Privacy Impact Assessment

PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT (PIA)
PRESCRIBING AUTHORITY: DoD Instruction 5400.16, "DoD Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance". Complete this form for Department of Defense
(DoD) information systems or electronic collections of information (referred to as an "electronic collection" for the purpose of this form) that collect, maintain, use,
and/or disseminate personally identifiable information (PII) about members of the public, Federal employees, contractors, or foreign nationals employed at U.S.
military facilities internationally. In the case where no PII is collected, the PIA will serve as a conclusive determination that privacy requirements do not apply to
system.
1. DOD INFORMATION SYSTEM/ELECTRONIC COLLECTION NAME:

Armed Forces Medical Examiner Tracking System (AFMETS)
3. PIA APPROVAL DATE:

2. DOD COMPONENT NAME:

09/25/24

Defense Health Agency
Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES)
SECTION 1: PII DESCRIPTION SUMMARY (FOR PUBLIC RELEASE)
a. The PII is: (Check one. Note: Federal contractors, military family members, and foreign nationals are included in general public.)
From members of the general public

From Federal employees

from both members of the general public and Federal employees

Not Collected (if checked proceed to Section 4)

b. The PII is in a: (Check one.)
New DoD Information System

New Electronic Collection

Existing DoD Information System

Existing Electronic Collection

Significantly Modified DoD Information System
c. Describe the purpose of this DoD information system or electronic collection and describe the types of personal information about individuals
collected in the system.

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner Tracker System (AFMETS) is a Government developed system providing medical examiners the
ability to track and record autopsy information, and to issue death certificate for decedents. The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System
(AFMES) establishes a Department of Defense (DOD) standard system for medico-legal investigations. AFMETS provides all workflow
controls from intake through processing the release of remains, and it is used by different groups of users such as medical examiners,
mortuary personnel and casualty officers. It provides medical examiners a tool for managing a decedent case from the time of notification of
death, the determination of cause and manner of death, the identification of remains, the issuance of a death certificate, and to the final
release of remains to a mortuary for preparation for interment. Teams provide a complete, multi-faceted forensic investigation. Provide
worldwide scientific consultation, research and education services in the field of forensic DNA analysis to the Department of Defense and
other agencies, provides DNA reference specimen collection, accession, and storage of United States military and other authorized personnel.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) this system collects and manages includes demographic data, medical information, and military
record related PII information. Categories of individuals include: deceased military members of all branches to include National Guard and
Coast Guard; active duty and military reserve employees; federal contractors; foreign nationals employed by the federal government;
deceased federal employees; federal contractors; foreign nationals employed by the federal government; and civilians whose deaths occur or
are pronounced within Federal jurisdiction.
The system is owned by the Armed Force Medical Examiner System (AFMES) and managed by AFMES IT department.
d. Why is the PII collected and/or what is the intended use of the PII? (e.g., verification, identification, authentication, data matching, mission-related use,
administrative use)

The PII is collected for mission-related use to support decedent case information provided to Defense Casualty Information Processing
System (DCIPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
e. Do individuals have the opportunity to object to the collection of their PII?

Yes

No

(1) If "Yes," describe the method by which individuals can object to the collection of PII.
(2) If "No," state the reason why individuals cannot object to the collection of PII.

Individuals do not have the opportunity to object to the specific uses of their PII as the information is entered post-mortem. AFMETS is not
the initial point of collection of the PII.
f. Do individuals have the opportunity to consent to the specific uses of their PII?

Yes

No

(1) If "Yes," describe the method by which individuals can give or withhold their consent.

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(2) If "No," state the reason why individuals cannot give or withhold their consent.

Individuals do not have the opportunity to consent to the specific uses of their PII as the information is entered post-mortem. AFMETS is not
the initial point of collection of the PII.
g. When an individual is asked to provide PII, a Privacy Act Statement (PAS) and/or a Privacy Advisory must be provided. (Check as appropriate and
provide the actual wording.)
Privacy Act Statement

Privacy Advisory

Not Applicable

h. With whom will the PII be shared through data/system exchange, both within your DoD Component and outside your Component?
(Check all that apply)
Within the DoD Component

Specify.

Other DoD Components (i.e. Army, Navy, Air Force)

Specify.

Other Federal Agencies (i.e. Veteran’s Affairs, Energy, State)

Defense Health Agency

Medical examiners within the US Army Medical Command
and casualty branches and military mortuaries.
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Peace Corps,
Specify.
Department of State (DOS).

State and Local Agencies

Specify.

Contractor (Name of contractor and describe the language in
the contract that safeguards PII. Include whether FAR privacy
clauses, i.e., 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification, 52.224-2,
Privacy Act, and FAR 39.105 are included in the contract.)

