Death Cases and Special Considerations - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The convening authority (CA) coordinates death-case investigation routing per JAGINST 5800.7GJAGINST 5800.7G Chapter II section 0225 (General). The Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) handles family notification per MCO 3040.4MCO 3040.4 Chapter 4 in coordination with JAGMAN section 0225.c. The NCIS handles criminal investigation per SECNAVINST 5430.107 seriesSECNAVINST 5430.107 series when notified per JAGMAN section 0225.d. The investigating officer (IO) executes the administrative investigation in parallel per Type One, Type Two, or Type Three as applicable. The SecNav or designated authority acts on major-incident death cases per JAGMAN section 0231.

Source documents flow from the death notification (medical, command, civilian authority), the casualty office notification per JAGMAN 0225.b and MCO 3040.4, the family notification per JAGMAN 0225.c, the NCIS investigation record per 0225.d, the autopsy report (when conducted per 0228), the IO investigation report, and the line-of-duty / misconduct determination per JAGMAN 0230. Death-case outputs include the JAGMAN administrative investigation, the LOD determination per JAGMAN sections 0212-0224 and 0230, the casualty case file per MCO 3040.4, the survivor benefit plan (SBP) determination feeding from the LOD per 0230.a, the special-routing record per JAGMAN 0229, and the major-incident court of inquiry record per 0231 when applicable.

Per JAGMAN section 0225.a (Special Considerations), death cases require coordinated handling across casualty notification, NCIS, family, and JAGMAN administrative investigation. Per section 0226 (When Investigations Are Required), some death cases require investigation while others do not, depending on the circumstances per the section criteria. Per section 0230 (LOD/Misconduct in Death Cases), the LOD determination drives SBP annuity modifications per section 0230.a-c.

Trigger events

• Service member death in any status (active duty, training, leave, off-duty).
• Major incident with fatalities triggering JAGMAN 0231 routing.
• NCIS notification per JAGMAN 0225.d for suspicious death or death involving criminal allegation.
• Family notification routing per CACO per MCO 3040.4 Chapter 4.
• Autopsy decision required per JAGMAN 0228.
• SBP annuity determination requiring LOD per JAGMAN 0230.
• Death of deceased service member with contributing cause to incident triggering JAGMAN 0229.b.

Processing workflow

1. Receive death notification. Per MCO 3040.4MCO 3040.4 Chapter 1, the command receives the casualty notification through the personnel casualty report (PCR) system.
2. Notify the Casualty Office. Per JAGINST 5800.7GJAGINST 5800.7G Chapter II section 0225.b (Casualty Office Notification), the CA notifies the Casualty Office immediately.
3. Coordinate Family Member Notification. Per JAGMAN section 0225.c (Family Member Notification) and MCO 3040.4 Chapter 4, the CACO handles family notification in coordination with the JAGMAN investigation.
4. Notify NCIS. Per JAGMAN section 0225.d (NCIS Notification) and SECNAVINST 5430.107 seriesSECNAVINST 5430.107 series, the CA notifies NCIS for suspicious deaths or deaths involving criminal allegation.
5. Validate investigation requirement. Per JAGMAN section 0226 (When Investigations of Death Cases Are Required), the CA confirms whether the death requires an investigation. Section 0226.a lists cases not requiring investigation, 0226.b lists cases requiring investigation, and 0226.c lists cases requiring limited investigation.
6. Apply the standard of proof. Per JAGMAN section 0227 (Standard of Proof), apply the preponderance standard.
7. Coordinate autopsy considerations. Per JAGMAN section 0228 (Autopsies), the CA coordinates with the medical examiner on autopsy decision per the standard rules.
8. Apply special routing. Per JAGMAN section 0229 (Special Routing), apply 0229.a (Major incident) or 0229.b (Deceased contributing cause) routing per the case facts.
9. Process LOD/Misconduct determination. Per JAGMAN section 0230 (Determinations Concerning LOD/Misconduct in Death Cases) and sections 0212-0224, complete the LOD determination. The determination drives SBP modifications per 0230.a-c.
10. Consider major incident court of inquiry. Per JAGMAN section 0231 (Major Incidents and Other Cases Involving Death Where a Court of Inquiry May Be Appropriate), the CA coordinates with higher authority on Type Three convening.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• Casualty Information Management System (per MCO 3040.4). Holds the casualty record.
• NCIS Case Management. Per SECNAVINST 5430.107 series.
• Convening Authority Legal Records. Per MCO 5800.16 Volume 1.
• Medical Examiner Office. Per JAGMAN 0228.
• Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) File. Per MCO 3040.4 Chapter 4.
• Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Retired and Annuitant Pay. Receives the LOD-driven SBP determination per JAGMAN 0230.

