Missing in action

Missing In Action, better known as MIA, is a casualty classification used by the United Nations Space Command that refers to a member of the UNSC who has been reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture or death is unknown. The missing combatant must not have been otherwise accounted for as either killed in action or a prisoner of war.

When SPARTAN-IIs are killed, they are reported Missing in Action or Wounded in Action to create the illusion that Spartans never die. This apparently helped boost morale for the UNSC.

Trivia

 * Randall, James, John-117, and Gray Team are the only Spartans who truly became missing.
 * John-117 was considered Missing in Action due to the fact that there was no evidence that he died, despite Terrence Hood's quote, "Hard to believe he's dead".
 * During the video log in the level 343 Guilty Spark, the automated video recorder regards Wallace A. Jenkins as possibly MIA, due to the termination of his recording as a result of his infection by the Flood.

Related Pages

 * Killed In Action (KIA)
 * Wounded In Action (WIA)

External

 * Wikipedia's article on "Missing In Action"