Tech Orders,

File: aacep_41.txt
Page: 41
Total Pages: 59
      





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      feed not only the medical personnel but also the patients.
      Cooperat10n between food service perGonneI and dietitians was
      required to plan for the anticipated patient load.
      In addition to the medical facilities, uSAFF Engineering and
      Services established Mortuary Processing Centers (MPCs) at RAF
      [akenheath, Incirlik AB' and Torrejon AB, Spain. The MPCs had the
      daily capacity to process ninety-six' twenty-eight' and eight
      remains respectively. Speclall~ed equipment and supplies were
      procured for each location to enable the facllltics to process the
      remains cesultlnq from deaths in medical facilities in Europe.
      The Mortuary Asslstance Team in Dhahran and the USAFE MPCs
      were only part of the entire Mortuary Affairs system. Before the
      beginning of Operation Desert Storm, remains were sent either
      directly from SWA to the Port Mortuary at Dover AFB or through
      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I. ~7 I, ~ Is
      were transported from battlefield collection points to aerial ports
      of embarkation within SWAP and then directly to Dover by air. Once
      at the Port Mortuary' Dover AFB, the operations involved the
      identlflcatlon, processing, and shipment of remains in according to
      the desires of the next of kin. The Disposition Cell at EQ AFESC
      contacted the next of kin to determine their wishes in the
      dl~positlon arrangements for the remains and personal belonging
      The Dover Port Mortuary was a joint service operation,
      commanded during Operation Desert Shield/Desect Storm by Brigadier
      General Jimmy G. Dishner' USAE Reserve mobilization assistant to
      the Air Force Civil Engineer. Although the Air Force operated the
      Port Mortuary, people from all services were brought in to carry
      out the mission. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force personnel
      worked side by side at Dover. In addition to Department of Defense
      personnel, the FBI gent several fingerprint experts to assist 1I1
      the Identlflcatlon process.
      The faculties at the Port Mortuary were evaluated and judged
      too small to handle the possible number of casualties as a result
      of the Gulf war. Plans were made in November and December to
      enlarge the structure from 26,000 to 36,000 square feet. A
      stressed skin structure was determined as the most expeditious
      method of expansion and could be easily disassembled and relocated.
      ~ programming package was developed and delivered to Deputy
      Secretary of Defense Donald J. Atwood to use Title 10' Section
      2808, Emergency Funds for the project. In addition, a large hangar
      located away from any public access was activated to receive
      remains directly from returning aircraft and begin the
      identification and processing procedures. A Harvest Eagle kitchen
      tent was set up to prepare meals for the personnel working at the
      Port Mortuary. Eight double-wide trailers were leased for offices'
      records management' chaplains' uniform build-up' and a break room*
      he gig ~ ace leased twelve refrigerated vans for storage of human
      remains.
      Englneerlng and Services personnel that did not deploy to SEA
      or Europe played important roles in ensuring the success of the
      Gulf War. In addition to providing outstanding family support to
      the families of deployed personnel, the CONUS sustaining forces