Show me the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals.
– Gladstone.
When 2nd Lt. Jim Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
They are the troops that nobody wants to see, carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear. It begins with a knock at the door.
For the past year, the Rocky Mountain News has followed Maj. Steve Beck as he takes on the most difficult duty of his career: casualty notification. As Beck and his comrades at Buckley Air Force Base keep constant watch over the caskets of the men they never knew, the Marines also comfort the families of the fallen, and choke back tears of their own.
It's all part of a tradition that started in 1775: Never leave a Marine behind. After the knock on the door, the story has only begun.
Taking Chance Home
Written by Lieutenant Colonel Strobl USMC, Escorting PFC Phelps is the account of escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. It's a long and beautifully written and it deserves to be read in it's entirety. It's about Valor, Honor and Respect. LtCol M.R. Strobl, who is assigned to MCCDC Quantico, VA served as the officer who escorted the remains from Dover AFB, DE to his home. PFC Phelps was assigned to 3d Bn, 11th Marines – an artillery unit functioning as a provisional infantry battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2. PFC Phelps was killed in action from a gunshot wound received on 9 Apr 04 during combat operations west of Baghdad. He was buried in Dubois, WY on 17 Apr 04.
Escort Brief
16 July 2004
US Army Memorial Affairs
Activity
Selection of escorts
An Escort Shall Be
Neat in appearance. Military escorts will not have medical profiles restricting wear of uniform or
waiving personal appearance standards.
Of good character.
Sober and drug free
Tactful in speech and pleasant
in personality.
Capable of taking appropriate
action in an emergency.
Of the same branch of service.
Of a grade at least equal
to that of the decedent.
From the same unit when practicable.
Able to speak the language
spoken by the Person Authorizing Disposition.
Duties and responsibilities
Your Mission
Your mission as an escort
is to ensure thatthe deceased soldier’s remains are safeguarded
and properly moved from the time of release from the preparing mortuary
until delivery to the receiving funeral home selected by the Person
Authorized to Direct Disposition (PADD).
Importance of this Assignment
I’d like to emphasize the
importance of this assignment, and the requirement that you maintain
the highest standards of conduct and courtesy, including neatness of
appearance and sobriety. You will not discuss the purpose of your travel
with anyone other than the carrier’s agents and representatives. Furthermore,
you will not discuss with anyone rumors, speculation, or circumstances
of the incident surrounding the death of the soldier.
Transportation
As an escort, you will be
issued a Government Transportation Request (GTR) and itinerary to your
final destination prior to leaving this installation. These documents
authorize transportation by common carrier for you and the deceased,
and your return trip to your duty station.
Upon completion of this mission
you will return to your duty station using the mode of transportation
that has been arranged by the CAC. You may
or may not be authorized a rental car. That decision will be based
on how far the receiving mortuary is from the airport.
Checking In
Give the airline check in
counter your blue GTR (Government Travel Request) and your ID card.
The airline will issue your ticket. Make
sure that the itinerary on the ticket
is the same as that on your information
sheet. Please tell check-in personnel that you are the escort for
deceased human remains.
Witnessing the loading
of the remains onto the aircraft
When you reach the boarding
area, again tell the airline representative there, you are the escort
for the remains of a deceased soldier and you would like to witness
the on loading of the remains into the aircraft. If they concur, you
will be taken downstairs to witness the on loading or view from a window
in the departure area. Be sure the air tray is the correct way (remains are always loaded into the aircraft headfirst so when they are off loaded,
they will be off loaded feet first. At all other times, remains are
moved feet first). Remember to render the hand salute as the remains are loaded on or off the aircraft.
In Case of a Delay
Should there be a change in
your flight schedule of two or more hours, you must call the receiving
funeral director and the shipping CAC to inform them of the change.
You are authorized on your travel orders to make official telephone
calls in the event you require to communicate your status. If you will
be detained overnight or should some other emergency arise, you will
call the receiving CAC, the shipping CAC, the receiving funeral director,
and CMAOC to advise them of the situation.
Once on board the aircraft
When you board the aircraft,
please advise the flight attendant that you are the escort for remains aboard that flight. You will not discuss the purpose of your travel
with anyone other then the carrier’s agents and representatives.
Furthermore, you will not discuss with anyone rumors, speculation, or
circumstances of the incident surrounding the soldiers’ death.
Upon arrival at your destination&
Upon arrival at your final
destination, you will supervise the unloading of the remains. While
on the tarmac, if you checked baggage, you may watch for your baggage
to be unloaded and secure it at this time. Remember to render the hand
salute as the remains are off loaded from the aircraft.
Proceed to the Cargo Terminal
Proceed to the cargo terminal
where you should be met by the receiving funeral director and possibly
the CAO and family of the deceased. If no one meets you at the airport,
you will contact the receiving funeral director and, if necessary, the
receiving CAC for further instructions.
Inspecting the Casket
Before the funeral director
assumes responsibility for the remains, you will remove the head envelope
and burial permit from the shipping container and give them to the funeral
director. You will assist the funeral director in removing the casket
from the shipping container and then inspect the casket for any damages.
If damages are noted, you will insure that they are annotated on the
GBL (or freight invoice) that accompany the remains. The cargo representative
should have the GBL (or freight invoice). Damage to the casket must
also be noted on DA From 5329-R, Escort Report.
Traveling to the funeral
home
Before the casket is loaded
into the hearse, you will drape the interment flag on the casket with
the stars over the left shoulder of the remains. You will accompany
the remains in the hearse to the receiving funeral home. If you have
been authorized a rental car arrange to meet the funeral director before
the hearse leaves the airport. You will follow the hearse to the receiving
funeral home.
