Soldiers' Angels - Mortuary Affairs Specialists in Afghanistan
Those who serve and die on the battlefield in Southern Afghanistan
are tended to by a small group of dedicated soldiers who have been
trained to provide dignity and respect to their fallen comrades.
Their responsibilities include the retrieval, identification, preparation,
preservation and transportation of the dead back to the United States.
In other words, they are the ones tasked with the entire post-death
process; from cleaning corpses and remains to documenting personal
belongings- down to the serial number of a crumpled dollar bill - and
meticulously wrapping transfer cases with the American flag before
sending them back home to their loved ones.
These specialized soldiers take great pride in what they do. But their
daily routine is a constant reminder of the tragedy of war and dying
young. The feeling of family that takes hold in the Army makes it
that much more solemn an experience.
To them, those who die in combat are brothers. And so, theirs is a
daunting task executed with a deep sense of honor.
This is a profile of a close-knit unit of those men who live and work
in a secluded area of Kandahar Airfield in Southern Afghanistan.