text: Sustainment Operations During Competition Below Armed Conflict
  3-58. Petroleum and water distribution planning is a key function of the theater petroleum and water group
  during competition. This group (usually assigned directly to the TSC) plans the development, design, and
  construction of the petroleum distribution system and storage facilities based on the operational plan of the
  theater commander. A critical planning requirement for the group is to create detailed plans for the
  purification, distribution, and storage of potable water. It also evaluates host-nation petroleum systems and
  plans for their development, rehabilitation, and extension aligning with the operational plan of the theater
  commander. The theater petroleum and water group also coordinates construction, rehabilitation, and
  maintenance requirements for petroleum facilities with the engineer command. It is dependent on external
  support for area signal support, security, construction, facility maintenance, and other supporting functions.
  For additional information, see ATP 4-43 and ATP 4-44.
  MORTUARY AFFAIRS
  3-59. The DOD Mortuary Affairs Program provides for the care, management, and disposition of deceased
  Service members, DOD civilians, and covered contractor personnel and the handling of their personal effects.
  It covers fatality management and the return of human remains. The three phases of mortuary affairs are
  current death (peacetime), concurrent return (theater-level operations during conflict), and temporary
  interment (formerly graves registration). For more information see JP 4-0.
  3-60. During peacetime, OCONUS CCDRs support the Military Departments in coordinating for the
  recovery, preparation, and evacuation of human remains to a DOD mortuary and ultimately for release to a
  civilian funeral home for final disposition.
  3-61. During the transition from peacetime to conflict, the CCDR makes the decision to move from current
  death (peacetime) to concurrent return establishing theater-level mortuary affairs operations and placing the
  responsibility of fatality management on the tactical-level units to establish theater mortuary facilities that
  meet the anticipated fatality management requirements.
  3-62. Fatality management, as a part of the Mortuary Affairs Program, provides for the search, recovery,
  presumptive identification, preparation, and temporary disposition of human remains. It provides theater-
  level fatality management support to CCMDs operating mortuary affairs collection points, theater mortuary
  evacuation points, theater personal effects depots, and mortuary affairs contaminated remains mitigation sites
  that have the capability to cremate biologically or chemically contaminated remains in a DOD contracted or
  operated crematory. For more information regarding contaminated human remains, see ATP 4-46. The
  CCDR may assign the Army as lead Service for recovering and evacuating military fatalities during joint
  operations. Sustainment planners must consider fatality estimates, the flow and number of allocated mortuary
  affairs assets into the theater, and the sustainment channels with the most expedient available transportation
  resources to evacuate human remains. Human remains will be evacuated without delay to preserve forensic
  evidence for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. Establishing roles and responsibilities during competition
  is critical to the execution of fatality management and the evacuation of human remains and personal effects
  out of the operational area. Sustainers must work with interagency and international partners for the recovery
  and evacuation of—
  • U.S. citizens.
  • Allied and coalition forces.
  • Host nation.
  • Detainees.
  3-63. While evacuation of human remains out of the theater is paramount, mortuary affairs processing
  capacities and theater evacuation platforms can be overwhelmed due to the lethality of large-scale combat or
  CBRN operations. In this event, the CCDR is empowered by Title 10 to authorize temporary interment for
  U.S. forces; that responsibility may not be delegated to subordinate commanders. Temporary interment
  should only be considered as a last resort, and only when operational constraints prevent the storage or
  evacuation of human remains out of the operational area to a servicing mortuary or when it is deemed prudent
  for the protection, health, and welfare of personnel. In extreme circumstances, when a unit is cut off and has
  no means to communicate with higher headquarters, the senior commander is responsible for deciding
  whether hasty burial will be utilized after all known evacuation options have failed.
  3-64. During competition, sustainment planners explore all other options prior to temporary interment, but
  must develop plans for temporary storage, identify potential locations, and estimate the engineer assets