Contract Company: Future Technology Incorporated (FTI)
The Contractor shall establish appropriate administrative,
technical, and physical safeguards to protect all Government
data; ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of
Government data in compliance with applicable laws and
regulations, including data breach reporting and response
requirements, per DFAR Subpart 224.1 (Protection of
Individual Privacy), DoDD 5400.11, DoD Privacy Program,
and DoD 5400.11-R, DoD Privacy Program. The contractor
shall also comply with federal laws relating to freedom of
information and records management.
The Contractor shall comply with the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (Pub.
L. 104-191), as implemented by the HIPAA Privacy and
Security Rules codified at 45 CFR. Parts 160 and 164, and
as further implemented within the Military Health System
Specify.
(MHS) by DoDM 6025.18, Implementation of the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Privacy Rule in DoDI Health Care Programs and DoD
8580.02, Security of Individually Identifiable Health
Information in DoD Health Care Programs. The Contractor
shall comply with applicable HIPAA related rules and
regulations as they are published and as further defined by
later-occurring Government requirements and DoD
guidance, including current and forthcoming DoD guidance
implementing applicable amendments under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Any
rules and regulations published, and/or requirements
defined after the award date of this contract, and require
expenditure of additional Contractor resources for
compliance, may be considered "changes" and will be
subject to the "changes" clause under the contract.

Other (e.g., commercial providers, colleges).

Specify.

i. Source of the PII collected is: (Check all that apply and list all information systems if applicable)
Individuals

Databases

Existing DoD Information Systems

Commercial Systems

Other Federal Information Systems

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The PII collected is obtained from the Defense Casualty Information Processing System (DCIPS), records, and reports and other
investigators.
j. How will the information be collected? (Check all that apply and list all Official Form Numbers if applicable)
E-mail

Official Form (Enter Form Number(s) in the box below)

In-Person Contact

Paper

Fax

Telephone Interview

Information Sharing - System to System

Website/E-Form

Other (If Other, enter the information in the box below)

The PII collected is manually entered into this system as well as auto-populated from DCIPS.
Official Form: AFMES Form 3: Request for Autopsy Report and Supplemental Information is available at: https://www.health.mil/MilitaryHealth-Topics/Combat-Support/Armed-Forces-Medical-Examiner-System/Office-of-the-Armed-Forces-Medical-Examiner?type=Forms+%
26+Templates#RefFeed. Family members may provide information via Paper or Email.
k. Does this DoD Information system or electronic collection require a Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN)?
A Privacy Act SORN is required if the information system or electronic collection contains information about U.S. citizens or lawful permanent U.S. residents that
is retrieved by name or other unique identifier. PIA and Privacy Act SORN information must be consistent.
Yes

No

If "Yes," enter SORN System Identifier
SORN Identifier, not the Federal Register (FR) Citation. Consult the DoD Component Privacy Office for additional information or http://dpcld.defense.gov/
Privacy/SORNs/
or
If a SORN has not yet been published in the Federal Register, enter date of submission for approval to Defense Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Transparency
Division (DPCLTD). Consult the DoD Component Privacy Office for this date
If "No," explain why the SORN is not required in accordance with DoD Regulation 5400.11-R: Department of Defense Privacy Program.

AFMETS is not a system of records.

l. What is the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) approved, pending or general records schedule (GRS) disposition authority
for the system or for the records maintained in the system?
(1) NARA Job Number or General Records Schedule Authority.

unscheduled

(2) If pending, provide the date the SF-115 was submitted to NARA.

(3) Retention Instructions.

Unscheduled - Permanent. Treat system and/or records maintained in the system as permanent until a NARA approved schedule and
disposition authority has been applied.
m. What is the authority to collect information? A Federal law or Executive Order must authorize the collection and maintenance of a system of
records. For PII not collected or maintained in a system of records, the collection or maintenance of the PII must be necessary to discharge the
requirements of a statue or Executive Order.
(1) If this system has a Privacy Act SORN, the authorities in this PIA and the existing Privacy Act SORN should be similar.
(2) If a SORN does not apply, cite the authority for this DoD information system or electronic collection to collect, use, maintain and/or disseminate PII.
(If multiple authorities are cited, provide all that apply).
(a) Cite the specific provisions of the statute and/or EO that authorizes the operation of the system and the collection of PII.
(b) If direct statutory authority or an Executive Order does not exist, indirect statutory authority may be cited if the authority requires the
operation or administration of a program, the execution of which will require the collection and maintenance of a system of records.
(c) If direct or indirect authority does not exist, DoD Components can use their general statutory grants of authority (“internal housekeeping”) as
the primary authority. The requirement, directive, or instruction implementing the statute within the DoD Component must be identified.

5 USC. 301, Departmental Regulations; 10 USC 131; 10 USC 3013, Secretary of Army; 10 USC 5013, Secretary of the Navy; 10 USC 8013,
Secretary of the Air Force; EO 9397 (SSN); Deputy Secretary of Defense memorandum dated December 16, 1991; and Assistant Secretary
of Defense (Health Affairs) memoranda dated January 5, 1993, March 9, 1994, April 2, 1996, and October 11, 1996.
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n. Does this DoD information system or electronic collection have an active and approved Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control
Number?
Contact the Component Information Management Control Officer or DoD Clearance Officer for this information. This number indicates OMB approval to
collect data from 10 or more members of the public in a 12-month period regardless of form or format.
Yes

No

Pending

(1) If "Yes," list all applicable OMB Control Numbers, collection titles, and expiration dates.
(2) If "No," explain why OMB approval is not required in accordance with DoD Manual 8910.01, Volume 2, " DoD Information Collections Manual:
Procedures for DoD Public Information Collections.”
(3) If "Pending," provide the date for the 60 and/or 30 day notice and the Federal Register citation.

AFMETS does not collect information from members of the public.

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