JP 3-28, page 89

Supporting and Sustaining Activities V-15 Branch, designates and deploys military specialists trained in foreign animal disease diagnosis, epidemiology, microbiology, immunology, entomology, pathology, and public health. For more information, see JP 4-02, Joint Health Services. 8. Mortuary Affairs While the GCCs coordinate DOD mortuary affairs operations within their AOR, the local, state, tribal, or territorial, medical examiner or coroner will most likely maintain jurisdiction over both military and civilian fatalities, including mass casualty events. In the domestic environment, the individual with jurisdiction has authority to order and perform an investigation, to include an autopsy or an appropriate medicolegal death examination on human remains. Jurisdiction varies depending on geographical area and is dependent upon federal, state, county, or local laws. When there is a death of a Service member, jurisdiction will almost always be concurrent. Concurrent jurisdiction means that a local medical examiner or coroner has the authority to conduct the medicolegal death investigation, including autopsy, but may waive jurisdiction to the military or request Armed Forces Medical Examiner (AFME) assistance. Investigation of deaths in areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction belong to the office of the AFME. Military bases are not necessarily under exclusive federal jurisdiction. The local staff judge advocate should identify the base’s jurisdiction before an event or be consulted during early stages of the response phase. Federal law (Title 10, USC, Section 1471) ensures the AFME may conduct its own forensic pathology investigation to determine the cause or manner of death of a deceased active duty DOD person if such an investigation is determined to be justified. However, this activity may or may not occur in conjunction with local medicolegal authorities’ investigation. If the AFME believes the local authority’s medicolegal investigation was not sufficient for the needs of DOD, the remains may be transferred to the AFME before being released to the legal next of kin. Federal law also gives exclusive jurisdiction to the AFME for the President, the President’s direct staff, and other key elected officials in the USG. Military mortuary affairs units can be deployed to search, recover, transport, and temporarily store remains in support of civil authorities. Few of these units are available in the force structure and they are best utilized to augment existing federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial capabilities to respond. DOD may also provide remains recovery, preliminary identification, DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid] identification of remains, autopsy services (if applicable), mortuary processing, family assistance center support, and remains transport. If applicable, USACE may provide temporary remains interment. For more information, see JP 4-06, Mortuary Affairs. 9. Cyberspace Support DSCA operations can include employment of DOD cyberspace forces, including NG or reserve forces, to assist the LFA in support of state, local, territorial, and tribal civil authorities during a significant cybersecurity incident. DOD cyberspace forces may also be requested to support a larger DSCA effort that requires responses throughout the