Care and Disposition of Remains - Army Publishing Directorate ...

will be paid from IMET funds only for deceased FMTs from countries for which travel costs are defrayed from IMET
funds. For transportation to a country that defrays all or part of an FMT’s travel costs, the country concerned must
arrange and pay for that portion, either through the country liaison officer or official foreign government representative.
(3) Per diem and travel costs of the escort accompanying remains of an IMET FMT within the United States are
chargeable to IMET funds. The training facility responsible for preparation and transportation of the remains will
contact the CDR, SATFA (ATFA–P), for proper accounting classification.
c. Death of a Foreign Military Sales FMT.
(1) Expenses involved in the death of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) FMTs are the responsibility of the foreign
government; however, the activity concerned will offer all assistance possible. If the assistance of the CAC is desired
by the foreign government, that officer will, without charge and as a matter of courtesy, negotiate with a civilian
mortuary on behalf of the foreign government for preparation of the remains for burial or shipment. No payment for
services rendered locally will be made by the U.S. Government. All incident charges are the responsibility of the
foreign government. The purchasing and contracting officer will advise the civilian mortuary concerned to submit
invoices covering all associated costs to the appropriate foreign embassy representative in Washington, DC.
(2) Travel and transportation expenses for escorts accompanying the remains of an FMS FMT will be paid by the
foreign government concerned.
d. Death of other U.S. agency-sponsored FMTs. Death of other U.S. agency-sponsored FMTs will be handled by the
sponsoring agency.
3–11. FMTs authorized accompanying dependents
Expenses for an authorized FMT to accompany a dependent of a deceased FMT are the responsibility of the FMT or
the foreign government. These expenses will be handled in the same manner as stated in paragraph 3–10c(1).
Chapter 4
Disposition of Remains
4–1. Working with local civil authorities
Good working relationships with local civil authorities and Department of Veterans’ Affairs activities will be established
and maintained by each CAC. Such relationships are important when death of a soldier occurs off the military
installation. The CAC should maintain a liaison with the medical examiners, law enforcement agencies, medical
treatment facility administrators, and so forth.
4–2. Casualty notification and casualty assistance
The normal course of action in handling remains, regardless of the place of death, is as follows:
a. Medical authorities must officially pronounce the person dead and issue a death certificate.
b. The CAC commander will appoint a notifier to notify the PADD of the death and advise the CAC responsible for
providing primary care for the remains, and CAO when this has been done.
c. The CAC commander will appoint a casualty assistance officer (CAO) for the PADD, PERE, and other persons
eligible or entitled to a mortuary affairs benefit.
4–3. Communicating with the PADD
Communications necessary for proper disposition of deceased personnel covered by this regulation are authorized.
Persons in contact with the PADD will be kind, considerate, sympathetic, and polite at all times.
4–4. Person authorized to direct disposition of remains
a. Only one person at a time can be the PADD. Accordingly the order of priority listed in (1) through (12) below
will be followed in determining the PADD for eligible deceased personnel cited in chapter 2. The PADD can only be
disqualified in accordance with the criteria found in paragraph 4–8.
(1) Surviving spouse, even if a minor. For this regulation, the legal spouse is one who is married as prescribed by
civil law or was not divorced from the deceased and has not remarried at the time disposition of remains is to be made.
The latter would apply to the case of a soldier who has been declared deceased, body not recovered at the time of the
casualty incident, and whose remains are later recovered and identified. If the spouse has remarried at the time
disposition is to be made, the right of disposition will go to the next person in order of priority (see para 4–26).
(2) Designated blood relative. An unmarried soldier may designate a blood relative on DD Form 93 (Record of
Emergency Data) as his or her PADD. If the soldier’s parents are divorced or separated, the soldier may designate
which blood relative will direct disposition of the remains. Should the soldier subsequently marry and be survived by a
spouse, the provisions of (1) above will apply.
(3) Sons or daughters who have reached the age of majority in the order of seniority (age).
26 AR 638–2 22 December 2000