On Thursday, Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., called for the immediate firing or prosecution of Dover Air Force Base officials responsible for disposing of the cremated remains of service members in a Virginia landfill.
"I was absolutely horrified to learn that the remains of American troops were literally thrown into a landfill by Dover Air Force Base personnel," Udall, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated in a news release. "There is no conceivable justification for our fallen to be treated in a manner that is totally devoid of the dignity or respect that they deserved. I am equally appalled that those responsible were quietly shuffled into new assignments and that the investigation was not made public."
On Tuesday, the Air Force announced it had ended a yearlong investigation of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base, which is the point of entry for U.S. service members who are killed or die overseas. "The investigation focused primarily on the handling of remains of four service members," the announcement stated of the investigation that began in June 2010. "The Air Force inspector general's investigation was conducted in coordination with other federal offices and included nearly 50 interviews and an extensive review of mortuary operating procedures. Investigators found no evidence anyone intentionally mishandled remains, but concluded the mortuary staff failed to maintain accountability while processing portions of remains for three service members. While it is likely that disposition of remains was by an appropriate method, it could not be shown that it was in accordance with the families' directions."
"The investigation concluded that the mission was always conducted with reverence, dignity, honor and respect for all served through the facility," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff. "However, the standard is 100 percent accountability in every instance of this important mission. We can, and will, do better and as a result of the allegations and investigation; our ability to care for our fallen warriors is now stronger."
The Associated Press reported that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the Air Force on Thursday to consider imposing stronger punishment for those responsible for the mishandling of remains, which also included lost body parts. Schwartz had told a congressional committee on Thursday that Col. Robert Edmonson, commander of the Dover mortuary when the incidents occurred, had been reprimanded and denied any future commander jobs. Two civilian supervisors took cuts in pay and were moved to non-supervisory positions, the Associated Press reported.
"The Secretary of Defense has taken exactly the right action by reopening this investigation," stated Udall. "The personnel who were involved in this decision should be fired and/or prosecuted immediately."
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