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

Section II
Shipment of Remains
11–7. Point of contact for shipment of remains
The preparing CAC (within the United States) or the Director, Mortuary Affairs (outside the United States) will
determine the best method of shipment and be responsible for the following:
a. Strict compliance with sanitary laws and regulations of all countries and States to or through which remains are to
be shipped.
b. Issuance of travel orders covering travel of escort as authorized in chapter 12.
c. Ensuring that prompt notification of shipment of remains is made as prescribed in paragraph 11–24.
d. Ensuring that proper records accompany the remains (see para 11–23).
e. Collection of transportation cost on reimbursable cases outside of the United States (see para 6–16).
f. Ensuring the remains are expeditiously moved and not unnecessarily delayed as the result of administrative
procedures or non-availability of Government or contract personnel to complete mortuary affairs or transportation
actions.
11–8. Modes of transportation authorized for shipment of remains and escorts
a. In the United States. From place of death to place of interment, from place of death to a port mortuary within the
United States, from a port mortuary in the United States to place of interment, and from a port mortuary in the United
States to another port for reshipment, one of the following methods or combinations of methods may be used.
(1) Commercial air.
(2) Hearse or service car. Provided by a funeral director, provided that the following apply:
(a) Cost of such transportation is not in excess of cost of common carrier transportation.
(b) Common carrier service is not available, or its use is impracticable.
(c) The PADD requests this service, and the PADD defrays costs in excess of what the cost would have been if the
Government transported the remains by common carrier.
b. Outside the United States. The director of the Army mortuary outside of the United States will use the most
expeditious and cost effective means for moving remains between two points outside the United States and between
points outside the United States and ports in the United States
(1) Channel air will not delay the arrival of the remains at the place designated by the PADD and must be more cost
effective than commercial air carriers.
(2) Commercial transportation is the preferred method except when impractical, not available, or cost prohibitive.
c. Between places in the United States and outside the United States. The mortuary affairs officer in the United
States will use the most expeditious and cost effective means for moving the remains to another location outside of the
United States.
(1) When channel air will not delay the arrival of the remains at the place designated by the PADD and will be
more cost effective than commercial air carriers.
(2) Commercial transportation is the preferred method except when impractical, not available, or cost prohibitive.
11–9. Unauthorized transportation by military aircraft in the United States
Shipment of remains by military aircraft within the United states is not authorized, except as follows:
a. Recovery of remains for autopsy or accident investigation purposes from accident site to nearest adequate military
installation.
b. Movement of remains originating outside of the United States by AMC from the aerial port of debarkation
(APOD) of the first landing in the United States to a port where mortuary facilities are located, using AMC positioning
and depositioning aircraft.
11–10. When transportation costs are not authorized
Transportation costs are not authorized for shipment of remains—
a. After disinterment when the PADD initially directed disposition. (See para 4–22.)
b. Beyond port in the United States on reimbursable cases.
11–11. Soldiers on active duty
Soldiers (see paras 2–2, 2–3, and 2–4) may be transported to decedent’s home, or any other place determined to be the
appropriate place of interment. The shipment of remains is arranged by the preparing CAC’s contract funeral home
(within the United States) or the preparing Director, Mortuary Affairs (outside the United States) when the PADD
selects the Army arranged disposition option.
a. When ground transportation is the sole method used to transfer the remains from the preparing mortuary to the
52 AR 638–2 • 22 December 2000