The Army has started training to quickly dig temporary graves while ensuring that remains can be identified and returned to families, anticipating the need in a potential large-scale conflict.
During training on October 21 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Army engineers, preventive medicine teams, chaplains, and fatality management specialists practiced mass temporary burials in preparation for possible future engagements, as reported by Army Times.
According to a release from the U.S. Army on October 22, “The exercise served as a critical test of concept to validate the feasibility of battlefield temporary interment, an operational reality the U.S. Army has not executed at scale since the Korean War.” It aimed to determine whether modern earthmoving equipment could meet the tight timelines typical of a mass-casualty situation by bringing together experts in multiple fields.
The Department of War did not provide immediate comments.
Over the past two decades of the War on Terror, such exercises have been relatively uncommon since American air superiority allowed for the rapid return of remains to the U.S. However, Army Times suggests that future large-scale conflicts may not have the same logistical support.
Sgt. 1st Class Delbert Ruede, the senior fatality management non-commissioned officer for the 3rd Corps Sustainment Command, noted, “This exercise allowed us to take a critical look at how we respect, honor, and systematically manage our fallen in a high-intensity conflict.” He emphasized the importance of having a structured approach rather than improvising in the heat of battle, which would be the case if conflict arose unexpectedly.
The U.S. is required to evacuate human remains during conflict when operations allow it, but the mortuary affairs guidance permits temporary graves under certain circumstances, such as when remains cannot be safely transported due to safety issues, lack of transportation, or when deaths result from chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon incidents.
