Transporting Our Fallen with Honor, Dignity and Respect

Photo By Capt. Andrew Czaplicki | Soldiers assigned to the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team support the Fort Lee-based 111th Quartermaster Company, 530th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion by training mortuary affairs Soldiers on the use of chemical detection equipment during the Joint Mortuary Affairs Centers’ Quick Reaction Test field training exercise on March 12, 2015, at Fort Lee, Va. The event was proctored by the U.S. Army’s Test and Evaluation Command and is designed to develop, evaluate and refine tactics, techniques and procedures used during the operation of the newly fielded mortuary affairs contaminated remains mitigation site. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Andrew J. Czaplicki)  

FORT BELVOIR, VA, UNITED STATES

12.12.2017

Courtesy Story

Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Chemical and Biological Technologies Department

Our nation’s fallen troops deserve an honorable stateside burial, and fulfilling family burial requests is a priority for the Department of Defense. However, transporting contaminated human remains (CHR) is difficult due to Air Force regulations, interstate hazardous material transportation laws and long-term environmental concerns. To address these issues, a team of researchers from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Chemical and Biological Technologies Department are preparing for a horrific scenario — chemical or biological attacks that result in CHR, and with large-scale execution.

Recent real-world events have propelled the repatriation of the CHR issue to the forefront of the chemical and biological community’s concerns, resulting in two validated Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statements (JUONS): one for a biological CHR capability in response to the Ebola crisis and, more recently, another for a chemical CHR capability in response to a U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) JUON.

The safe repatriation of CHR is a complex, global challenge. It is not an accepted practice to leave the remains of chemical or biological-exposed warfighters abroad. The U.S. Air Force, the branch responsible for transporting fallen warfighters, takes charge to provide honor, dignity and respect when returning our fallen. However, the environmental safety of CHR is a concern. While sensitive to families that have firm religious ideals for final resting requests for their loved one, there is a lack of documentation of long-term residual effects of buried contaminated remains. In addition, with limited assets, the Air Force must be able to manage safety requirements of chemical or biological warfare agents traversing through airspace and landing areas, along with retaining the ability to reuse the aircraft.

DTRA CB has collaborated with the Assistant Secretary of the Army’s Manpower and Reserve Affairs to conduct a series of tabletop exercises (TTXs) to address requirements. These exercises, named Elysium, bring together experts from the DoD to identify processes and activities involving personnel recovery, decontamination, logistics support and transportation, organizational roles, command and control, and required capabilities for managing warfighters following chemical or biological exposure. The goal of Elysium is to draft a joint defense concept called the Personnel Contamination Mitigation (PCM) Annex that will integrate and synchronize PCM operations for the wounded and deceased.

This is the first attempt to integrate mortuary affairs, casualty care and personnel decontamination operations following hazard exposure. Examining the nexus of these PCM tasks and developing a joint, integrated concept will expedite and increase effectiveness of response operations. Also, in an effort to increase efficiencies while reducing defense spending, this concept will inform the development of dual use and synergistic capabilities for the PCM mission.
The USCENTCOM JUON tasked the R&D community to develop the capability to safely recover, package, transport and render final disposition of remains.

The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) achieved urgent materiel release for a transfer case capable of transporting chemically contaminated human remains. While the transfer case, developed by JPEO-CBD and Joint Program Manager for Protection, satisfies the materiel solution, Elysium will be leveraged to help develop tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure CHR are safely handled with dignity.

Fallen warfighters deserve respect, regardless of the scenario. DTRA CB is working with its partners to provide a solution in the event of chemical and biological events, while remaining sensitive to grieving families and ensuring proper safety practices.
POC: Markham Smith; [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 12.12.2017
• Date Posted: 12.12.2017 11:48
• Story ID: 258416
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VA, US