DOD reviewing policy on returning servicemembers' remains

WASHINGTON — Under a mandate from Congress, defense officials are reviewing policies governing how the remains of servicemembers killed overseas are transported home, after some in Congress said the use of commercial airlines doesn’t show proper respect.

Pentagon officials last month confirmed reports that the bodies of troops killed overseas are usually transported via military aircraft to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, but then often put aboard commercial aircraft as freight for transportation to their final resting place.

Although a military escort is provided for all caskets, an honor guard to greet the casket is not. Department policy outlines that if any formal military honors are requested by the deceased’s family, those ceremonies will take place at the funeral.

The issue gained attention in early December when the family of Army Spc. Matthew Holley, killed in Iraq in November, asked for congressional intervention to ensure a military honor guard was allowed to carry his coffin when it arrived at a San Diego airport. Airline officials had denied the request.

Both parents are former soldiers. His father, John Holley, said he was stunned that the military does not require a more reverent handling of the remains.

“This is someone who gave his life for his country,” he said. “We had an expectation of how these men and women should be treated when they return. I was appalled by the whole thing.”

So were members of Congress, who included a provision in the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act mandating a review of the handling of remains. That bill became law earlier this month.

The act notes that use of military aircraft “may be a preferable means of transportation” and requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a policy to greet each casket with a small honor guard upon arrival to its destination.

“The remains of our military men and women should be transported with the utmost ceremony, honors, and respect, and the conferees believe that examination of this issue with an eye toward improvement is called for,” the bill states.

A report from DOD on implementing those changes is due Feb. 1. Defense officials could not be reached for comment on the status of the review.

Officials had said the use of military aircraft could violate federal noncompetition laws between the military and commercial airlines, and noted that the large number of available commercial flights often allow the military to get caskets home faster.

Holley said he’s more concerned with having troops returned in an honorable fashion than moving the process along more quickly.

“If they thought garbage trucks were more expeditious, would they do it that way?” he said. “The country owes it to them to pay the proper respect.”

Fair question. Here's another. Why didn't Congress already know?

Because it's the same congress that allows VA to send National Cemetery Directors CD's of Taps to play at funerals minus also honor guards for them as well. This stuff started I think due to the cut backs of the 1990's.

Not all vets buried in National Cemeteries receive full honors but before that time every effort was made especially upon request by family if a decorated veteran was being buried. The Honor Guards often came from nearby bases. Some reserve units filled in for the duty as well.

Now many vets funerals are manned by local VFW's who at least present the family with a flag. It started out there and spread on into the DOD as acceptable protocol.

You remember the same things I do...lot's received no honors...period...until the legionnaires filled in.

In the early 80's after I came home from the Navy I went back to school. I was under the full GI Bill. As long as I was drawing a schooling allowance I was allowed to work for the VA in what they called a work study program. Basically it was contract work at minimum wage. I worked at my local National Cemetery as a grounds keeper.

The services I saw were either honor guards or a private services. If Taps was played {most of the time when honor guard was present} it was by a Bugle or a trumpet. There were no Boom Boxes playing Taps. It was more respectful if not available to let that part pass. I've even saw a couple of services with call and answer Buglers playing Taps.

Most all families requesting Honor Guards got them even if it meant flying them in from Ft Campbell or sometimes they drove from there.

The problem is that the force was nearly cut in half during the 90's and deployments increased. I ran a honor guard(collateral duty) right after the cuts and we performed nearly 100 funerals a year on top of our normal duties, many on weekends during "decompression tours". At the time we never turned anyone away and these guys got ridden hard.. I guess after a few years of this the services realized they couldn't get a full honor guard to every veterans funeral which is sad.

From what I understand the new policy is priority given to active duty, retirees and combat vets. I don't see the services being able to support honors at each casket transfer along the way home and at the funeral.

This is just another Bush mistreating veterans piece IMHO. 8700 died during the Clinton administration and the shipping policy was fine.

Does anyone know how a civilian body is transported across the country?

I can't imagine the services have the manpower to provide full escort from plane to grave.

I have no problem whatsoever with commercial transport.

I think this father has a history of nothing being good enough. I remember after hearing him complain about this, finding in response, a servicemember's beautiful account of accompanying a fellow home and the dignity accorded.

I think this is another make Bush look made deal, when, as poster hear have said, cuts in military and lax changes with recordings began under another (cough) administration.

From what I recall the ones with Honor Guards were combat vets or war era vets and like you say retiree's. We were at peace then and had no active duty funerals. I guess in a years time I saw over a dozen of them. I can see a limit on who gets honor guards. I don't think my service time should rank as a priority or even qualify except for a space for me and wife in our local National Cemetery. In the one I worked at that was one grave site believe it or not. The first to die was buried deep about 7 feet or more and when the other died they were buried on top of their spouse.

I see some legit concerns in this article. An honor guard would only be practical from war zone to Dover or any city with a base very close by. IOW if the plane lands at an Air Base of the deceased home town then yea that would not be an unnecessary burden for some servicemen in dress uniform to off load the body. That should suffice. But also at least one active duty should bring the deceased home. That should never be compromised as that is taking care of our own.

The transport from point of death to home if at all possible should be in military transports. Contractor transports just to save money or military flights should be avoided as well. AJAX Airlines may loose the deceased but for the military to do so someones hide is gonna be nailed for such a blunder. It's not only respect it's responsibility and accountability that enter into it.

On the ship {peace time} when we lost someone they were prepped by the Medical officer and placed in the walk in food cooler. A snipe specializing in refrigeration was placed on watch 24/7 until fly off outside the cooler. Not even many on the ship knew about this but mainly my shop. Most assumed the deceased was flown off imediately.

They did not have an honor guard flying off with them it could not be done. The transport container was similar to a missile crate if I remember right due to the space restrictions of the plane.

Still Honor Guards for funerals has been a time honored tradition and traditions is as much a part of military life as fighting is. When servicemember are killed in action they deserve that extra mile as much as is possible by our government as does their families.

What you unit did was greatly appreciated by families and fellow vets as well.

You still had over 800 Active Duty deaths annually during the 90's and the transportation issue wasn't on the radar. Since hostilities active duty deaths have less than doubled.

The point here is to do the right bases would have to be billeted with full time honor guard personnel. Most aren't, my team were aviation maintenance personnel who volunteered. When you pull 11 of them away from normal duties several times a week it adds up to thousands of manhours annually. After the Clinton cuts and increased deplyments this cuts to the bone.

If the idiots in Congress want to fix this they'll need to undo some of the Clinton cuts and fund full time Honor Guard personnel all over the country. My two cents anyway.

If the idiots in Congress want to fix this they'll need to undo some of the Clinton cuts and fund full time Honor Guard personnel all over the country. My two cents anyway.

Yea there's a lot of fixing and restoring they need to do but nobody in DC on either side of the isle seems to want to do it. In reality nothing much has changed since the 1990's cuts but maintaining the status quo. Clinton was there but so was the GOP for the past 10 years. This thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1564202/posts?page=169 is a real good example of why nothing will get done. Most seem to think because it's their party doing it then that's just fine and a great idea "All is well they say". That applies from Poppy Bush & congress then -present POTUS & congressional cuts and funding of our military.

While many have cursed Clinon for defense cuts they will cheer good job if a Republican does the same thing or lets the abuses continue calling it good policy. Cheney in his Sec of Def years did us no big favors either.

IMO the blame can not be pinned solely on one man as much as I despised BC for who he was and what he did and disliked Cheney's policies as well especially the F-14 blunder. Congress was most responsible for first allowing our readiness issues to happen and then still allowing it to continue.

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