CHAPTER 16
DECEDENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM
The Navys 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 decedents
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
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