Forms

• Personnel Casualty Report (PCR). Per MCO 3040.4.
• Casualty Notification Memorandum. Per JAGMAN 0225.b.
• NCIS Notification Memorandum. Per JAGMAN 0225.d.
• Autopsy Authorization or Decline. Per JAGMAN 0228.
• Special Routing Memorandum. Per JAGMAN 0229.
• LOD Determination (DD Form 261 equivalent). Per JAGMAN 0222 and 0230.
• Death Case Investigation Report. Per JAGMAN 0208 and the applicable Type Section.

Common pitfalls

• Casualty Office notification delayed. Per JAGINST 5800.7GJAGINST 5800.7G Chapter II section 0225.b, the notification runs immediately. A delay breaks family notification timing per MCO 3040.4.
• Family notified without CACO coordination. Per JAGMAN section 0225.c and MCO 3040.4MCO 3040.4 Chapter 4, the CACO handles family notification. Investigators do not contact family directly without coordination.
• NCIS not notified on suspicious death. Per JAGMAN section 0225.d, suspicious deaths route to NCIS. The CA does not run a parallel criminal investigation.
• Autopsy decision made without medical examiner coordination. Per JAGMAN section 0228, the autopsy decision runs through the medical examiner per the standard rules.
• LOD determination skipped in death case. Per JAGMAN section 0230, the LOD determination is required for SBP modification and survivor benefits. Skipping it blocks benefits determination.
• Major-incident routing missed. Per JAGMAN section 0231, the major-incident routing engages higher authority and the potential court of inquiry. The CA coordinates per the section.

Decision points

• Investigation required versus not required. Per JAGINST 5800.7GJAGINST 5800.7G Chapter II section 0226, the case facts drive. Section 0226.a covers cases not requiring investigation. Section 0226.b covers cases requiring investigation. Section 0226.c covers limited investigation.
• Autopsy decision. Per JAGMAN section 0228, the medical examiner and the CA coordinate the autopsy decision per the section rules.
• Major-incident routing decision. Per JAGMAN section 0231, the CA coordinates with the GCMCA and higher authority on court of inquiry consideration.
• LOD findings on intoxication, drug abuse, or mental responsibility. Per JAGMAN sections 0217-0218, specific rules apply to mental responsibility, intoxication, and drug abuse in LOD determinations.

Authority

This sub-page sits under JAGINST 5800.7GJAGINST 5800.7G Chapter II Part F (Special Considerations in Death Cases) sections 0225-0231. Section 0225 sets general death-case rules. Section 0226 sets when investigations are required. Section 0227 sets the standard of proof. Section 0228 sets autopsy considerations. Section 0229 sets special routing. Section 0230 sets LOD/Misconduct determinations in death cases. Section 0231 sets major-incident criteria. Part E sections 0212-0224 cross-reference LOD/Misconduct rules. MCO 3040.4MCO 3040.4 sets Marine Corps casualty procedures. SECNAVINST 5430.107 seriesSECNAVINST 5430.107 series sets NCIS authority. MCO 5800.16MCO 5800.16 Volume 1 supplements at the Marine Corps level. S-1 responsibilities sit at MCO 5000.14DMCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. The processing workflow maps to NAVMC 3500.3E T-R event 0102-GENA-1012.

Related references

• JAGMAN sections 0225-0231. Authoritative death case rules.
• JAGMAN sections 0212-0224. Cross-cutting LOD/Misconduct rules.
• MCO 3040.4. Marine Corps casualty procedures.
• SECNAVINST 5430.107 series. NCIS authority.
• MCO 5800.16 Volume 1. Marine Corps legal administration.
• MCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. S-1 investigation responsibilities.
• NAVMC 3500.3E. T-R event 0102-GENA-1012.