Respect for the fallen

[Gob]

Incinerated partial remains of at least 274 troops were reportedly dumped at landfill between 2004-08 by the largest military mortuary in the US.

The Washington Post report was based on data from Dover Air Force Base, the main entry port for US war dead.

The newspaper first broke the story last month, but it was not known how many remains were dumped at landfill.

Families, who had agreed for the remains to be disposed of respectfully, were unaware of the practice.

Pentagon officials did not authorise the procedure, which was reported by whistleblowers.

Air Force officials, who have denied a cover-up, said last month they could not estimate the precise number of casualties' remains sent to the Virginia landfill.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16081240

[The Hen]

Whoa.

[BoSoxGal]

[dales]

Disgusting.

Who's ever responsible for this needs to be hung out to dry.

[Lord Jim]

Un-fucking-believable....

Who's ever responsible for this needs to be hung out to dry.

[Rick]

It was the military.

The Air Force in particular...

[loCAtek]

Not exactly ...I've been following this story.


First off, the 'remains' were not the entire body of the descended service member. In these cases, the body was treated in accordance with the family's wishes and interned or cremated with the proper respect and services.

It was after these funeral services, that some further remains were identified as belonging to the already honored fallen. The families were then contacted and permission was granted to the Air Force to dispose of the remains properly.
Then it was a third party contractor, that was assigned to cremate the parts, which they did, and it was their decision to drop the ashes in a landfill.

This was dealt with by the Air Force a few years ago, and that practice has been halted.

FWIW - the report of a Marine's arm bone being sawed off neglects to mention that the bone was then placed in the casket, to be buried with the warrior.

[loCAtek]

HOTLINE FOR FAMILIES

The Air Force has set up a toll-free number for families of fallen service members with questions about the Office of Special Counsel investigation or Air Force mortuary operations. That number is 1-855-637-2583, and the service will also answer questions through dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil.

[loCAtek]

A month ago;

AF leaders accept blame for mishandled remains

By Markeshia Ricks and Jill Laster - Staff writers
Posted : Tuesday Nov 8, 2011 21:51:52 EST

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz choked back tears Tuesday as he publicly disclosed what he had known for more than a year: The service had mishandled the remains of fallen troops passing through Dover Air Force Base, Del.

A report released Tuesday by the Office of Special Counsel blasted the service for what the agency said is “a pattern of the Air Force’s failure to acknowledge culpability” for mishandled and lost remains.

Schwartz said the Air Force has taken steps to correct problems at the Dover Port Mortuary, which handles almost all U.S. military casualties returning from overseas.

“It’s my conviction that the sanctity of this work is in the hearts and minds of every single employee at the Dover Port Mortuary,” Schwartz said. “I cannot certify with certainty that prior performance met with our standard of perfection. ... We understand [our] obligation and we understand the sanctity of our work.”


The Air Force Times

In response to the investigation, the Air Force said it has taken corrective actions that include:

• Developing and implementing procedures in the event of a loss of accountability for portions of remains;

• Issuing a new directive on notification of and written permission from the person authorized to direct disposition (PADD) that is now a part of the joint standard operating procedure;

• A memorandum of understanding and a joint standard operating procedure between mortuary operations and the medical examiner to ensure continuous accountability of remains; and

• Increased training for all areas.

The three whistleblowers are still employed at Dover and “are still making great contributions,” Lt. Gen. Darrell Jones, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, told reporters Tuesday. The Office of Special Counsel thwarted attempts by Dover officials to fire one of them, along with another employee who had cooperated with the Air Force investigation, according to the OSC report.

Three of the leaders who figure prominently in the investigation have been disciplined, but none of them was fired.

Col. Robert H. Edmondson, command of mortuary operations at the time of the incidents, received a letter of reprimand[meaning he'll never advance again] for gross mismanagement and failure of leadership, according to the Office of Special Counsel. He rotated out of the command before the Air Force finished its investigation.

Former mortuary director Quinton Keel was downgraded to a nonsupervisory GS-13 positions and is currently serving as the Air Force Survivor Assistance Program Manager, a position created specifically for him. Trevor Dean, Edmondson’s top civilian deputy, was reassigned as the entitlements branch chief in the Mortuary Affairs Division, according to the Office of Special Counsel.

[Rick]

Not exactly

Uh, yes exactly...

[loCAtek]

It was a military contractor, who was fired before this story broke.

ETA:

On Nov. 9, the Air Force indicated that prior to 2008, some body parts and tissue of deceased soldiers returning stateside were not identified in time to be returned to their families for burial, and were subsequently cremated and sent to a Virginia landfill for disposal.

After 2008, the Air Force said, that procedure was changed to allow for such body parts to be cremated and buried at sea.

"The lapses in our standards at Dover, which we sincerely regret, are our responsibility to fix," Air Force Secretary Mike Donley said in a statement released to the press.

A trio of whistleblowers who had witnessed the incidents of mismanagement at the mortuary brought the issue of problems at Dover to light.

The staff members disciplined for the incidents include Col. Robert H. Edmondson, who served as commander of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover during the time the incidents took place.

Edmondson received a letter of reprimand, while Trevor Dean, his top civilian deputy, and Quinton Keel, mortuary director at the time, have been reassigned.

[loCAtek]

In a separate report, the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency charged with investigating whistle-blower complaints, excoriated the Air Force for failing to quickly notify families of service members whose remains were mishandled, and for not taking more severe disciplinary action against the three officials involved.



Los Angeles Times

[Scooter]

You do realize that says "excoriated" and not "exonerated"?

[loCAtek]

Nope, I did not: busted

However, there appear to be two separate investigations;

One for the improper disposals prior to 2008.

And;

One for the loss of remains (number undetermined yet) after that year. The incidences before 2008, were due to civilian contractors, while incidences after, were on the Air Force. Therefore, not exactly all on the military.

[Rick]

Again I submit, the Air Force is the entity named. The private contractor may have done it but the responsibility lies squarley with the AF...