The first thing you notice when you enter the Joint Personal Effects Depot at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, is , a row of glass cases filled with watches, lighters, jewelry, out-of-date phones, and other items that are broken, cracked, or even melted. After the Pentagon attack on September 11, 2001, none have been claimed.  ,
The depot was created out of that tragedy to carry out a more important mission; it is not, in and of itself, an institution of thought or an actual place of remembrance. In addition,  ,
Two Army quartermaster companies were activated in response to the Pentagon attacks and recover the fallen soldiers ‘ remains and personal property on September 11, 2001, from Ramey Base, Puerto Rico, and the 54th from Fort Lee, Virginia. Initial operations were conducted at Fort Myer, Virginia, but as the mission expanded and more supplies were gathered, it was relocated in 2003 to a small warehouse built during World War II at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.  ,
As well as other casualties that the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System has directed for processing at Dover, JPED’s mission has grown over the years to receive, inventory, and protect the personal effects of fallen service members who pass away abroad during a named contingency operation in support of sane operations. The Aberdeen location eventually lost its capacity for all of the work, which prompted the development of Dover’s JPED, a 58, 000 square foot facility that debuted in 2011. In the Defense Department, it continues to be the only organization of its kind.  ,
With Honor and Dignity,  ,
The Army Human Resources Command Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division, based in Dover, is responsible for overseeing the entire process, which is carried out by civilians, contractors, and Army summary court martial officers. A thorough interview and validation process is used to select those officers for the position. In addition,  ,
Capt. of the Army One of those officers is Rajan Dulamal, a two-year employee at JPED. The facility’s motto, according to him, is to honor the deceased and take care of their loved ones. In addition,  ,
You do n’t often get the chance to work in a place of honor, and that is all we do here, according to one of my former coworkers, Dulamal said. ” We’re helping a family through what might be one of their most trying times.” Therefore, we take pride in whatever we can do here to assist them in reaching a resolution.
The procedure itself is fairly simple. A summary court martial officer will first inventory the fallen service member’s possessions where they were last stationed. Then, he or she sends the items to JPED in sizable cardboard boxes intended for military shipments. Clothing, gaming consoles, books, and other mementos make up the majority of the items.  ,
We are very aware that this is a very dignified process, and all the boxes are packed with the utmost care. We want to ensure that the sacrifice a service member made for the country is reflected in our work.
Capt. of the Army Joint Personal Effects Depot, Rajan Dulamal,  
Summary court martial officers check the box’s seals once the items have arrived in Dover to ensure that the chain of custody has n’t been broken. They then use an X-ray machine to scan the box for unexploded explosives or other potential dangers. In addition,  ,
The family members from the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, a facility right next to JPED, are contacted by the staff members of the fallen’s service branch, who then coordinate all messaging. AFMAO is the only port mortuary in the continental United States and is in charge of all respectable transfers of military personnel who pass away while serving abroad.  ,
These liaisons ensure that the proper loved one is informed of the shipment and provide that family member with the option of having the personal belongings of a fallen service member washed. The summary court martial officers will inventory the personal items after making that decision by bringing them into one of JPED’s 16 processing facilities.  ,
The theater summary court martial officer prepared an inventory, and we’ll go through it line by line as we take items out of the box, Dulamal said. This is where we’ll look for any inaccuracies or discrepancies in their listings. After that, we’ll take pictures and upload them to our personal effects tracking system along with all the items that pass through here that we have inventoried. ”  ,
After that, they can wash any items the family wanted cleaned before classifying the effects into categories like sentimental items and media items as well as categories that would likely be removed or destroyed like perishable foods and medications. In order to ensure that only personal items are returned to the family, they also screen out government-owned information and equipment, such as helmets. In addition,  ,
According to Dulamal, the officers will also list and classify what they refer to as” transfer items,” which may include items the deceased service member was wearing at the time of his or her passing. In case the deceased’s family needs them for the funeral services, those items, such as glasses or watches, typically arrive at JPED faster and are processed more quickly than the rest of the items.  ,
Throughout the inventory and categorization process, there are several quality assurance checks. To ensure that the chain of custody is n’t broken before the boxes reach the fallen’s family, Dulamal said they will begin packing the personal effects into heavy-duty black-top containers after they have all been verified.  ,
” Dulamal said,” All the boxes are packed with the utmost care, and we’re very aware of the fact that this is a very dignified process.” We want to make sure that the sacrifice that service member made for the country is reflected in our work. ”  ,
The liaison then arranges for the items ‘ final destination to be shipped.  , ++
The Army summary court martial officers who perform this duty never take it lightly. According to Dulamal, it’s an assignment that has been a life-changing honor for him.  ,
Before the Dover Port Mortuary reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to work here,” Dulamal said,”” Being able to support the families of the fallen was never in my career path.” This has been one of my most important assignments because I lost friends abroad. ”  ,
All personal items that enter the building, aside from the Pentagon 9/11 artifacts on display at the entrance, are eventually given back to the families of the deceased. Since JPED was established, only one item from the 9 / 11 display case—a set of flight attendant wings from one of the hijacked aircraft—has left the building, according to Dallamal. To be displayed in a museum, they were given back to American Airlines.  ,