Mortuary Affairs

The Joint Mortuary Affairs Program is a broadly based military program providing for the care and disposition of missing and deceased personnel, including personal effects (PE). Based on the guidance and direction of the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Mortuary Affairs Program provides guidance to the combatant commands and Services. Policy as stated in Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 1300.22, Mortuary Affairs Policy, is that the human remains of all members of the Armed Forces of the United States will be returned for permanent disposition in accordance with the decedent's will or the laws of the state (territory, possession, or country) of the decedent's legal residence as directed by the person authorized to direct disposition of human remains (PADD). During peacetime and peace operations, mortuary services are provided at the local level by regional Service mortuaries or through established Service contracts. During military operations when local support capabilities are exceeded or not available, the Department of Defense (DOD) can direct all human remains go to a specified mortuary, normally the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The specified mortuary will provide positive identification (ID) (if augmented by Armed Forces Medical Examiner System), mortuary services, and return human remains to a place designated by the PADD for permanent disposition. This publication provides joint doctrine for MA support in joint operations. It outlines procedures for the search, recovery, evacuation (to include tracking of human remains), tentative ID, processing, and/or temporary interment of human remains. This publication addresses both the DOD's MA responsibilities in regards to civil support duties under Commander, USNORTHCOM and to the other GCCs. It further addresses decontam ination procedures for handling contaminated human remains and provides for the handling of PE of deceased and missing personnel.