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AFMES welcomes new director

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman William Johnson
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System held a Change of Directorship Ceremony July 18, 2016, at the Landings on Dover AFB, Delaware, to welcome their new director.

Army Col. Louis Finelli was appointed as the AFMES Director on June 20, 2016, by Navy Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, Defense Health Agency director, and assumed directorship of AFMES from Army Col. Ladd Tremaine during a ceremony officiated by Navy Rear Adm. Colin Chinn, DHA director of research, development and acquisition.

Finelli attended the Siena College in Loudonville, New York, on a four year U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in biology. Finelli was commissioned as a first lieutenant in May, 1990. After graduating from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1994, Finelli was commissioned as a captain. In 1999, Finelli received his board certification immediately following an American Osteopathic Association Rotating Internship and a combined Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After serving three years on active duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Finelli completed his pathology fellowship at the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Officer, Miami, Florida, receiving his board certification.

Finelli’s formal military education includes graduating from the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer’s Basic Course, AMEDD Officer’s Advanced Course and Intermediate Level Education.

AFMES provides worldwide medico-legal services and investigations. Forensic pathologists, forensic anthropologists, medical-legal death investigators and photographers are available 24 hours a day to conduct forensic investigations into military deaths throughout the world. The armed forces DNA identification Laboratory provides scientific consultation, research and education services in the field of forensic DNA analysis to the Department of Defense and other agencies. Forensic Toxicology is the DoD's centralized laboratory which performs routine examinations for military aircraft, ground and sea mishaps, fitness-for-duty inquiries, military criminal investigations, product testing in support of military legal proceedings and much more.