Photo By Spc. Tynisha Daniel | Spc. Davy S. Bradley of the 387th Quartermaster Company (MA) records information of...... read more read more
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FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. – Mortuary affairs Soldiers worldwide provide closure to families of fallen service members by returning the remains of their loved ones with dignity and honor. Soldiers of the 387th Quartermaster Company (MA), are training on the art of honoring fallen Soldiers with respect and reverence during Warrior Exercise (WAREX) 91 14-03 here.
The mission of mortuary affairs Soldiers is to recover, process and transport the remains of service members who have lost their lives defending the freedom of Americans.
In an effort to sustain their job proficiency, Soldiers of the 387th, located in Santa Monica, California, are conducting job specific training here. During the WAREX, Soldiers of the 387th conducted training on the processing and transporting of Soldiers killed in action (KIA) and a ramp ceremony honoring the lives of the fallen July 25.
“The hardest aspect of this MOS (military occupational specialty) to us is keeping our emotions under control,” said Staff Sgt. Jesus M. Ortega, native of Rancho Cucamonga, California, a mortuary affairs specialist with the 387th.
While both active duty and reserve Soldiers have the same process of collecting information of fallen Soldiers, those on active duty conduct search and recovery missions as well.
“There are two aspects of search and recovery,” said Alta Loma, California, native, Spc. Luke G. Lagunzad, a mortuary affairs specialist with the 387th. “One is when we receive a report of a fallen Soldier and Soldiers were unable to find remains, we would become attached to the unit [who lost the Soldier] at the last known location and recover the remains.”
The second type of search and recovery is when inhabitants of another country find remains believed to be those of an American Soldier. A mortuary affairs unit then moves to that location to collect and send the remains to lab specialists for identification.
Upon receiving the remains of fallen Soldiers, mortuary affairs specialists systematically collect and process the remains and property of Soldiers and build a case file. The specialists then store the remains inside a refrigeration unit until notified that the Soldier is ready to be transported.
They have 24 hours to transport the remains of service members after processing. If deployed, remains are transported via aircraft to the Joint Mortuary Center in Dover, Delaware. The mortuary affairs unit in Dover will contact fallen Soldier’s families to allow the family to proceed with their burial arrangements.
Dealing with death does not come easily for many; mortuary affairs Soldiers not only process the remains of service members, they also clean the belongings and personal items found with a Soldier at time of death. These possessions can range from pictures, and letters to other small keepsakes. Seeing these sentimental valuables of the service members can be emotionally difficult for mortuary affairs specialists.
The shoes of a mortuary affairs specialist are not easily filled, and the ability to be resilient and in control of one’s emotions is essential.
“As a mortuary affairs specialist, being able to control ourselves mentally and emotionally is most important,” said Ortega.
Mortuary affairs specialists go through two months of extensive advanced individual training, (AIT). The first phase is classroom-based and teaches troops how to process case files for remains. The second phase includes practical training in Puerto Rican morgues; gaining “hands on” experience allows Soldiers to become accustomed to being near remains.
“The biggest strength you have to have with being a 92M (MA) is resilience,” said Spc. Davy S. Bradley, a native of Simi Valley, California, and MA specialist with the 387th. It’s important to remember that you are providing closure and helping families of Soldiers with the overall process of losing a loved one.
“I thought becoming a 92M would be a way to bring great honor to fallen Soldiers while bringing closure to Americans who have lost family members,” said Bradley. “There will always be some sadness to this MOS, but it’s important to remember the overall mission to get that Soldier back home.”
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2014 20:22 |
| Story ID: | 137563 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US |
| Hometown: | ALTA LOMA, CA, US |
| Hometown: | RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SIMI VALLEY, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 480 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Reserve Mortuary Affairs Soldiers honor fallen comrades, by SPC Tynisha Daniel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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