Armed Forces Medical Examiner System

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System provides comprehensive forensic investigative services to the U.S. government, including the Defense Department and other federal agencies. Among the services it offers are forensic pathology, DNA Forensics, forensic toxicology and medical mortality surveillance.

The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System provides:

• Answers to frequently asked questions about medicolegal examinations or scientific and legal medical investigations
• An American Board of Pathology-certified physician under the supervision of a board-certified forensic pathologist

Sometimes the local coroner/medical examiner, and not the AFME, will conduct an autopsy. In either case, an autopsy report is available. But not all deaths require an autopsy. For example, if the death occurred while under the care of an attending physician, the physician may determine an autopsy is not necessary.