MILITARY POLICE
.
19-15-1
24
overview of the capabilities that DFSC has at its disposal.
Forensic science internships are also available to military
police offcers. These internships provide a similar training
experience; however, they focus more on the role of the su-
pervisor and the ways in which DFSC can help with cases
that units may have. DFSC currently assists with an aver-
age of about 3,500 cases per year and averages a turnaround
time of 30 to 45 days, depending on the number of forensic
science analyses requested for a case.
8
Investigators and commanders should take advantage of
the tools and capabilities that DFSC has to offer in order to
improve the Uniform Code of Military Justice system and to
move forward with the backlog of cases pending throughout
the Services. They should also remember that it is impor-
tant to follow the proper procedures regarding evidence col-
lection, packaging, processing, and the chain of custody in
order for DFSC to be of assistance. If evidence is not handled
properly, it may be degraded and, therefore, useless once it
reaches the DFSC facility.
Endnotes:
1
"A—Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA)
Broad Agency Announcement for Basic, Applied, and Advanced
Scientifc Research," FedBizOpps.gov, 15 July 2013, , accessed on 3 February
2015.
2
Thomas J. Gardner and Terry M. Anderson, -
dence: Principles and Cases, 5th Edition, Wadsworth Publish-
ing, 2004.
3
Edward Connors et al., Convicted by Juries, Exonerated
by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Es-
tablish Innocence After Trial, National Institute of Justice,
Offce of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, June
1996, , accessed on
3 February 2015.
4
"DNA Exoneree Case Profles," Know the Cases, Inno-
cence Project, 2014, ,
accessed on 3 February 2015.
5
"A—Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA)
Broad Agency Announcement for Basic, Applied, and Advanced
Scientifc Research."
6
Gardner and Anderson.
7
"A—Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA)
Broad Agency Announcement for Basic, Applied, and Advanced
Scientifc Research."
8
Ibid.
Captain Reilly is scheduled to serve as a Reserve Offcers'
Training Corps instructor at Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, Colorado. He holds a bachelor's degree in jus-
tice and a degree in forensic science the University
of Colorado and is currently working toward a doctor of phi-
losophy degree in forensic psychology Walden University,
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
been located and apprehended in other countries (including the
United States) and returned to military control.
6
AR 190-9, Absentee Deserter Apprehension
Surrender of Military Personnel
Agencies, 18 January 2007, p. 4.
7
Personal interview with Major Michael Thurman,
interagency fellow, 28 March 2014.
8
DODI 1325.02, Desertion and Unauthorized Absence (UA),"
16 November 2012, , accessed on 28 January 2015.
9
Title 10, U.S. Code, Subtitle A, Part II, Chapter 47,
Code of Military Justice, Subchapter X, Section 886, Article 86,
"Absence Without Leave," 21 July 2010.
10
AR 630-10, Absence Without Leave, Desertion, and
Involved in Civilian Court
Proceedings, 13 January 2006, p. 1.
11
AR 190-9, p. 1.
12
Title 10, U.S. Code, Subtitle A, Part II, Chapter 47,
Code of Military Justice.
13
Ibid, Section 885, Article 85, "Desertion."
14
Manual for Courts-Martial, United States (2012 Edition),
p. IV-14.
15
Ibid, p. IV-12.
16
Ibid. The last execution for desertion was Private Ed-
die Slovik, who was put to death by fring squad in Ger-
many on 31 January 1945. Of thousands of American Sol-
diers court-martialed for desertion during World War II, he
was the only one executed for the military offense. (Source:
Benedict B. Kimmelman, "The Example of Private Slovik,"
, Vol. 38, Issue 6, September/October 1987,
h t t p : / / w w w . a m e r i c a n h e r i t a g e . c o m / c o n t e n t
/example-private-slovik, accessed on 28 January 2015.)
17
Audit Report A-2013-0119-FMF.
18
Ibid., p. 5.
19
Ibid, p. 9.
20
Ibid, p. 8.
21
Ibid.
22
Ibid, p. 5.
Major Spangler is a Joint Chiefs of Staff intern serving as
an action offcer with the Manpower and Personnel Director-
ate (J-1), Personnel Readiness Division, Joint Staff. She holds
a bachelor's degree in political science the U.S. Military
Point, New York, and degrees in policy
University, Washington, D.C.,
and business and organizational security
Webster University.