Patient Administration - Army Publishing Directorate - U.S. Army

25-400-2). Where the gestational age of the fetus, or weight, in the absence of gestational age information, meets the
statutory requirement for death registration, written authorization for disposal of the fetus will be obtained from the
person authorized to direct disposition of remains.
d. Disposition of live born infants, regardless of duration of life or gestational age, will be through a licensed funeral
director (AR 638-2).
6–5. Autopsy authority and consent
a. The Installation Commanding Officer has statutory authority pursuant to 10 USC 4711, to direct an investigation
including ordering an autopsy on persons (military and civilian) found dead on an installation that has exclusive
jurisdiction. DOD Instruction 5154.30, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Operations, establishes a system for
conducting forensic investigations and authorizes the Armed Forces Medical Examiner at the Armed Forces Institute of
Pathology to order an autopsy on an installation that has exclusive jurisdiction (AR 40-57/BUMEDINST 5360.26/AFR
169-99 and AR 600-8-1). Commanders may authorize autopsies performed on the remains of members of the military
departments who die while serving on AD or ADT as described in (1) and (2) below.
(1) When considered necessary for the protection and welfare of the military community, an autopsy will be
performed to determine the true cause of death or to secure information for the completion of military records.
(2) When death occurs while the member is serving as an aircrew member in a military aircraft, an autopsy is
mandatory.
b. In circumstances not covered in a above and except as provided in (1) and (2) below, when an individual dies in
an Army MTF or on a military installation, consent from the spouse or NOK must be obtained before an autopsy is
performed.
(1) If applicable State laws require the performance of an autopsy, the commander may order an autopsy performed
without the consent of the spouse or NOK. The record will clearly document the authority and reason why consent
from spouse or NOK was not obtained.
(2) In overseas areas where local laws and regulations require an autopsy, and the United States has not been
exempted from such laws or regulations by treaty or agreement, the commander will order an autopsy performed
without the consent of the spouse or NOK. The record will clearly document the authority and reason why consent
from spouse or NOK was not obtained.
c. In circumstances not covered in a above, when an individual dies outside a military installation and is DOA at an
Army MTF, the authority to perform an autopsy is governed by the applicable local laws unless the local authority
specifically relinquishes such right, in which case the provisions of b above apply.
d. Authorization or consent for the performance of an autopsy will be recorded on SF 523 (Clinical Record-
Authorization for Autopsy). When appropriate, the applicable law, regulation, treaty, or international agreement will be
cited as authority and recorded on the SF 523. The servicing SJA or legal advisor should be consulted when necessary
(for example, when the definition for “NOK” is needed for the jurisdiction in which the facility is located).
e. All autopsies will be performed promptly to preclude delayed release of remains to mortuary officials. The
prosector will comply with restrictions specified on SF 523 or the approving authority. Provided the prosector concurs,
embalming may be performed prior to autopsy. All autopsies will be recorded on SF 503 (Clinical Record-Autopsy
Protocol).
Chapter 7
Military Personnel Physical Disability Processing
7–1. General
Physicians who identify Soldiers with medical conditions not meeting fitness standards for retention will initiate a DA
Form 3349 referring them to the Physical Disability Evaluation System (PDES). Soldiers issued a permanent profile
with a numerical designator of 3 or 4 in one of the physical profile factors who meet retention standards are referred to
the military occupational specialty (MOS)/medical retention board (MMRB). If the Soldier does not meet retention
standards, an MEB is mandatory and will be initiated by the physical evaluation board liaison officer (PEBLO). MEBs
are convened to document a Soldier’s medical status and duty limitations insofar as duty is affected by the member’s
medical status. MEBs must be completed expeditiously. Not all MEBs require adjudication by a PEB; those that do
must be completed and forwarded to the PEB within 30 days from dictation of the narrative summary (SF 502). The
30-day DoD standard is a sub-component of the USAMEDCOM 90-day standard; the proponent for this standard is the
MEDCOM Patient Administration Division (pad.USAMEDCOM@cen.amedd.army.mil). For all MEBs, processing will
not exceed the 90-day standard. This 90-day interval begins on the date the profiling officer signs the permanent profile
(first signature of two required) that refers the Soldier into the MEB/PEB process and ends on the date the MEB packet
is mailed to the PEB. MOS/MMRB (AR 600-60) results requiring referral to an MEB should be transmitted expeditiously
to the MTF commander. For MEBs referred by the MMRB, the start date for the 90-day interval begins on
the date the Soldier’s packet is received at the MTF from the MMRB Convening Authority and the ending date is the
52 AR 40–400 27 January 2010