Air Force: 'Campaign of retaliation' at mortuary

Air Force: 'Campaign of retaliation' at mortuary
Two officials face discipline over handling of war dead controversy
3/16/2012

WASHINGTON — Two supervisors at the Delaware mortuary for U.S. war dead are facing disciplinary action for engaging in a "campaign of retaliation" against whistle-blowers whose revelations of wrongdoing caused a major scandal at the facility, Air Force officials said Friday.

A third supervisor involved in the case — former mortuary director Quinton Randall Keel — resigned from the Air Force this month in the wake of a scandal over the mishandling of some war dead remains, including some that were disposed of in a landfill.

"Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated and we expect to have all decisions complete by mid- to late-April," Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said in a statement. "The Air Force will not tolerate wrongdoing, especially prohibited personnel practices, by employees."

An investigation report released last year found gross mismanagement at the mortuary located at Dover Air Force Base, including losing body parts on two occasions and sending partial remains of at least 274 troops to a Virginia dump. That policy was abandoned in 2008 and partial remains are now buried at sea.
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