- Home - Schools & Units - MAC - Staff Guide -
Staff Guide
Preface: The following document is provided to assist commanders, staff officers and noncommissioned officers in planning for and training for mortuary affairs in your operations. This information is based on the most current doctrine for mortuary affairs, but it is only a guideline. There are links inside the document that you can click on that will provide you with more information about that particular topic or a sample of that item. These samples are also included in the document if you choose to download it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commander’s Responsibility
Concept of Mortuary Affairs (MA) Support
Types of MA Assets
Requesting MA Assets
JMAO Requirements for MA Support
G1/S1 Responsibilities for MA Support
G2/S2 Responsibilities for MA Support
G3/S3 Responsibilities for MA Support
G4/MMC/MCC/ Support Operations Requirements for MA Support
S4 Requirements for MA Support
Receiving Company Commander’s Requirements for MA Support
Key References are JP 4-06 and FM 10-64
Samples
Commanders at all levels are responsible for ensuring that assets are available and dedicated to the search, recovery, processing and evacuation of the remains and personal effects of U.S. soldiers, airmen, seamen and marines as well as allies, civilians, and enemies. Mortuary Affairs (MA) support is provided on an area basis, and is an essential element of the morale of your troops, the health and sanitation of the soldiers and the trust and confidence of our nation at home. MA experts and assets must be included in task force planning and organization from the very start of an operation. This document outlines the minimum essential staff and command responsibilities to effectively obtain and utilize the MA assets available to you as a commander.
Back to top
2. Concept of Mortuary Affairs Support
Mortuary Affairs support begins at the unit level. Members of the team, platoon, or company recover the remains of their own fatalities and evacuate those remains to the closest mortuary affairs collection point (MACP), usually located at the nearest support area. Once the remains are received at the collection point, they will be processed by mortuary affairs specialists (92M), who will gather tentative identification information and inventory personal effects. From here, remains are evacuated as quickly as possible, using air transport when possible or retrograde convoys, to the Corps and Theater rear areas. Here the theater mortuary evacuation point (TMEP) is located on or near an aerial port of embarkation (APOE) such as an FLS or airstrip. If required, a small personal effects (PE) handling facility may be established near the TMEP to process personal effects for shipment back to the main CONUS PE Depot. Once the remains are received at the POE mortuary they are positively identified and prepared for whatever final disposition the family (or person authorized to direct disposition (PADD)) has directed.
MA assets range from the unit’s own search and recovery teams to the theater level Quartermaster MA Company (EAC). The type of asset you will require will depend on the number of troops being deployed into a theater, the number of fatalities anticipated and the type of operation being planned. There are four mortuary affairs companies in the Army. The 54th QM Corps Collection Company and the 111th QM Corps Collection Company are located at Ft Lee, VA and each has 5 forward collection platoons of 4 teams each and 1 main collection platoon. The remaining two units, a second corps collection company and the EAC MA Company are Reserve Component units based out of Puerto Rico.
Unit Search and Recovery Teams: These are teams detailed from the members of a platoon or company responsible for recovery of remains of their own unit and evacuation of those remains to the nearest MA Collection Point. These teams should be identified and trained on their responsibilities before deployments. Mortuary Affairs Specialists (92M) assigned to the Support Battalions, Senior NCOs who have completed the joint mortuary affairs course and Officers with the ASI 4V can provide subject matter expertise for training these teams.
Forward MA Collection Point Teams: These are 6 person teams attached to units from the Corps QM Collection Company (MA). These specialized teams operate a Collection Point capable of receiving and processing approximately 20 remains per day, documenting identification media, taking fingerprints, and inventorying personal effects. They provide support on an area basis and are usually attached to the support battalion responsible for that area; typically one team per brigade sized element. There are four teams in a platoon and platoons are typically attached on the basis of one per division.
MA Main Collection Platoon: Although not structured to do so, this 31-person platoon can operate a temporary theater mortuary evacuation point or a temporary interment site if required with adequate transportation or engineer assets available. This platoon is typically attached to the COSCOM and located with the CSG Rear. During large-scale operations this platoon will operate a TMEP only until the EAC Company arrives in theater. They will then serve as a large collection point for processing remains in the corps area and assisting in retrograde movement of remains from forward areas to the TMEP.
Theater Mortuary Evacuation Point: This 38 person echelon above corps (EAC) asset provides for evacuation of approximately 200 remains a day from theater with adequate air transportation assets available. It must be located on or near an APOE such as an FLS or airstrip, and will work closely with A/DACG teams. There are two of these teams in the EAC Company.
PE Depot: If required in theater, this platoon will collocate with the TMEP, otherwise it will locate near the POE mortuary in CONUS. In theater, this 51 person, Reserve Component EAC asset provides for receipt, packaging and shipping of personal effects to the person eligible to receive effects for final disposition. There is one PE Depot platoon in the EAC Company.
Mortuary Affairs Decontamination Collection Point MADCP: This MA team requires 38 personnel from a unit to operate and is a combination of MA, chemical, medical and MOS immaterial detail personnel. It is a commander’s responsibility to identify and train these people in advance. The team will have to retrieve and decontaminate CBRN contaminated remains. These personnel are mortuary affairs specialists assisted by chemical and medical. Working a 12-hour shift this team should be able to process approximately 30-48 remains following the procedures in the JTTP 4-06 appendix D.
