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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Gloria Lindmark, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, enters information from a DNA blood stain card into the Specimen Management System at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 25, 2025. The AFRSSIR within AFMES has been responsible for processing and storage of military members’ blood stain cards, to include enlisted and officers from every branch, as well as contractors and civilians that deploy with joint forces, since 1992. The Specimen Management System is a proprietary software that helps AFRSSIR members identify what members have cards on file as well as where their blood stain cards are located. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Mimi Kramer, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) repository supervisor, sorts through DNA blood stain cards before they are cut open from the nylon pouches, they’re received in, and processed by specimen processors at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 25, 2025. After being processed, the cards are placed into polyfoil pouches with a desiccant, vacuum sealed, and placed into trays for storage. These trays can hold 400 cards each and are organized by collection site and date received. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Mariafe Vance, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, sorts through DNA blood stain card before entering the information on them into the Specimen Management System at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 25, 2025. The AFRSSIR within AFMES has been responsible for processing and storage of military members’ DNA blood stain cards, to include enlisted and officers from every branch, as well as contractors and civilians that deploy with joint forces, since 1992. The Specimen Management System is a proprietary software that helps AFRSSIR members identify what members have cards on file as well as where their blood stain cards are located. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Mariafe Vance, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, places a tray of DNA blood stain cards into a row at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 26, 2025. Blood stain cards are stored in trays which hold 400 individually vacuumed sealed cards each, with a single row storing roughly 1,620 trays; it can take two years to fill an entire row. In just the first half of 2025, over 116,000 DNA blood stain cards were received and processed from the numerous collection sites around the United States, averaging roughly 19,000 per month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Shafiquah Bendick, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, inspects a DNA blood stain card before entering its information into the Specimen Management System at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 26, 2025. The AFRSSIR section is made up of eight employees that are responsible for the collection, processing, and storage of DNA blood stain cards from every U.S. military member as well as certain contractors and civilians. To date, there are over nine million cards stored onsite within AFRSSIR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Mr. Ernie Costes, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, organizes a box of DNA blood stain cards on a shelf before they undergo a quality control check at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 26, 2025. Each card goes through a two-step quality control check before being stored. After being assessed, the cards are placed into polyfoil pouches with a desiccant, vacuum sealed, and placed into trays for storage. These trays can hold 400 cards each and are organized by collection site and date received. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Mr. Ernie Costes, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) specimen processor, sorts through a box of DNA blood stain cards before entering them into the SYSTEM at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 26, 2025. The AFRSSIR section is made up of eight employees that are responsible for the collection, processing, and storage of DNA blood stain cards from every U.S. military member as well as certain contractors and civilians. To date, there are over nine million cards stored onsite within AFRSSIR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Mr. Christopher Kardshowsky, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) quality control technician, inspects a DNA blood stain card for potential discrepancies at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 27, 2025. Each card goes through a two-step quality control check before being stored. After being assessed, the cards are placed into polyfoil pouches with a desiccant, vacuum sealed, and placed into trays for storage. These trays can hold 400 cards each and are organized by collection site and date received. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

A photo of basic training recruits waiting to receive vaccinations and have their blood drawn sits between racks in the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) within the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 27, 2025. The AFRSSIR within AFMES has been responsible for processing and storage of military members’ DNA blood stain cards, to include enlisted and officers from every branch, as well as contractors and civilians that deploy with joint forces, since 1992. The Repository receives approximately 225,000 – 250,000 blood stain cards annually from ten basic training sites as well as 600 permanent duty locations and contracted sites across the country, and currently has over nine million cards on file. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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Millions of Potential Stories

Ms. Tierra Ramos, Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) quality control technician, seals DNA blood stain cards in a vacuum sealer before they are boxed and stored at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 27, 2025. Blood stain cards are stored in trays which hold 400 individually vacuumed sealed cards. In just the first half of 2025, over 116,000 DNA blood stain cards were received and processed from the numerous collection sites around the United States, averaging roughly 19,000 per month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Noah D. Coger)
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250213-F-AU874-1001

