Army Regulation 638–2 Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Army Mortuary Affairs Program Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC 23 June 2015 UNCLASSIFIED SUMMARY of CHANGE AR 638–2 Army Mortuary Affairs Program This major revision, dated 23 June 2015-- o Changes the title from Care and Disposition of Remains and Disposition of Personal Effects to Army Mortuary Affairs Program (cover). o Updates responsibilities for the Army Mortuary Affairs Program (chap 1, sect II). o Updates the following policy: Structure of the Mortuary Affairs Program; current death operations; care of remains and personal effects; the Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Specific Allotment; eligible decedents and scope of mortuary benefits; funeral travel; and interment flag (chap 1, sect III; chap 2; para 11-1, and chap 15, respectively). o Adds policy for dignified transfer of remains and unit memorial travel; for recovery and identification of remains in support of the Missing Service Personnel Act; and for unit memorial services and transportation to transfer ceremony of members of the Armed Forces who die overseas (paras 1- 17e, 1-17f, 2-18, 10-12, 11-4, and 11-5, respectively). o Updates guidance for the reprocessing remains at port mortuaries in the United States; for the shipment of remains; and for past conflicts and repatriation (para 7-3; chap 11, sect II; and chap 23, respectively). o Adds guidance for the recovery and identification of remains in support of the Missing Service Personnel Act; for unit memorial services and transportation to transfer ceremony of members of the Armed Forces who die overseas; for interment and interment allowances; and for U.S. Government headstones and markers and medallions (paras 10-12, 11-4, 11-5, 13-2 through 13-14, and 16-2 through 16-3, respectively). o Updates appointing authority for summary courts-martial officers (para 18- 3). Headquarters *Army Regulation 638–2 Department of the Army Washington, DC 23 June 2015 Effective 23 July 2015 Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Army Mortuary Affairs Program Proponent and exception authority. Blank Forms) directly to the Commander, The proponent of this regulation is the U . S . A r m y H u m a n C o m m a n d Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1. The propo- ( A H R C – P D C ) , F o r t K n o x , K Y nent has the authority to approve excep- 40122–5400. tions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regu- Committee management. AR 15–1 re- lations. The proponent may delegate this quires the proponent to justify establish- approval authority, in writing, to a divi- i n g / c o n t i n u i n g c o m m i t t e e ( s ) , c o o r d i n a t e sion chief within the proponent agency or draft publications, and coordinate changes its direct reporting unit or field operating in committee status with the U.S. Army agency, in the grade of colonel or the Resources and Programs Agency, Depart- civilian equivalent. Activities may request ment of the Army Committee Manage- a waiver to this regulation by providing ment Office (AARP–ZA), 9301 Chapek justification that includes a full analysis of Road, Building 1458, Fort Belvoir, VA t h e e x p e c t e d b e n e f i t s a n d m u s t i n c l u d e 22060–5527. Further, if it is determined f o r m a l r e v i e w b y t h e a c t i v i t y ’ s s e n i o r t h a t a n e s t a b l i s h e d " g r o u p " i d e n t i f i e d legal officer. All waiver requests will be H i s t o r y . T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n i s a m a j o r within this regulation, later takes on the revision. e n d o r s e d b y t h e c o m m a n d e r o r s e n i o r leader of the requesting activity and for- characteristics of a committee, as found in S u m m a r y . T h i s r e g u l a t i o n p r e s c r i b e s warded through their higher headquarters the AR 15–1, then the proponent will fol- policies for the care and disposition of t o t h e p o l i c y p r o p o n e n t . R e f e r t o A R l o w a l l A R 1 5 – 1 r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r e s - remains of deceased personnel for whom 25–30 for specific guidance. tablishing and continuing the group as a the Army is responsible and for the dispo- committee. sition of personal effects of deceased and Army internal control process. This missing personnel. This regulation imple- regulation contains internal control provi- Distribution. This publication is availa- ments Title 10, United States Code (Sec- sions in accordance with AR 11–2 and ble in electronic media only and is in- tions 1481 through 1488, 1490, 2572, and identifies key internal controls that must tended for command levels A, B, C, D, 4712); Title 37, United States Code (Sec- be evaluated (see appendix I). and E for Active Army, and command tions 481f, 551, 552, and 554); Title 5, S u p p l e m e n t a t i o n . S