UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 072132Z APR 20 MID110000561067U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 102/20 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// MSGID/NAVADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// SUBJ/CASUALTY AND MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROCESSES IN RESPONSE TO COVID- 19// REF/A/MEMO/OSD/11MAR2020// AMPN/REF A IS MEMO FROM SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR DOD COMPONENTS IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE.// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces interim casualty and mortuary affairs program changes necessary to mitigate risk to the force due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) national emergency. The mission of casualty and mortuary affairs is a sacred duty, but these temporary changes are necessary to comply with reference (a) and provide standardization across the Navy in order to preserve force readiness, limit the continuing spread of the virus, and most importantly, protect and preserve the health and welfare of our Sailors, civilians, the families and friends of our injured or fallen Shipmates. This NAVADMIN is issued pending Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and Department of the Navy (DON) policy still in development. Upon release of the OSD and DON guidance, we will modify this NAVADMIN accordingly. 2. Bedside Travel. Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP) approval is required to make bedside travel arrangements for all combat zone evacuations and Very Seriously Injured and Seriously Injured (VSI/SI) cases deemed warranted by a Department of Defense (DoD) physician and where the servicing hospital can support the visit. Eligible travelers who self-fund travel will be reimbursed within the authorized limits of the Joint Travel Regulations. 3. Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) Notifications and Casualty Assistance Support. In person CACO notification is authorized only for the Primary Next of Kin (PNOK), unless Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) directs phone notification due to the health and safety risk in the affected location. CNIC approval is required for any additional in-person notifications and for any in-person enduring CACO casualty assistance support of the PNOK and other NOK beneficiaries. 4. Casualty Benefits Processing. Benefit processing will be prioritized with the most critical benefits processed first (e.g. Death Gratuity (DG), 365 days of housing allowance (BAH 365), Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI)) for eligible beneficiaries. In areas where in person CACO notification or continuing contact has not been authorized by CNIC for health and safety reasons, the use of alternative beneficiary contact methods (phone/email/express mail) will be pursued to enable timely benefits processing. 5. Dignified Transfer (DT). Family travel to witness the DT at Dover Air Base is temporarily suspended until DoD travel restrictions are lifted. The exception approval authority for family travel is CNP and exceptions will be considered on a case-by- case basis. Attendance at DTs is limited to mission essential personnel only. As such, not only is family member participation temporarily restricted, but also no unit participation at the DT. The Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations (AFMAO) Commander or Deputy or on-call general/flag officer will officiate the DT, and the carry team will be provided by AFMAO. 6. Escorting remains of Service Members and civilian employees. Escorts are not authorized to accompany remains during air travel. Per DoD policy, Aircraft Commanders will serve as the official escort on military air or military contracted aircraft. CNIC approval is required for escort assignment during the ground transportation portions of remains movement pending assessment of health and safety risk in the affected location(s). If conditions permit, CNIC will assign an escort to travel with remains to the departure airport and a receiving escort to travel with remains from the arrival airport to the receiving funeral home or place of final disposition. 7. Funeral Honors. The requirement to provide military funeral honors at any funeral or memorial function (to include interments) for veterans and Service Members is waived until further notice. Families requesting military funeral honors will be informed that funeral honors are suspended and that honors may be provided at a later date when the DoD travel restrictions have been lifted and the request can be accommodated. The exception approval authority for funeral honors support is CNIC and will be considered for exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis. 8. Funeral Travel. Funded family travel to funerals is temporarily suspended until DoD travel restrictions are lifted. The exception authority for family travel is CNP and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. With the delay of funeral travel, expenses for the sheltering of remains will be covered as a primary expense and will not count against reimbursable allowances. Eligible travelers who self-fund travel will be reimbursed within the authorized limits of the Joint Travel Regulations. 9. Present and past conflict/command memorial service travel. Family funded travel for funerals is temporarily suspended until travel restrictions are lifted. The exception approval authority for family travel is CNP and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 10. Waiver requests for non-time critical actions should be endorsed by the first flag officer or Senior Executive Service (SES) in the chain of command and routed to PERS-00C who will coordinate the approval process with the proper decision-making authority. The determination regarding CACO PNOK notification is time-critical and should be made by CNIC after consultation with the appropriate Navy Region Commander. In all cases where exceptions are granted, Sailors will strictly follow all Center for Disease Control (CDC) restrictions and Navy guidance to include maintaining social distance and avoiding large gatherings. 11. Taking care of our wounded, our Fallen and their families remains a sacred responsibility and we will restore the normal levels of support as soon as the conditions allow. 12. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, whichever occurs first. 13. The points of contact for Navy Casualty Affairs are CDR Jason Eaton, PERS-00C, 901-874-6854/jason.c.eaton(at)navy.mil or Mr. Al Gorski, PERS-00C, 901-874-4559/alan.gorski(at)navy.mil. The points of contact for CNIC Casualty and Funeral Honors (N00K) are Ms. Nyeika Hollien, Funeral Honors Program Manager, 202-433-6892/nyeika.hollien(at)navy.mil and Mr. Michael Hill, Casualty Assistance Coordinator, (202) 433-4927/michael.hill1(at)navy.mil. 14. Released by Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//