Honoring the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, for its service in providing dignified transfer of our Nation's fallen heroes to their families and loved ones.

Whereas the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations (hereinafter referred to as AFMAO) was activated December 15, 2008, as a named activity of the Directorate of Services, Manpower and Personnel, Headquarters United States Air Force;

Whereas it is the AFMAO’s mission and privilege to fulfill the Nation’s sacred commitment of ensuring dignity, honor, and respect to fallen members of the Armed Forces and care, service and support to their families;

Whereas a solemn dignified transfer of remains is conducted upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, from the aircraft to a transfer vehicle to honor those who have given their lives in the service of the country;

Whereas the AFMAO has a total force staff consisting of active duty Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines as well as members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces and civilians;

Whereas the staff also consists of representatives from Federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, who are responsible for the complete processing of remains;

Whereas the AFMAO combines the missions of both the Air Force Mortuary Affairs and the Dover Port Mortuary at the Charles C. Carson Center;

Whereas the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, began operations in 1955;

Whereas the Port Mortuary is responsible for the return of all Department of Defense personnel and dependents from overseas contingency operations and other overseas deaths;

Whereas about 80 military, civilian, and contractor personnel work in the Port Mortuary Division;

Whereas the Port Mortuary has support from 55 deployed members of the active and reserve components of the Armed Forces, including from the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy, 6 permanent party licensed morticians, the 436th Airlift Wing, and during operations, support from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiners, including pathologists, anthropologists, and forensic photographers;

Whereas support is also obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, licensed dental technicians, and investigators from the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service;

Whereas operations at the AFMAO are conducted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; and

Whereas since the Dover Port Mortuary opened in 1955, the professional staff at Dover have reunited more than 60,000 fallen heroes with their families and loved ones with the utmost dignity, honor, and respect: Now, therefore, be it