Inspecting the Casket
at the funeral home.
If the funeral director elects
not to remove the casket from the shipping container before leaving
the airport, do not drape the flag on the shipping container. Inspection
of the casket for damage during shipping will be done at the funeral
home.
Once at the funeral home
Upon arrival at the receiving
funeral home, you will remove the flag from the casket and re-inspect
the casket for damage. Any damage will be noted on DA Form 5329-R. The
funeral director will inspect the remains and complete Part II of DA
Form 5329-R. You will inspect the uniform of the deceased to ensure
that the uniform, brass and decorations are still correctly placed on
the uniform. You will contact the receiving CAC first if you need instructions
for the repair or replacement of the casket or additional preparation
of the remains. If you cannot contact the receiving CAC, you may also
contact CMAOC and ask for the on call Disposition Branch representative.
Drape the interment flag on the casket in accordance with the guidance
provided in DA Pam 638-2 Appendix C.
Sentimental personal effects
When sentimental personal
effects (PE) are shipped with the remains, you will receive a DA Form
54-R, (Record of Personal Effects). Ensure that the items on this form
are in your possession or on the remains. You will hand carry the DA
Form 54-R to the final destination. The CAC will contact the CAO to
ensure he will be at the receiving funeral home to meet you and the
remains upon arrival. When the receiving funeral director takes control
of the remains ensure that the CAO witnesses the transfer of custody
of the PE to the receiving funeral director and the receiving funeral
director acknowledges receipts of the personal effects. This transfer
is annotated on the DA Form 54-R.
Returning to duty station
Once the remains arrive at
the receiving funeral home, you are required to return to your duty
station on the next reasonable flight. You may or may not stay overnight
at the receiving funeral home location depending on the instructions
provided on your TDY orders.
Keep track of your expenses
Remember to keep a running
itinerary from the time you left your duty station until
you return to your duty station. Also, when
you mail your escort report, please
return the copy of the GTR with the
price of your ticket.
Three things to remember
Wear appropriate clothing
– Army green class A uniform until the escort mission is completed.
Complete DA Form 5329 (Escort
Report)
Follow the detailed instructions
DA PAM 638-2 for the escort while en route and upon arrival at the place
designated by the Person Authorized to Arrange Disposition.
Security Operations
April 4, 2006
Operations Directive
OD-400-8-1A: Military
Escorts for Human Remains Expiration:Indefinite
This Operations Directive cancels and
supersedes Operations Directive 400-8-1: Military Escorts for
Human Remains dated March 29, 2005. Changes to this OD are in
bold.
Summary Due to ongoing hostilities in Iraq, Afghanistan,
and other locations worldwide, there has been a marked increase in the
number of Military Escorts charged with escorting the human remains
of deceased service members. Military protocol dictates that a
Military Escort must accompany the remains of a U.S. military service
member while they are being transported to their final place of rest.
The Military Escort is required to be present during the loading of
the casket onto the aircraft, the transfer between flights, and the
unloading of the casket from the aircraft. In addition, small
Honor Guards are required to be present at the arrival airport to render
appropriate honors during the transfer of the remains to the hearse
or in some cases during transfer of the remains to another aircraft.
Procedures Air carriers are notified by the Department
of Defense Mortuary Affairs when a deceased service member is being
transported. A Military Escort will be accompanying the
remains. Arrival airports are to accommodate the tarmac viewing
of the unloading of the remains by the Military Escort and allow access
for a small Honor Guard when requested.
To assist Military Escorts in carrying out their duties, FSDs and their
staff are directed to take the following actions:
FSDs and staff shall work
closely with affected air carriers and their airport operator to
provide any assistance that may be required.
Air carriers have been instructed
to provide a SIDA-badged escort to accompany the Military Escort(s)
and Honor Guard to the aircraft while the casket(s) are loaded and
unloaded from the aircraft. In the event that an air carrier cannot
provide an escort, FSDs shall provide an authorized TSA staff member
to accompany the Military Escort(s).
When the Military Escort
arrives planeside without previously undergoing approved passenger screening,
the Military Escort and his/her accessible property and checked baggage
will need to be screened prior to allowing
the Military Escort to board the commercial aircraft.
FSDs shall send TSA screening personnel to the aircraft to screen Military
Escorts, their accessible property, and their checked baggage when screening
is necessary. The escort’s checked baggage can be physically
searched. The screening may take place in the sterile area,
jet way, air carrier’s freight facility, or other location.
This will help to ensure that Military Escorts can remain with the casket(s)
and properly carry out their required duties. The Military Escort
is authorized to enter or exit the sterile area or aircraft after screening
or under escort via the jet way stairs or other means after they have
overseen the loading or unloading of the human remains.
Honor Guards must be escorted
plane-side by the air carrier or TSA personnel until completion of the
transfer of the casket(s) from the aircraft to the hearse or to another
aircraft or while in the SIDA.
Members of the deceased
service member’s family that desire to be present on
the SIDA during the transfer of the casket must be escorted by authorized
air carrier, airport operator, or TSA representatives while in the SIDA
and are not to be provided access to the aircraft or sterile area unless
the family members and their accessible property are screened by TSA.
Point of Contact
Ronald Juhl, Security Operations,
Operations Division, Passenger Support Section,
(571) 227-1262 (work), (919) 744-7979 (cell), or email to ronald.juhl@dhs.gov
/s/ Michael J. Restovich Assistant Administrator, Security Operations
