Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 75 — DECEASED PERSONNEL › SUBCHAPTER II — DEATH BENEFITS › § 1486
The Secretary can pay for or arrange mortuary services and supplies for certain U.S. citizens who die outside the United States when local funeral services are not available or are too expensive. This covers six groups: employees of humanitarian groups (like the American Red Cross and USO), civilians working under contracts for the Secretary, crew members of U.S.-operated merchant ships, people on duty with a force paid from non-appropriated funds, anyone the State Department specifically asks for, and dependents living overseas with a covered person. The Secretary can also pay to transport remains to a U.S. port of entry. The costs must be repaid, and the money collected is returned to the same government funds that pay for those services.
Full Legal Text
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 1486
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102