CHAPTER 16 DECEDENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM The Navy’s Decedent Affairs Program consists of search, recovery, identification, care, and disposition of remains of deceased personnel for whom the Department of the Navy is responsible. The Decedent Affairs Program is considered a highly visible and extremely sensitive program. Arrangements for the burial of the deceased should be conducted in an expedient but dignified manner, and survivors of the deceased should be given the greatest possible amount of support and assistance. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify military activities that are responsible for the management of the Navy and Marine Corps Decedent Affairs Program. The overall manager of the Navy and Marine Corps Decedent Affairs Program is the Naval Office of Medical/Dental (MEDDEN) Affairs, located at Great Lakes, IL. At the local level, naval hospitals and other naval activities are responsible for inspecting remains, briefing escorts and making travel arrangements, and (for burial at sea) delivering remains to the point of embarkation. Naval hospitals manage deaths that occur at the hospital and in their local catchment (area of responsibility) area. At small independent operational units and on board naval vessels, the responsibility for managing the Decedent Affairs Program falls on the commanding officer or officer-in-charge and the senior Hospital Corpsman. For this reason, Hospital Corpsmen should have a working knowledge of decedent affairs procedures, which are outlined in NAVMEDCOMINST 5360.1, Decedent Affairs Manual. PROGRAMS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recall the purpose of the Current Death Program, Graves Registration Program, Concurrent R e t u r n P ro g r a m , R e t u r n o f R e m a i n s Program, and the Casualty Assistance Call Program. To carry out the various responsibilities of the Decedent Affairs Program, five programs have been established. They are  the Current Death Program,  the Graves Registration Program,  the Concurrent Return Program,  the Return of Remains Program, and  the Casualty Assistance Calls Program. CURRENT DEATH PROGRAM The Current Death Program provides professional mortuary services, supplies, and related services incident to the care and disposition of remains of persons eligible for these services. Under this program, remains are shipped to a place designated by the primary next of kin (PNOK), such as a spouse or parents, for permanent disposition. The decedent’s personal effects will also be shipped to the legal recipient. The Current Death Program is normally operational on a worldwide basis during peacetime, but may also be used during major conflicts. GRAVES REGISTRATION PROGRAM The Graves Registration Program (GR or GRREG) provides for the search, recovery, evacuation (to a temporary cemetery or a mortuary), initial identification, disposition of personal effects found with each deceased, and burial of deceased persons in temporary cemeteries. This program is only operational when authorized by the responsible commander during major military operations. When necessary, the GR program includes the establishment and maintenance of temporary burial sites. Detailed guidance on graves registration procedures are contained in the Navy and Marine Corps publication NAVMED P-5016/NAVMC 2509A, Handling of Deceased Personnel in Theaters of Operation. CONCURRENT RETURN PROGRAM The Concurrent Return Program combines the Current Death Program and Graves Registration 16-1