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How military forensic scientists use DNA to solve mysteries
In military conflicts during which service members die, they are not always immediately recovered or easily identified. It’s a difficult reality to contend with. This is where forensic biologists come in. These scientists analyze the DNA of the deceased so that investigations can close, remains can be buried and families can grieve.
Military DNA identification happens at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, or , at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. AFMES aims to “(i)nvestigate deaths, identify the fallen (and) improve readiness.”
In addition to DNA identification, staff at AFMES perform forensic pathology, during which they identify the cause and manner of active service member death and investigate crime scenes and aircraft accidents; they also perform forensic toxicology, which encompasses all aircraft, ship and ground accidents as well as DUI investigations and autopsies.
I spoke with two forensic DNA analysts at in the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, or , Luisa Forger of the Past Accounting Section and Malachi Weaver of Current Day Operations.
The Past Accounting Section identifies the remains of prisoners of war or those missing in action from as far back as World War II and reports their finding to the . Conversely, the Current Day Operations department identifies the remains of current service members.
Forger uses mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, to identify individuals for a few reasons. Unlike genomic DNA, mtDNA is protected inside the mitochondria, and it is circular which prevents the degradation from the ends, which can damage linear nuclear DNA. These qualities give mtDNA a higher chance of being intact enough for sequencing. After up to 80 years in nonideal storage conditions, as might be the case for WWII remains, finding nondegraded DNA is crucial.
In addition, using mtDNA also allows Forger to identify the person through any family member within the maternal line, since mtDNA is inherited from mother to child without genetic recombination.
Remains can be identified by comparing the DNA in the sample to a database of family members’ DNA. Sometimes outside information can guide a search, but many searches are blind and compare the sample’s DNA with the entire database. Though family members of missing service members are not required to provide DNA samples, most do voluntarily since they want their missing relatives found and identified.
“One of the best parts about this (job) for me is that there’s a really tangible positive effect when we are able to finally identify the remains,” Forger said. “I’ve gotten to meet a couple families.”
While Forger said her job is rewarding; it can also be challenging. Samples from 50 or 80 years ago likely were stored in poor conditions, she said.
“The trickiest part is — at least for me — the kind of samples we’re working with. They are low quality samples,” Forger said. “Troubleshooting and trial and error to just get a DNA profile can be a lot of work.”
In addition to identifying military members, the Current Day Operations team sometimes works on nonmilitary identifications. The team recently identified the remains from the , and sometimes works on medical or criminal cases.
Unlike Past Accounting, Current Day likely know who the remains belong to and only need to confirm it, “an extra check,” as Weaver described it. The team relies on a blood sample repository. In the years since DNA became a reliable way to identify people, service members have been required to provide a small blood sample that is stored on a card and can be accessed should a DNA confirmation be needed. There are currently over with individual blood samples .
Weaver often splits his time between working in the lab or at a computer doing analysis or administrative tasks. While analyzing DNA, he typically receives tissue samples from the evidence custodian, who retrieves them from the morgue, as well as the associated blood stain card from the repository. Weaver then carefully and separately — to avoid contamination — extracts the DNA from both for comparison.
Though Weaver knows his efforts make a difference, “it can be a little isolating because we don’t have a direct tie to the outside world,” he said. But the people he works with make it worthwhile.
“I love my team,” he said. “We work really well together.
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Military DNA identification happens at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, or , at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. AFMES aims to “(i)nvestigate deaths, identify the fallen (and) improve readiness.”
In addition to DNA identification, staff at AFMES perform forensic pathology, during which they identify the cause and manner of active service member death and investigate crime scenes and aircraft accidents; they also perform forensic toxicology, which encompasses all aircraft, ship and ground accidents as well as DUI investigations and autopsies.
I spoke with two forensic DNA analysts at in the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, or , Luisa Forger of the Past Accounting Section and Malachi Weaver of Current Day Operations.
The Past Accounting Section identifies the remains of prisoners of war or those missing in action from as far back as World War II and reports their finding to the . Conversely, the Current Day Operations department identifies the remains of current service members.
Daily work in the Past Accounting Section
“There isn’t a typical day,” Forger said. “There’s a lot of flexibility.” On any given day Forger said she might be prepping bone or tooth samples for DNA extraction, extracting genomic material, preparing DNA libraries for or writing up a report about the findings.
Luisa Forger
Forger uses mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, to identify individuals for a few reasons. Unlike genomic DNA, mtDNA is protected inside the mitochondria, and it is circular which prevents the degradation from the ends, which can damage linear nuclear DNA. These qualities give mtDNA a higher chance of being intact enough for sequencing. After up to 80 years in nonideal storage conditions, as might be the case for WWII remains, finding nondegraded DNA is crucial.
In addition, using mtDNA also allows Forger to identify the person through any family member within the maternal line, since mtDNA is inherited from mother to child without genetic recombination.
Remains can be identified by comparing the DNA in the sample to a database of family members’ DNA. Sometimes outside information can guide a search, but many searches are blind and compare the sample’s DNA with the entire database. Though family members of missing service members are not required to provide DNA samples, most do voluntarily since they want their missing relatives found and identified.
“One of the best parts about this (job) for me is that there’s a really tangible positive effect when we are able to finally identify the remains,” Forger said. “I’ve gotten to meet a couple families.”
While Forger said her job is rewarding; it can also be challenging. Samples from 50 or 80 years ago likely were stored in poor conditions, she said.
“The trickiest part is — at least for me — the kind of samples we’re working with. They are low quality samples,” Forger said. “Troubleshooting and trial and error to just get a DNA profile can be a lot of work.”
Daily work in Current Day Operations
Weaver in Current Day Operations agreed that there’s no typical day for him either, “I like the variety of cases,” Weaver said. “You never know what you’re going to get.”Malachi Weaver
In addition to identifying military members, the Current Day Operations team sometimes works on nonmilitary identifications. The team recently identified the remains from the , and sometimes works on medical or criminal cases.
Courtesy of Dawne Nickerson
A sample blood stain card drawn from the repository at Armed Forces Medical Examiner System at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Unlike Past Accounting, Current Day likely know who the remains belong to and only need to confirm it, “an extra check,” as Weaver described it. The team relies on a blood sample repository. In the years since DNA became a reliable way to identify people, service members have been required to provide a small blood sample that is stored on a card and can be accessed should a DNA confirmation be needed. There are currently over with individual blood samples .
Weaver often splits his time between working in the lab or at a computer doing analysis or administrative tasks. While analyzing DNA, he typically receives tissue samples from the evidence custodian, who retrieves them from the morgue, as well as the associated blood stain card from the repository. Weaver then carefully and separately — to avoid contamination — extracts the DNA from both for comparison.
Though Weaver knows his efforts make a difference, “it can be a little isolating because we don’t have a direct tie to the outside world,” he said. But the people he works with make it worthwhile.
“I love my team,” he said. “We work really well together.
Paths to the jobs
Growing up, Weaver had strong interests in both science and criminology. He attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and pursued a combined 5-year bachelor’s and in forensic science, during which he took a course in DNA methods.&n