MA assets are FORSCOM assets and must be requested through command channels directly from FORSCOM for training events or real world support missions. MA assets should be requested by the highest level of command and then attached from that command down to subordinate elements as required for the tactical situation. As an example, for corps level exercises/operations involving multiple divisions, the corps G3 will request the MA Company from FORSCOM, attaching one platoon to each division and up to two platoons as required by optempo to the COSCOM, for corps area support. The platoon leader/platoon sergeant of each platoon can remain in each division G4 or DISCOM support operations as a liaison to advise the staff of capabilities of the teams and to assist in planning and tracking operations. For operations in which the entire company deploys the Company Commander and 1SG may serve as liaison and technical advisors in the COSCOM or theater staff; for division level exercises the division G3 can request a forward collection platoon through Corps Headquarters to FORSCOM. OCONUS units must request through their command channels and DA to FORSCOM. Reserve and National Guard Units may also request MA assets through their command channels and USAREC/State AG as applicable, to FORSCOM.
5. JMAO Requirements for Mortuary Affairs Support
Implementation of a Unified Command Joint Mortuary Affairs Office is a J4 function. The JMAO is responsible for integrating MA support throughout the theater across the different services and countries as well as for coordinating with civilian agencies such as the State Department and Red Cross or Red Crescent. The JMAO, once established, will be the lead technical advisor for Theater Commander. The MA Company Commander and 1st Sergeant of the EAC MA Company will provide staff guidance and input to the ARFOR G4 or TAACOM staff in addition to controlling any elements of the company that have not been detached.
6. G1/S1 Responsibilities for Mortuary Affairs Support
It is the G1/S1 responsibility to analyze tactical plans and determine casualty estimates for use by the G4 in determining requirements for MA support requirements. The G1/S1 is further responsible for generating the attachment orders for the teams to the subordinate commands as determined by the G3 operations. Subordinate command G1/S1 will further attach teams as required down to the company level for life support, security and maintenance.
7. G2/S2 Responsibilities for Mortuary Affairs Support
It is the G2/S2 responsibility to analyze terrain and weather data and advise command of adverse effects on operations, i.e. high water table will prohibit temporary interment, arid conditions may cause problems with hygiene etc. Furthermore the G2/S2 will analyze enemy NBC posture so the command can determine whether the development and resourcing of a MADCP team is advisable. S2 will also provide all required intel information for search and recovery missions including situation briefs, maps, grid coordinates, etc.
8. G3/S3 Responsibilities for Mortuary Affairs Support
The G3 of the highest level of command in an exercise requests MA assets and places units and their equipment on the TPFDL. MA assets should be established in theater prior to or along with the first anticipated fatalities to minimize effects on morale, and political support for operations. S3s must incorporate MA teams/platoons into land allocation and security plans as well as publish location of MACPs in operations orders. It is critical when establishing an operational area, that no collection point is established outside of the perimeter. Collection points should be out of main traffic areas and away from Class I operations, but must be inside of the perimeter for defense purposes. The G3/S3 Air will also provide for necessary air transportation assets for evacuation of remains from the TOPNS. Ensuring that subordinate units identify and train organic MA search and recovery teams is a function of the Battalion S3.
9. G4 / MMC / MCC / Support Operations Requirements for Mortuary Affairs Support
The G4 will determine MA requirements, and oversee MA operations throughout the area of responsibility. The G4 through the MMC will ensure required assets are pre-stocked for contingency operations. G4 will also allocate transportation assets through the DTO/MCC. The G4 will track and report MA operations using reports received through command channels from the Support Operations of subordinate units. When an entire platoon is supporting a division the platoon leader and platoon sergeant will located at the G4 or DISCOM as advisors/liaison on MA operations. For operations involving an entire MA company the Company Commander/1st Sergeant will provide guidance to the Corps G4 or COSCOM Support Operations staff.
10. S4 Requirements for Mortuary Affairs Support
Ensuring MA teams are identified and resourced at the unit level is an S4 function. Brigade and battalion S4s must monitor and report mortuary affairs operations and ensure that sufficient supplies of human remains pouches, tags, zip lock bags etc. are available in the units. The support battalion S4 must also ensure that MA teams/Platoons are incorporated into battalion support plan, and all necessary accounts have been established for the team when it is attached to the gaining unit.
11. Receiving Company Commander’s Requirements for Mortuary Affairs Support
The Company Commander of the unit to which the MA team/Platoon will be attached, usually the HQ&A Company of an FSB/MSB or the HHC of a CSB, will be responsible for incorporating the team/platoon into the security and sleep plans, accounting for the team, providing all life support and maintenance as well as assuming UCMJ authority over the team members. If the team arrives into a developed theater the commander will ensure the team is brought into the AO and oriented to the theater. MA Platoons/teams are not self-sustaining they are under no circumstances to be left as stand alone units.
12. Key References are JP 4-06 and FM 4-20.64
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Send comments to:
Joint Mortuary Affairs Center
1840 Quartermaster Road
Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia 23801-1601
This page was last updated on:
October 2, 2014