Mortuary Affairs Awards

Technical Sergeant Debra H. Houston distinguished herself in the performance of outstanding service to the United States as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Mortuary Affairs, 647th Force Support Squadron, 647th Air Base Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During this period, Sergeant Houston managed a team of 11 professionals who dedicated themselves to providing reverent service for personnel serving in the military's largest Area of Responsibility. She oversaw the flawless return of Prisoners of War, Missing in Action, active duty Airmen, and dependents to their families, bringing honorable closure to their lives. Moreover, she personally handled six mortuary cases, ensuring fallen members were treated with dignity and respect. In addition, she deployed to Joint Base Balad as part of the 332d Expeditionary Force Support Squadron and coordinated the transition of the base Mortuary Affairs program from Army to Air Force. She identified roles and responsibilities and led the Mortuary Team during the processing of four local nationals, expediting the return of remains to their family members in less than twenty four hours. Further, she provided casualty management training, validating the line items of OI 34-501 Mortuary Affairs Operations, and conducted 180 hours of on-the-job training for two Joint Search and Recovery and Re-Icing teams. Her actions resulted in the restoration of three refrigeration units, increasing human remains capacity by four hundred percent, and ensuring the dignified transfer of two Fallen Warriors killed in action. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Houston reflect great credit upon herself, the 647th Force Support Squadron and the United States Air Force.