Two Fort Bliss soldiers reported missing

Two families are asking for help locating their sons, who have not been seen since December 19, 2016.

Army soldiers Jake Obad Mathis and Melvin Jones were last seen traveling in a 2013 Black Chevrolet Camaro with Texas plants HTV-9983.

Neither soldier has spoken with family since, their phones are off, and no activity has been recorded on their social media accounts, according to Staff Sergeant Haswell, with the Warriors After and Recovery program.

“You know you can usually pick up the phone and call, now it’s not there. Or you get a voicemail, it’s just empty,” Duane Jones, Melvin Jones father, said.

Jones tells ABC-7 he talks to his son weekly, which is why he says he’s so worried he hasn’t heard from him.

“I text him everyday. Hoping that one time he would reply so I haven’t changed my routine, hoping that he would actually reply,” Jones said.

Jones was supposed to pick his father up from the airport Thursday night, but never showed. The two had plans to go to the Sunbowl game together.

“When I got off the plane and looking for him and not having him looking for me, yea that was the hardest,” Jones said.

Jones was last seen with his friend, Jake Mathis, on post. Loved ones weren’t aware the two were missing until Mathis failed to report for work.

“He has never gone for a week without touching with his family. He hasn’t gone for two days without getting in touch with someone in his family. He was constantly reaching out and so this is, in his whole life this has never happened,” Mathis’ mother, Kathy Mathis, said.

Jake is now considered “AWOL” by the Army. Jones was on leave until January, so his father tells ABC-7 the Army won’t consider Jones “AWOL” until then. Since the two are in the military, there’s red tape to clear before a real search even begins.

“We can’t do anything for you, we can’t trace the phones, we can’t go into his apartment, we can’t do any of that until after the paperwork is processed for “AWOL” and it’s 30 days after that,” Jones said.

With no clues as to why they’re missing, the families say they’re taking things into their own hands now and hoping for the best.

“I hope and trust in god that everything is going to be okay,” Jones said.

Jones says he tried to file a missing persons report with El Paso Police but was not able to for several reasons. El Paso Police officials tell ABC-7 it’s because Ft. Bliss is its own entity and military police handle investigations on post.

If you have any information on where the two may be you’re asked to call Warriors Aftermath and Recovery at (208)-724-7123.