Reference & AI

DAFI 34-160

Air Force

MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROGRAM

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

DAFI 34-160, "MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROGRAM", is a Department of the Air Force publication, dated March 3, 2022, certified current November 18, 2025.

Published

March 3, 2022

certified current November 18, 2025

OPR

AF/A1

Headquarters, Department of the Air Force

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DAFI 34-160 — index record

NumberDAFI 34-160
TitleMORTUARY AFFAIRS PROGRAM
PublishedMarch 3, 2022
Certified currentNovember 18, 2025
Office of primary responsibilityAF/A1
Issued byHeadquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the indexCurrent
Last index actionUpdateContact, June 23, 2026
Source indexAir Force e-Publishing
Index last readOctober 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (149 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This publication applies to all civilian employees and uniformed members of the regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard and the United States Space Force. In collaboration with the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital, Chief of the Air Force Reserve (AF/RE), and the Director of the Air National Guard (NGB/CF), the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services (AF/A1) develops personnel policy for the Mortuary Affairs Program. This Instruction requires the collection and or maintenance of information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 authorized by Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5400.11, DoD Privacy Program. The applicable A0600-8-1c, AHRC DoD is available at http://dpclo.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNs.aspx. Ensure all records generated as a result of processes prescribed in this publication adhere to Air Force Instruction 33-322, Records

