Team performs sacred act at mortuary

  • Published
  • By Capt. Nikki Credic
  • 459th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AFPN) --  Sixteen airmen with the 459th Services Flight here returned home after deploying to the Dover Air Force Base, Del., mortuary in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For these airmen, returning home had a special meaning. While deployed, they made sure those who paid the ultimate price during the war returned home as well.

“It is not easy,” said Maj. Annette Sanks, flight commander, speaking about the nature of their job.

“We approach every aspect of our responsibilities with the utmost respect and dignity,” she said. “It’s not only my job, it is my honor and duty to my fellow comrades in arms, their families and a grieving nation to process, prepare and return their loved ones.”

For one flight member, the job hit close to home.

“One of the soldiers was from my hometown,” said Staff Sgt. Timothy Boykin. “I felt I had to make sure everything was going well with him from arrival to departure. I met with his dad briefly and he thanked me. That made me feel good.”

To get fallen servicemembers home, a number of agencies are involved.

The process involves several people including explosive ordnance disposal experts, FBI agents, morticians, services liaisons, X-ray technicians, dentists, chaplains, mental health professionals and the armed forces medical examiners, Sanks said.

When the deceased arrives, he or she is X-rayed by EOD experts to check for explosives and live ammunition, the major said. Then a series of steps take place to identify and get the servicemember home to his or her family.

“Personal effects are removed and inventoried,” she said, before the steps are taken to determine cause of death.

“After positive identification is received, the member is released by AFME. Then disposition from the family, embalming, dressing, casketing, briefing the escorts, and finally shipping with final honors renders the process complete,” Sanks said.

For Sanks and her airmen, staying focused during this process was a must and they had a number of ways of accomplishing this.

“I just kept my mind focused on the mission and not the deceased person’s life,” said Staff Sgt. Shatavia Fuller.

For Boykin, guidance from up above helped.

“I am always focused and motivated through prayer,” he said. “This is a job that requires long hours, swing shifts and many days without an off-day. I focus on the mission at hand and put the personal aspects aside. This makes the job easy for me.”

Acknowledging those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and talking with her team helped Sanks focus on the mission.

“Talking with others at the (mortuary) is extremely beneficial,” she said. “We are a very close group of professionals doing a small, but significant part in the overall process. Additionally, there are trained professionals there to assist anyone having difficulty with the stress of the work.”

Although the team left behind family and friends when they deployed, they returned home knowing it was the least they could do to help those who will never see their families again.

“The final outcome is what makes you the proudest, and makes this career field amazing,” said Boykin. “And that is getting the members to their next-of-kin.”