Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexandra Minor | Ms. Tierra Ramos, Quality Control Processor at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner...... read more read more
Congratulations, you've just graduated high school and decided to join the U.S. military! As you embark on your journey, one of your first experiences at boot camp is the medical day, where a team of healthcare professionals will administer vaccinations, collect a DNA sample, and store it on a card. You might wonder what happens to that DNA specimen card.
The Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) started collecting DNA specimens in 1992. Today, they have roughly 630,000 specimen cards in each aisle, totaling over 1.26 million cards per row. The repository receives between 225,000 and 250,000 specimens annually from all branches of service, including active duty and reserve forces, as well as some contractors from 10 basic training sites and 600 permanent sites nationwide.
During the summer months from June through October, the AFRSSIR receives the highest influx of DNA specimen cards, with an average between 6,000-7,000 per week. In 2023, they hit a new record, receiving 11,523 DNA specimen cards in just one week.
“Every day I come to work; I have a daily goal for how many cards I would like to process,” said Ms. Gloria Lindmark, Specimen Processor. “My motivation is that by processing all the new soldiers that come into the military in the system, if anything were to happen to them, we could identify them and assist the family in getting closure.”
Upon arrival to the AFRSSIR, the DNA cards are sorted by collection date and location and then processed by a specimen processor who enters the card data into the system. Each card is assigned a unique number, pouched, subjected to a rigorous quality control process, vacuum-sealed with desiccant, and shelved in boxes of 400.
The AFRSSIR adheres to strict processing and quality control standards. These DNA cards are considered medical records and are retained for 50 years. The first destruction of cards will begin in 2042. Enlisted service members can request early destruction of their cards if they are not eligible for recall. Officers must wait until the age of 60 before their card is destroyed. The important thing to remember is that a profile has not been developed for service members, and there is no database, it is simply a card on a shelf.
So, what are these DNA specimen cards used for? Upon a service member's death, the card is transferred to the Primary Next of Kin (PNOK). Occasionally, profiles can be developed for reasons that are in the best interest of the service member. In this case, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory develops a DNA profile and compares it with local law enforcement records to verify a match in identifying the service member. In certain cases, a portion of the card can be released for paternity testing of an unborn child if approved by the PNOK. The cards cannot be used in criminal investigations as a means of comparing DNA. A Federal Magistrate must authorize any release, of which there have only been a few.
The AFRSSIR currently holds 9.1 million DNA specimen cards and plans to expand storage as they approach capacity. These DNA cards play a crucial role in the identification and remembrance of service members, ensuring that their sacrifices are honored, and their identities preserved.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2024 11:00 |
| Story ID: | 475380 |
| Location: | DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE, US |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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