u p p l e m e n t a t i o n o f l e v e l E f o r t h e A r m y N a t i o n a l G u a r d / United States Code (Sections 5561, 5564, this regulation and establishment of com- A r m y N a t i o n a l G u a r d o f t h e U n i t e d 5742, 8102, 8134, and 8140); and Public mand and local forms are prohibited with- States, and the U.S. Army Reserve. Law 93–257. out prior approval from the Deputy Chief Applicability. This regulation applies to of Staff, G–1 (DAPE–ZX) 300 Army Pen- t h e A c t i v e A r m y , t h e A r m y N a t i o n a l tagon, Washington, DC 20310–0300. Guard/Army National Guard of the United Suggested improvements. Users are States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless invited to send comments and suggested otherwise stated. This regulation is appli- improvements on DA Form 2028 (Recom- cable during full mobilization. m e n d e d C h a n g e s t o P u b l i c a t i o n s a n d Contents (Listed by paragraph and page number) Part One Care and Disposition of Remains of Deceased Personnel for Whom the United States Army is Responsible, page 1 Chapter 1 Introduction, page 1 *This regulation supersedes AR 638–2, dated 22 December 2000. AR 638–2 • 23 June 2015 i UNCLASSIFIED Contents—Continued Section I Overview of Mortuary, Current Death, Remains, and Personal Effects Programs, page 1 Purpose • 1–1, page 1 References • 1–2, page 1 Explanation of abbreviations and terms • 1–3, page 1 Section II Responsibilities, page 1 Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) • 1–4, page 1 Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1 • 1–5, page 1 Chiefs, Casualty Assistance Centers • 1–6, page 2 Deputy Chief of Staff, G–4 • 1–7, page 3 Chief, National Guard Bureau • 1–8, page 3 Commanders of Army commands, Army Service component commands, and direct reporting units. • 1–9, page 3 Section III Mortuary Affairs Program, page 3 Structure of the Mortuary Affairs Program • 1–10, page 3 Current Death Operations • 1–11, page 3 Concurrent Return Operations • 1–12, page 4 Temporary Interment Operations • 1–13, page 4 Care of remains • 1–14, page 4 Section IV Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Specific Allotment, page 4 Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Specific Allotment • 1–15, page 4 Authority to certify and obligate funds • 1–16, page 4 Authorized expenditures • 1–17, page 5 National Guard Soldiers’ funding • 1–18, page 8 Unauthorized Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Specific Allotment expenditures • 1–19, page 8 Transportation of personal effects • 1–20, page 9 Adjudication and payment procedures • 1–21, page 9 Recoupment of Mortuary Affairs expenses • 1–22, page 9 Managers’ Internal Control Program • 1–23, page 9 Establishment of field records • 1–24, page 10 Documents to be maintained and forwarded • 1–25, page 10 Individual deceased personnel file • 1–26, page 10 Defense Casualty Information Processing System • 1–27, page 10 Chapter 2 Eligible Decedents and Scope of Mortuary Benefits, page 11 Eligibility for mortuary affairs benefits • 2–1, page 11 Regular Army Soldiers • 2–2, page 14 United States Army Reserve Soldiers • 2–3, page 14 Army National Guard Soldiers • 2–4, page 14 U.S. Military Academy Cadet • 2–5, page 15 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets • 2–6, page 15 Accepted applicants for enlistment • 2–7, page 15 Retired military personnel • 2–8, page 15 Military prisoners, other than enemy prisoners of war or interned enemy aliens • 2–9, page 15 Executions • 2–10, page 16 Enemy prisoners of war or civilian interned • 2–11, page 16 Indigent persons • 2–12, page 16 Civilian employee of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense • 2–13, page 16 Dependents of military personnel • 2–14, page 16 ii AR 638–2 • 23 June 2015 Contents—Continued Dependents of Department of the Army and Department of Defense Civilian employees • 2–15, page 17 Dependents of retired military personnel • 2–16, page 17 Other United States citizens and their dependents who die outside the continental United States • 2–17, page 17 Mortuary benefits • 2–18, page 18 Caskets • 2–19, page 19 Authorized burial clothing and related items • 2–20, page 19 Procedures • 2–21, page 20 Chapter 3 Handling Remains of Other Armed Forces and Uniformed Services Personnel and Foreign Military Trainees, page 20 Section I Handling Remains of Other Armed Forces and Uniformed Services Personnel, page 20 Preparation of remains under Army Mortuary Services contract • 3–1, page 20 Preparation of remains under one-time purchase order • 3–2, page 20 Preparation of remains in mortuary facilities outside the continental United States • 3–3, page 20 Assistance in search, recovery, and identification of remains • 3–4, page 20 Transportation of remains from outside the continental United States • 3–5, page 20 Reprocessing remains at the port mortuary in the United States • 3–6,