Summary of changes, as printed

This document has been substantially revised and needs to be completely reviewed. Major changes include change in the publication number from AFI 34-501 to DAFI 34-160, updates to tier requirements, and the addition of detailed guidance on installation cemetery management. This guidance also revises the process for denial of military funeral honors determinations and honor guard (HG) policy. The overall instruction is simplified and acronyms abbreviated as required.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1—AIR FORCE MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROGRAMp. 16
  2. Section 1A—General Guidancep. 16
  3. Section 1B—Mortuary Affairs Program Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 17
  4. Section 1C—Further Guidelines for the Mortuary Affairs Programp. 24
  5. Section 2A—Eligibility for Mortuary Entitlementsp. 26
  6. Section 2B—Entitlements – Primary Expensesp. 27
  7. Section 2C—Entitlements – Secondary Expense Itemsp. 28
  8. Section 2D—Other Entitlementsp. 30
  9. Section 2E—Transportation of Remains; Authorized Next of Kin Travelp. 32
  10. Section 2F—Mortuary Entitlements for Military Members under Unusual Circumstancesp. 39
  11. Chapter 3—MORTUARY ACTIONS FOR DECEASED MILITARY PERSONNELp. 42
  12. Section 3A—Recovery of Remains and Initial Mortuary Actionsp. 42
  13. Section 3B—Disposition, Preparation and Casketingp. 47
  14. Section 3C—SCO and Escort Actionsp. 51
  15. Section 3D—Interment Actionsp. 53
  16. Section 3E—Transportation of Remains and Funeral Travelp. 53
  17. Section 3F—Group Interment and Body Not Recovered Actionsp. 55
  18. Section 4A—Other Categories of Entitled Personsp. 58
  19. Chapter 5—MORTUARY ACTIONS FOR OTHER CATEGORIES OF PERSONNELp. 69
  20. Section 6A—Program Responsibilitiesp. 74
  21. Section 6B—Planning & Execution of S&R Operationsp. 80
  22. Section 7A—General HG Policyp. 84
  23. Section 7B—Funeral Honors Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 89
  24. Section 7C—MFH Eligibility and Entitlementsp. 100
  25. Section 7D—Base HG Team Elementsp. 103
  26. Section 7E—Flyoversp. 103
  27. Section 7F—Resource Managementp. 104
  28. Section 7G—HG Trainingp. 106
  29. Chapter 8—MORTUARY AFFAIRS RESOURCE MANAGEMENTp. 107
  30. Section 8A—Resource Management Responsibilitiesp. 107
  31. Section 8B—Authorized Use of Funds for Mortuary Supplies and Servicesp. 108
  32. Section 8C—Purchase of Mortuary Suppliesp. 110
  33. Section 8D—Mortuary Services Contractsp. 112
  34. Section 8E—Payment of Mortuary Supplies and Servicesp. 113
  35. Chapter 9—DOD MORTUARY FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE AIR FORCEp. 116
  36. Chapter 10—MASS FATALITY MANAGEMENTp. 120
  37. Section 10A—General Mass Fatality Policyp. 120
  38. Section 10B—Mass Fatality Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 120
  39. Section 10C—Disposition of Personal Effects (PE)p. 122
  40. Section 10D—Mass Fatality Plansp. 123
  41. Chapter 11—MORTUARY AFFAIRS IN CONTINGENCY OPERATIONSp. 125
  42. Section 11A—General Policyp. 125
  43. Section 11B—Contingency Mortuary Operating Concept (Flow of Remains)p. 126
  44. Section 11C—Temporary Storage or Interment in the Area of Responsibilityp. 131
  45. Section 11D—Contaminated Remainsp. 131
  46. Chapter 13—DISPOSITION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND EFFECTS PROGRAMp. 141
  47. Section 13A—Disposition of Personal Property and Effects Program Overviewp. 141
  48. Section 13B—Handling and Processing of PE of Deceased Personnelp. 145
  49. Section 13D—Disposing of Property and Settling Accounts for Other Individualsp. 154
  50. Section 13E—Wartime PE and Property Proceduresp. 157
  51. Chapter 14—INSTALLATION CEMETERY MANAGEMENTp. 160
  52. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 171
All 120 contents entries
  1. Chapter 1—AIR FORCE MORTUARY AFFAIRS PROGRAMp. 16
  2. Section 1A—General Guidancep. 16
  3. 1.1. Scopep. 16
  4. 1.2. Overview of the Mortuary Affairs Programp. 16
  5. Section 1B—Mortuary Affairs Program Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 17
  6. 1.3. Air Force Services (AF/A1S)p. 17
  7. 1.4. AFMAO Commander (AFMAO/CC)p. 17
  8. 1.5. AFMAOp. 18
  9. 1.6. MAJCOM, FLDCOM, or Equivalent Commander (CC)p. 19
  10. 1.7. MAJCOM/A1, FLDCOM/S1, NGB/A1, and Equivalentp. 19
  11. 1.8. Installation Commander (or Wing Commander at a non-Air Force led joint base)p. 19
  12. 1.9. FSS Commander or Directorp. 20
  13. 1.10. Installation Mortuary Officer (MO)p. 22
  14. 1.11. Air University, Eaker Center for Professional Developmentp. 23
  15. 1.12. Person Authorized to Direct Disposition (PADD)p. 23
  16. Section 1C—Further Guidelines for the Mortuary Affairs Programp. 24
  17. 1.13. Primary Next of Kin (PNOK)p. 24
  18. 1.14. Summary Courts Officer (SCO)p. 24
  19. 1.15. Escort and Special Escortp. 24
  20. 1.16. Family Assistance Representative (FAR)p. 24
  21. 1.17. Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR)p. 24
  22. 1.18. Unit Commander of a Fallen Airman or Guardianp. 24
  23. Section 2A—Eligibility for Mortuary Entitlementsp. 26
  24. 2.1. Purposep. 26
  25. 2.2. Eligibility for Mortuary Entitlementsp. 26
  26. 2.4. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Cadetsp. 26
  27. 2.5. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guardp. 26
  28. 2.6. Enlistment Applicantsp. 26
  29. Section 2B—Entitlements – Primary Expensesp. 27
