Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs
Encyclopedia
The Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs is a Mortuary Affairs
facility at Dover Air Force Base
in Dover
, Delaware
housing the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center (AFMAO), which combines the functions of both Air Force Mortuary Affairs and Port Mortuary, historically known as Dover Port Mortuary. The Port Mortuary is the United States
' only port mortuary, the largest mortuary under the Department of Defense
(DoD), and the only DoD mortuary located in the continental United States.
, and in 2003 for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia
. It was also a major site for identifying the remains of military personnel killed in the 9/11 attacks.
In 2003, the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs replaced the 48 year old facility that had been in use since 1955 to identify and process the remains of over 50,000 service members. The new $30 million mortuary is 70000 square feet (6,503.2 m²). In recognition of dedicated and committed services for over two decades, Dover Air Force Base named its mortuary after Charles C. Carson
.
found the center had committed "gross mismanagement" of remains, including losing body parts, sawing off the damaged arm bone of a soldier so he would fit in a casket without telling his family, and lax supervision. Three supervisors were disciplined but not removed from duty.
The Special Counsel investigation found that Air Force officials had attempted to silence whistleblowers by firing them from their jobs, had falsified records, and lied to investigators. The investigation was critical of the Air Force for, in investigators' opinions, not accepting full blame for the misconduct and trying to cover it up. Colonel Robert H. Edmondson, commander of the facility from January 2009 to October 2010 was reprimanded but allowed to remain in the Air Force. Quinton R. “Randy” Keel, division director at the mortuary, was demoted in August 2011 and reassigned to a different position at the base. Trevor Dean, the top civilian official at the mortuary voluntarily accepted a demotion and transfer in September 2011. The Special Council report was critical of the Air Force for allowing all three men to remain employed by the service. In response, the USAF convened a board, led by John Abizaid
, to review the mortuary's operations.
Mortuary Affairs
right|thumbnail|A soldier from a graves registration unit attempts identification of a skull during [[World War II]]Mortuary Affairs is a service within the United States Army Quartermaster Corps tasked with the retrieval, identification, transportation, and burial of deceased American and...
facility at Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
in Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
housing the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center (AFMAO), which combines the functions of both Air Force Mortuary Affairs and Port Mortuary, historically known as Dover Port Mortuary. The Port Mortuary is the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' only port mortuary, the largest mortuary under the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DoD), and the only DoD mortuary located in the continental United States.
History
The mortuary was used in 1978 for the victims of the Jonestown mass murder/suicide, 1986 for identifying the remains of the crew of the Space Shuttle ChallengerSpace Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
, and in 2003 for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
. It was also a major site for identifying the remains of military personnel killed in the 9/11 attacks.
In 2003, the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs replaced the 48 year old facility that had been in use since 1955 to identify and process the remains of over 50,000 service members. The new $30 million mortuary is 70000 square feet (6,503.2 m²). In recognition of dedicated and committed services for over two decades, Dover Air Force Base named its mortuary after Charles C. Carson
Charles C. Carson
Charles C. Carson, Sr. was a civilian mortician for the United States Air Force and the namesake of the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs. The street on which the mortuary resides is also named in his honor....
.
Operations
The mortuary staff prepares the remains of fallen U.S. service members, as well as government officials and their families stationed abroad in Europe and Southwest Asia.2011 scandal
In 2011, a federal investigation by the United States Office of Special CounselUnited States Office of Special Counsel
The United States Office of Special Counsel is a permanent independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency whose basic legislative authority comes from three federal statutes, the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Hatch Act...
found the center had committed "gross mismanagement" of remains, including losing body parts, sawing off the damaged arm bone of a soldier so he would fit in a casket without telling his family, and lax supervision. Three supervisors were disciplined but not removed from duty.
The Special Counsel investigation found that Air Force officials had attempted to silence whistleblowers by firing them from their jobs, had falsified records, and lied to investigators. The investigation was critical of the Air Force for, in investigators' opinions, not accepting full blame for the misconduct and trying to cover it up. Colonel Robert H. Edmondson, commander of the facility from January 2009 to October 2010 was reprimanded but allowed to remain in the Air Force. Quinton R. “Randy” Keel, division director at the mortuary, was demoted in August 2011 and reassigned to a different position at the base. Trevor Dean, the top civilian official at the mortuary voluntarily accepted a demotion and transfer in September 2011. The Special Council report was critical of the Air Force for allowing all three men to remain employed by the service. In response, the USAF convened a board, led by John Abizaid
John Abizaid
John Philip Abizaid, AO is a retired General in the United States Army and former Commander of the United States Central Command , overseeing American military operations in a 27-country region, from the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, to South and Central Asia, covering much of the Middle...
, to review the mortuary's operations.