CASUALTY AND MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROCESSES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 UPDATE TWO

[Tony]

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SUBJ/CASUALTY AND MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROCESSES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 UPDATE 
TWO//

REF/A/MEMO/OSD/20APR2020//
REF/B/ALNAV/SECNAV/231933ZMAR20//
REF/C/MEMO/OSD/27APR2020//
REF/D/MEMO/OSD/05MAY2020//
REF/E/NAVADMIN/OPNAV/021507ZJUL20//
REF/F/NAVADMIN/OPNAV/221906ZMAY20//
REF/G/MEMO/SECNAV/2JUL20//

NARR/REF A IS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMORANDUM FOR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR DOD 
COMPONENTS IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE.
REF B IS ALNAV 029/20 STATE AND LOCAL SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDERS ON DEPARTMENT 
OF THE NAVY OPERATIONS.  
REF C IS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMORANDUM DELEGATING FUNERAL HONORS WAIVER 
AUTHORITY TO THE SERVICE SECRETARIES.  
REF D IS UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS MEMORANDUM 
FOR CASUALTY AND MORTUARY AFFAIRS TRAVEL GUIDANCE.  
REF E IS NAVADMIN 189/20 NAVY MITIGATION MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS 
OUTBREAK UPDATE 6.  
REF F IS NAVADMIN 151/20 CASUALTY AND MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROCESSES IN RESPONSE 
TO COVID-19 UPDATE.  
REF G IS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY MEMORANDUM FOR MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS.//

RMKS/1.  All other interim guidance necessary to mitigate risk to the force 
due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) national emergency in accordance 
with references (a) through (e) remain in place.  This NAVADMIN supersedes 
reference (f) and directs the rendering of military funeral honors for 
Service Members and veterans in accordance with reference (g) effective 
immediately.

2.  Bedside Travel.  Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel (DCNP) approval is 
required to make bedside travel arrangements for all combat zone evacuations 
and Very Seriously Injured and Seriously Injured (VSI/SI) cases deemed 
warranted by a DoD physician and where the servicing hospital can support the 
visit.  Eligible travelers who self-fund travel will be reimbursed within the 
authorized limits of the Joint Travel Regulations.

3.  Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) Notifications and Casualty 
Assistance Support.  In-person CACO notification is authorized for Next of 
Kin (NOK), unless the applicable Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) 
Region Commander (REGCOM) directs phone notification due to the health and 
safety risk in the affected location.  CNIC REGCOM approval is required for 
any in-person enduring CACO casualty assistance support of NOK beneficiaries.
Casualty benefit processing will be prioritized with the most critical 
benefits processed first (e.g., Death Gratuity (DG), 365 days of housing 
allowance (BAH 365) and Service Members Group Life Insurance (SGLI)) for 
eligible beneficiaries.  In areas where in- person CACO notification or 
continuing contact has not been authorized by the applicable CNIC REGCOM, the 
use of alternative beneficiary contact methods (e.g., phone, e-mail, express 
mail) will be pursued to enable timely benefits processing.

4.  Dignified Transfer (DT).  Family travel to witness a DT at Dover Air Base 
remains temporarily suspended until DoD travel restrictions are lifted.  The 
exception approval authority for family travel is DCNP and exceptions will be 
considered on a case-by-case basis.  To preserve the DoD medical examiner 
system and mortuary operations, attendance at DTs by Service Members and 
other participants, including those persons who would serve to escort the 
remains, must comply with reference (a).  To minimize risk of exposure, unit 
member participation is highly discouraged.  Additionally, the Air Force 
Mortuary Affairs Operations (AFMAO) Commander or Deputy, or on-call 
general/flag officer will officiate the DT, and the carry team will be 
provided by AFMAO.

5.  Escorting Remains of Service Members and Civilian Employees.
When remains are being transported by military air or military- contract air, 
aircraft commanders will serve as the sole official escort.  Exceptions to 
allow others to act as an escort of remains to include transport by 
commercial airline may be approved by DCNP.  Exception requests must take 
into consideration all receiving and originating location restrictions as 
well as airline restrictions.  Applicable CNIC regional casualty offices in 
coordination with Navy Casualty Affairs (PERS-00C) will continue to assign a 
departure escort to travel with remains to the departure airport and a 
receiving escort to travel with remains from the arrival airport to the 
receiving funeral home or place of final disposition, unless the CNIC REGCOM 
assesses that the health and safety risk in the affected location(s) 
precludes the ability of an escort to support the mission.  CNIC will 
normally utilize an assigned CACO to perform escort duties in order to limit 
the number of people to whom the PNOK may be exposed.  CNIC REGCOM approval 
is required for assignment of escorts other than the CACO, or for any escort 
mission requiring ground travel outside of the local area of the escort.

6.  Funeral Travel.  Funded family travel to funerals remains temporarily 
suspended until DoD travel restrictions are lifted.  The exception authority 
for family travel is DCNP and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case 
basis.  With the delay of funeral travel, expenses for the sheltering of 
remains will continue to be covered as a primary expense and will not count 
against reimbursable allowances.  Eligible travelers who self-fund travel 
will be reimbursed within the authorized limits of the Joint Travel 
Regulations.

7.  Present and past conflict/command memorial service travel.
Present and past conflict/command memorial service travel restrictions remain 
temporarily suspended until DoD travel restriction are lifted.  The exception 
approval authority for family travel is DCNP and exceptions will be 
considered on a case-by-case basis.

8.  Waiver requests for non-time critical actions should be endorsed by the 
first flag officer or Senior Executive Service (SES) in the chain of command 
and routed to PERS-00C who will coordinate the approval process with the 
proper decision-making authority.  The determination regarding CACO PNOK 
notification is time-critical and should be made by the appropriate CNIC 
REGCOM.  In all cases where exceptions are granted, Sailors will strictly 
follow all CDC restrictions and Navy guidance to include avoiding large 
gatherings, maintaining social distance and wearing PPE.

9.  Taking care of our wounded, our Fallen and their families remains a 
sacred responsibility and we will restore the normal levels of support as 
soon as the conditions allow.

10.  This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, 
whichever occurs first.

11.  The points of contact for Navy Casualty Affairs are CDR Jason Eaton, 
PERS-00C, 901-874-6854 or via e-mail jason.c.eaton(at)navy.mil or Mr. Al 
Gorski, PERS-00C, 901-874-4559 or via e-mail at alan.gorski(at)navy.mil.  The 
points of contact for CNIC Casualty and Funeral Honors (N00K) are Ms. Nyeika 
Hollien, Funeral Honors Program Manager, 202-433-6892 or via e-mail at 
nyeika.hollien(at)navy.mil and Mr. Michael Hill, Casualty Assistance 
Coordinator, 202-433-4927 or via e-mail at michael.hill1(at)navy.mil.

12. Released by Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.//

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