Staff from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) that were instrumental in the development and validation of the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) capture gather for a group picture at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, February 13, 2025. SNP capture builds upon the mitochondrial genome (mtG) Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and hybridization capture methods validated in 2016. In 2015, knowing that traditional nuclear short tandem repeat methods would not work on samples requiring mtG NGS methods, AFDIL worked with the Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research program and Defense Rapid Innovation group, and submitted a public proposal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Deven Schultz)
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181108-F-BH656-0029

An Air Force Basic Military Trainee at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, gets blood drawn for lab tests and DNA cards November 8, 2018. In 1992, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System-The Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples was established to aid in the identification of remains and started with 10,000 collections at Fort Knox, Kentucky. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)
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181108-F-BH656-0005

DNA Cards wait to be distrubuted to Air Force Basic Military Trainees at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, November 8, 2018. AFMES Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples is responsible for managing, coordinating and maintaining the collection of DNA blood reference cards for all active duty, reserve, and National Guard service members. This is done when service members first enter the military and is collected at one of nine basic training sites, dependent on their branch of service. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)
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190126-F-BH656-0093

Dr. Tim McMahon (left), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System Department of Defense DNA Operations director, talks with Dorothy Britt, about family reference sample to see if she is eligible to donate DNA during a family member update in Birmingham, Alabama, January 26, 2019. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency conducts periodic and annual government briefings for families of service members who are missing in action. These events are designed to keep family members informed of those still missing and to discuss in detail the latest information available about their specific case. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)
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190130-F-JE307-9002

Tierra Woodberry, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) DNA specimen processor, removes a container of blood stain cards from a movable housing unit containing 1 million samples Jan. 30, 2019, at the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Most of the cards are collected at the various basic military training installations for each branch of service. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Dedan D. Dials)
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190130-F-JE307-9003

Tierra Woodberry, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) DNA specimen processor, searches for a blood stain card in a row of 500 Jan. 30, 2019, at the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Armed Forces Medical Examiner System personnel use blood stain cards to accurately identify the remains of fallen service members. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Dedan D. Dials)
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190130-F-JE307-9004

Chris Karashowsky, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) DNA specimen processor, prepares a machine used to vacuum seal blood stain cards at the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) on Dover Air Force Base, Del., Jan. 30, 2019. By sealing the cards, AFRSSIR ensures all of the samples will be preserved for 50 years, as required by AFRSSIR’s regulations. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Dedan D. Dials)
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190130-F-JE307-9001

A stack of blood stain cards rest on the desk of an Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains (AFRSSIR) technician’s desk Jan. 30, 2019, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. AFRSSIR maintains approximately 7.9 million blood stain cards, preserving the DNA of U.S. service members, primarily to ensure fallen service members are returned to their families. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Dedan D. Dials) (This photo has been altered for security purposes by blurring out personally identifiable information.)
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Male lineage helps identify missing service members

Lena Gunn (left), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System's Armed Forces DNA Identifical Laboratory DNA analyst, swabs the cheek of Damien Rispoli, nephew of missing Army Air Force Sgt Vincent J. Rispoli, 703rd Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group (Heavy) waist gunner, during a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Family Member Update in Philedelphia, Pa., Sept. 8, 2018. DNA analysts from AFMES-AFDIL were on site to collect DNA samples from family members using what’s called a buccal swab, which looks similar to a cotton swab to to test for mitochondrial DNA, Y-DNA and autosomal DNA. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)
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Male lineage helps identify missing service members

Dr. Timothy McMahon, Armed Forces Medical Examienr System Department of Defense DNA Operations director (middle), speaks with Greg Gardner, U.S. Army Casualty and Mortuary Affaris Operations Division (CMAOD), Past Conflict Repatriations Branc (PCRB) cheif, and Denise Hazlewood, grand neice to missing Army Privet First Class Paul Carlton Gunter, Company A, 81st Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, during a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Family Member Update in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 8, 2018. The DPAA conducts periodic and annual government briefings for families of service members who are missing in action. These events are designed to keep family members informed of those still missing and to discuss in detail the latest information available about their specific case. Nearly 400 families came out to this months’ FMU. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidhom)
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