Noteboom The Law Firm

Air Force Mortuary Disposal of Soldiers Remains in Landfill

The Washington Post recently ran an article about the Dover Air Force Base Mortuary regularly disposed of soldiers' cremated remains by dumping them in a landfill. According to the Air Force, this practice is no longer done, and those remains are now buried at sea. That fact, however, does nothing to quell the outrage among families of U.S veterans.

Between 2003 and 2008, the mortuary used the landfill disposal site for soldiers who were killed in action overseas. Although relatives of family members weren't told about those methods, the mortuary was targeted by multiple federal agencies in an investigation into "gross mismanagement" of remains.

According to the Air Force, the only cremated remains placed into the landfill were those which weren't able to be identified right away or were recovered at a later date from the battlefield. Family members then granted the military permission to dispose those body parts.

For 5 years this was common practice at the mortuary, so it's merely impossible to put a number on how many remains were actually placed into the landfill. Many family members were initially put at some level of ease when they found out their soldier was taken to Dover as they believed their bodies were going to be treated with "dignity, love, respect, and honor" and not thrown away.

The landfill claims they were unaware of "the origin of the ashes" the Air Force was dumping. Today's procedures find those remains taken to sea with the Navy and buried in an urn.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation, have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, or are a family member who needs help collecting compensation after their beloved veteran has fallen, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.