Time is 03:30 on January 23, 2012. The 'Dignified Transfer' return home of six heroes from Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan. Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, Capt. Nathan R. McHone, Master Sgt. Travis W. Riddick, Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, Cpl. Jesse W. Stites

A dignified transfer is the process by which, upon the return from the theater of operations to the United States, the remains of fallen military members are transferred from the aircraft to a waiting vehicle and then to the port mortuary. The dignified transfer is not a ceremony; rather, it is a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service. A dignified transfer is conducted for every U.S. military member who dies in the theater of operation while in the service of their country. A senior ranking officer of the fallen member's service presides over each dignified transfer.

The sequence of the dignified transfer starts with the fallen being returned to Dover by the most expedient means possible, which may mean a direct flight from theater, or a flight to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and then to Dover. It is the Department of Defense's policy, and AFMAO's , mission, to return America's fallen to their loved ones as quickly as possible. Once the aircraft lands at Dover, service-specific carry teams remove the transfer cases individually from the aircraft and move them to a waiting mortuary transport vehicle. Once all of the transfer cases have been taken to the transport vehicles, they are then taken to the port mortuary.

Dignitaries in attendance were: General James F. Amos, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, Lieutenant General Terry G. Robling, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Michael P. Barrett, Sergeant Major of the U.S. Marine Corps, Dignified Transfer Officer Col. Mark Carnerer, U.S. Air Force, Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Senior Ranking Officer Colonel Paul Montanus, U.S. Marine Corps and Chaplain ( Lt. Cmdr. ) Charles Rowley, U.S. Navy

K-loader is slowly lowered to the ground for the start of dignified transfer

Two Marine carry teams stand ready

Transfer cases containing the remains of Marine Capt. Nathan R. McHone, left case, and Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, right case, sit on the K loader at Dover Air Force Base, DE. The Department of Defense stated that Captain McHone, of Crystal Lake, IL., and Captain Bartle, of Ferndale, WA, died Jan. 19, 2012 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Chaplain ( Lt. Cmdr. ) Charles Rowley, U.S. Navy offers prayer for the fallen

Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, WA. died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Capt. Daniel B. Bartle to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Capt. Nathan R. McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, IL died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Capt. Nathan R. McHone to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Transfer case of Master Sgt. Travis W. Riddick is moved into position on K-loader

Transfer case of Cpl. Joseph D. Logan is moved into position on K-loader

MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, 40, of Centerville, IA died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Master Sgt. Travis W. Riddick to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, 22, of Willis, TX died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Cpl. Joseph D. Logan to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Dignified transfer officer orders “Present, Arms” (slow movement salute)

Marine carry team moves the transfer case with the believed to be remains of Cpl. Joseph D. Logan into mortuary transfer vehicle.

Transfer case of Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard is moved into position on K-loader

Transfer case of Cpl. Jesse W. Stites is moved into position on K-loader

Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, NJ died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard to the mortuary transfer vehicle. Dignified transfer officer orders “Present, Arms” (slow movement salute)

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, 23, of North Beach, MD died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Dignified transfer officer orders “Present, Arms” (slow movement salute)

Marine carry team carries transfer case of Cpl. Jesse W. Stites. to the mortuary transfer vehicle

Transfer vehicle guide Senior Airman Brittney Bankes closes the doors to transfer vehicle

Final Steps Mortuary vehicle driver starts engine, and Security Forces vehicle moves into escort position in front Transfer vehicle begins to pull away
Dignified transfer officer orders final “Present, Arms” and “Order, Arms” (slow salute) as vehicle departs Carry team follows (by walking) transfer vehicle, with the transfer vehicle guide walking behind the carry team

Dignified transfer officer and senior ranking officer follow (walking) behind the transfer vehicle guide, ending the dignified transfer

All returning service members are considered as "believed to be" until they can
be confirmed through finger prints, dental records and/or DNA. After a service member has been identified and prepared for return to their families, they are placed in a casket and transported to their final resting place. This process is a Solemn event; not a ceremony.