  30. 2.7. Discharged Military Personnel Who Die in a U.S. Government Hospitalp. 27
  31. 2.8. Retired or Retained Who Die During a Continuous Hospitalizationp. 27
  32. 2.9. Primary Expensesp. 27
  33. 2.10. Recovery and Removal of Remainsp. 27
  34. 2.11. Basic Services of the Funeral Director and Staffp. 27
  35. 2.12. Preparation of Remainsp. 27
  36. 2.13. Sheltering of Remainsp. 27
  37. 2.14. Casketp. 27
  38. 2.15. Shipment of Remains-Outer Shipping Containerp. 27
  39. Section 2C—Entitlements – Secondary Expense Itemsp. 28
  40. 2.16. Death Certificatesp. 28
  41. 2.17. Burial Clothingp. 28
  42. 2.18. Cremation and Cremation Permitp. 28
  43. 2.19. Urnp. 28
  44. 2.20. State or Territory Cemetery Feesp. 28
  45. 2.21. Secondary Reimbursement Entitlementsp. 28
  46. Section 2D—Other Entitlementsp. 30
  47. 2.22. Remains Escortp. 30
  48. 2.23. Summary Courts Officer (SCO)p. 30
  49. 2.24. Family Assistance Representativep. 30
  50. 2.25. Chaplain Supportp. 30
  51. 2.26. Interment Flagsp. 31
  52. 2.27. Hardwood Flag Casesp. 31
  53. 2.28. Dignified Arrival at Destination Airportsp. 31
  54. 2.29. Military Funeral Honorsp. 31
  55. Section 2E—Transportation of Remains; Authorized Next of Kin Travelp. 32
  56. 2.30. Memorial Register Booksp. 32
  57. 2.31. Interment in a Government Cemeteryp. 32
  58. 2.32. Government-Furnished Headstonesp. 32
  59. 2.33. Authorized Transportation Expensesp. 32
  60. 2.34. Transportation of Remains within the Fifty States and US Territoriesp. 33
  61. 2.36. Authorized Modes of Transportationp. 34
  62. 2.37. Transportation of Remains from AFMAOp. 35
  63. 2.38. Stopover Requestsp. 35
  64. 2.39. Prohibition of Arrival and Departure Ceremonies and Media Coveragep. 35
  65. 2.40. Dignified Transfer (DT)p. 35
  66. 2.41. Dignified Transfer (DT) Media Coveragep. 36
  67. 2.42. Funeral Travel Eligibilityp. 36
  68. 2.43. Authorized Funeral and Unit Memorial Service Travel Allowancesp. 38
  69. Section 2F—Mortuary Entitlements for Military Members under Unusual Circumstancesp. 39
  70. 2.44. Unit Memorial Servicep. 39
  71. 2.45. Absent Without Leavep. 39
  72. 2.46. A Military Member Dropped from the Rollsp. 39
  73. 2.47. Undetermined Military Statusp. 39
  74. 2.48. Body Not Recovered (BNR)p. 39
  75. 2.49. Group Burial or Intermentp. 40
  76. 2.50. Disintermentp. 40
  77. 2.51. Subsequent Identified Remains: Portions and Retained Organsp. 40
  78. Chapter 3—MORTUARY ACTIONS FOR DECEASED MILITARY PERSONNELp. 42
  79. Section 3A—Recovery of Remains and Initial Mortuary Actionsp. 42
  80. 3.1. Purposep. 42
  81. Section 3B—Disposition, Preparation and Casketingp. 47
  82. Section 3C—SCO and Escort Actionsp. 51
  83. Section 3D—Interment Actionsp. 53
  84. Section 3E—Transportation of Remains and Funeral Travelp. 53
  85. Section 3F—Group Interment and Body Not Recovered Actionsp. 55
  86. Section 4A—Other Categories of Entitled Personsp. 58
  87. Chapter 5—MORTUARY ACTIONS FOR OTHER CATEGORIES OF PERSONNELp. 69
  88. Section 6A—Program Responsibilitiesp. 74
  89. Section 6B—Planning & Execution of S&R Operationsp. 80
  90. Section 7A—General HG Policyp. 84
  91. Section 7B—Funeral Honors Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 89
  92. Section 7C—MFH Eligibility and Entitlementsp. 100
  93. Section 7D—Base HG Team Elementsp. 103
  94. Section 7E—Flyoversp. 103
  95. Section 7F—Resource Managementp. 104
  96. Section 7G—HG Trainingp. 106
  97. Chapter 8—MORTUARY AFFAIRS RESOURCE MANAGEMENTp. 107
  98. Section 8A—Resource Management Responsibilitiesp. 107
  99. Section 8B—Authorized Use of Funds for Mortuary Supplies and Servicesp. 108
  100. Section 8C—Purchase of Mortuary Suppliesp. 110
  101. Section 8D—Mortuary Services Contractsp. 112
  102. Section 8E—Payment of Mortuary Supplies and Servicesp. 113
  103. Chapter 9—DOD MORTUARY FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE AIR FORCEp. 116
  104. Chapter 10—MASS FATALITY MANAGEMENTp. 120
  105. Section 10A—General Mass Fatality Policyp. 120
  106. Section 10B—Mass Fatality Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 120
  107. Section 10C—Disposition of Personal Effects (PE)p. 122
  108. Section 10D—Mass Fatality Plansp. 123
  109. Chapter 11—MORTUARY AFFAIRS IN CONTINGENCY OPERATIONSp. 125
  110. Section 11A—General Policyp. 125
  111. Section 11B—Contingency Mortuary Operating Concept (Flow of Remains)p. 126
  112. Section 11C—Temporary Storage or Interment in the Area of Responsibilityp. 131
  113. Section 11D—Contaminated Remainsp. 131
  114. Chapter 13—DISPOSITION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND EFFECTS PROGRAMp. 141
  115. Section 13A—Disposition of Personal Property and Effects Program Overviewp. 141
  116. Section 13B—Handling and Processing of PE of Deceased Personnelp. 145
  117. Section 13D—Disposing of Property and Settling Accounts for Other Individualsp. 154
  118. Section 13E—Wartime PE and Property Proceduresp. 157
  119. Chapter 14—INSTALLATION CEMETERY MANAGEMENTp. 160
  120. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 171

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REF: DAFI 34-160, effective March 3, 2022

Air Force e-Publishing — DAFI 34-160

This is an index record, not the publication. The official PDF is the authority; verify the current edition before acting.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial

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