AFMAO attends National Funeral Directors Association international convention and expo

Funeral directing and embalming are practices rooted in thousands of years of history, dating back to ancient Egypt. Egyptians developed elaborate preservation techniques using natron, oils and resins to prepare the deceased for burial, reflecting their beliefs about the afterlife. Over time, these practices evolved across cultures and civilizations, eventually developing into the modern funeral service profession.

Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations (AFMAO) is an Air Force organization that operates the only Department of War mortuary in the continental United States. AFMAO is responsible for the Dignified Transfer process and provides mortuary services to military and civilian members of all branches of service. At Dover AFB, the Dignified Transfer, which is the movement of the fallen service member from aircraft to awaiting mortuary vehicle, honors their return to U.S. soil from their overseas duty stations. The team at AFMAO, civilian and military, take great pride in the care given to the fallen members.

Following the Dignified Transfer the fallen members are placed under the care of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner for scientific identification and determination of cause of death. Upon their release by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the licensed morticians of AFMAO perform the preparation necessary to return the fallen to their families in accordance with their instructions. AFMAO morticians embalm in accordance with the Standards for DoW Mortuary Facilities. These standards require a significantly higher formaldehyde solution strength than industry standard. This is done to ensure preservation until the day of final disposition, which may be set by the family weeks or even months after the death.

AFMAO's professionals bring a diverse range of experience and expertise to the mission. The morticians, all licensed embalmers, come with a wide range of experience, including private and corporate owned funeral homes, and some with prior military mortuary experience as Air Force Mortuary Affairs Technicians and Army Mortuary Affairs Specialists (92M). In addition to the licensed morticians, AFMAO has staff of military and civilian professionals who manage the operations of the organization. This staff also includes members from the other branches of service who serve as branch of service liaisons. These liaisons include a three-member team of non-licensed Army military Mortuary Affairs Specialists, two licensed US Navy military morticians and a US Marine Corps civilian liaison who is also a licensed mortician. Beyond Dover Air Force Base, AFMAO's expertise extends to operating locations around the world, including Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Yokota Air Base, Japan; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

During this year's National Funeral Directors Association International Convention and Expo, held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, October 24-27, AFMAO representatives had the opportunity to socialize and meet with funeral service professionals from across the country and share the organization's mission and expertise. Throughout the conference, team members discussed AFMAO's preparations for future wartime environments, adaptations to current operations, embalming standards and military funeral honors procedures. Tracy Bailey, AFMAO embalmer and plans and programs division deputy chief also led a conference session focused on military funeral honors, providing civilian funeral directors with guidance on coordinating and executing these important procedures.

The conference provided an opportunity not only to share AFMAO's practices, but also to learn from the civilian funeral service community and strengthen relationships that support the broader mission.

"Just because we do something a certain way in the military does not mean that that's the only way to do it. And NFDA has certainly shown me that," said Chief Master Sgt. Dorian O’Neal, AFMAO Command Chief.

Those relationships are especially important when considering the shared responsibility between military and civilian funeral professionals. After AFMAO completes its portion of the mortuary affairs mission, civilian funeral directors help families carry their loved ones through the final stages of the funeral and burial process.

"The better we understand each other's responsibilities, the more seamlessly we can support the families," said O’Neal.

Although military and civilian funeral professionals may operate in different environments, their responsibilities ultimately come together in service to the families they support.

"The families don't necessarily distinguish as much as we think between the military and civilian professionals,” said O’Neal. “They see, hopefully, one team coming together to honor their loved one." AFMAO being represented at events like NFDA is pivotal to the success of treating fallen service members with utmost honor. However, it is equally important to look outside of the organization to do so, so families of the fallen are supported the whole way through.

"We only get one opportunity to get it right. The moment matters, and we have an obligation to make sure that every family receives the dignity, honor and respect that they deserve," said O’Neal.

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