Fresh investigations revealing the mistreatment of the remains of fallen US military servicemen killed abroad at the US military's main mortuary have surfaced.
Recent Air Force investigation into the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware suggests that the mortuary mishandled the remains, losing track of body parts, Reuters reported.
The events occurring between 2008 and 2010 were brought to attention after three whistleblowers reported lost remains at the base. The three say they faced retaliation for reporting the incidents.
According to the reports, the mortuary was even responsible for severing the limb of a fallen soldier without his family's consent, simply because they were unable to fit it into his uniform.
James Parsons was fired in September 2010, for refusing to carry out the order and reporting the incident.
Meanwhile, the head of a panel set to review military mortuary problems has also stepped down.
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the recent revelations have prompted him to consider imposing tougher punishment on those responsible for the incidents.
The revelations come a year after a scandal broke at Arlington National Cemetery over the misidentification of remains.
