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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Transfer cases containing the remains of Marines Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, front left case, Capt. Nathan R. McHone, back left case, Master Sgt. Travis W. Riddick, front center case, Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, back center case, Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, front right case, and Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, back right case, sit on a loader near seats for their families Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Wash., McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, Ill., Riddick, 40, of Centerville, Iowa, Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas, Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, N.J., and Stites, 23, of North Beach, Md., died Jan. 19, 2012 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Probe: Air Force punished Dover whistleblowers

January 31, 2012 8:22 AM

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Federal investigators have concluded that the Air Force retaliated against four civilian workers at the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base who blew the whistle on the mishandling of remains from the war in Afghanistan.

The Office of Special Counsel said in a report released Tuesday that they have recommended to the Air Force that it discipline three officials who allegedly retaliated against the whistleblowers. The three were not identified by name. One is an active-duty military member and the other two are civilians.

The problems uncovered at Dover include the loss of some body parts.

The whistleblowers had alleged that they suffered retaliation for their disclosures, including job termination, indefinite administrative leave and five-day suspensions.

The Air Force is expected to study the investigators' findings before responding.

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