Military Service, consolidated them andreconciled any discrepancies, and then forwarded its report to the NPWIC/NDRC. TheNPWIC/NDRC, on behalf of the United States, has further reviewed and reconciled reports asneeded, and forwarded its report to the ICRC Central Tracing Agency, which has acted as theCentral POW Information Agency. The release of POW accountability information outside thisprocess (such as directly from field components to ICRC field representatives) has been avoidedso as to reduce the likelihood of erroneous, conflicting, or duplicate reporting.9.31.5 Exemption of National POW Information Bureau and Central POW InformationAgency From Certain Charges. The National POW Information Bureau and the Central POWInformation Agency shall enjoy free postage for mail, all the exemptions provided for in Article770 GPW art. 123 (“The High Contracting Parties, and in particular those whose nationals benefit by the services ofthe Central Agency, are requested to give the said Agency the financial aid it may require.”).771 GPW art. 123 (“The foregoing provisions shall in no way be interpreted as restricting the humanitarian activitiesof the International Committee of the Red Cross, or of the relief societies provided for in Article 125.”).772 GPW art. 123 (“The International Committee of the Red Cross shall, if it deems necessary, propose to the Powersconcerned the organization of such an Agency.”).773 For example, FINAL REPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF WAR 579-80 (“HQDA [Headquarters, Department of theArmy] also operates the NPWIC, the central agency for all information pertaining to prisoners of war. Article 122,GPW, and Article 136, GC, require captors to establish a national information bureau as quickly as possible after thestart of hostilities. The NPWIC, manned by Army Reserve (USAR) individual mobilization augmentees, volunteerReservists, and retired personnel, served as a central repository for information related to EPW and displacedcivilians captured or transferred to US forces. It also coordinated information with the ICRC pertaining to EPWheld by Coalition forces and provided information pertaining to Americans (POW) in Iraqi hands. Additionally, theNPWIC consolidated information from the theater for dissemination to appropriate government agencies, Congress,and the ICRC.”).617