## Department Of Defense Instruction

SUBJECT: DoD Forensic Science Committee

References: See Enclosure 1
1.  PURPOSE.  This instruction reissues DoD Instruction (DoDI) 5100.86 (Reference (a)) in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5106.01 (Reference (b)) to establish the DoD Forensic Science Committee in accordance with DoDI 5105.18 (Reference (c)). 2.  APPLICABILITY.  This instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (IG DoD), the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in this instruction as the "DoD Components"). 3.  POLICY.  It is DoD policy that:
a.  The DoD Forensic Science Committee (referred to in this instruction as the Committee) is established as a joint DoD committee authorized by Reference (b) and under the provisions of Reference (c) to:

(1)  Review advances in forensic science technologies and procedures.


(2)  Suggest resolutions to criminal investigative related forensic science policy issues of concern to the DoD forensic science community and its customers.

b.  The Committee provides advice to other DoD entities on forensic science issues, and suggests guidance for inclusion in IG DoD criminal investigative policy.

4.  RESPONSIBILITIES

a.  IG DoD.  The IG DoD establishes policy for and monitors and oversees the Committee with respect to all DoD activities relating to criminal investigation and law enforcement programs.


b.  Secretary of the Army.  DoDD 5205.15E (Reference (d)) designates the Secretary of the Army as the DoD Executive Agent for Forensics for those forensic disciplines relating to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), serology, firearms and tool marks, latent prints, questioned documents, drug chemistry, and trace materials, as well as forensics relating to medical disciplines such as forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, forensic toxicology, and DNA analysis to identify human remains.  In that capacity, the Secretary of the Army:

(1)  Oversees DoD compliance with this instruction and prescribes procedures for its implementation.



(2)  Appoints the Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, as the Committee Chair.



c.  Secretary of the Air Force.  Reference (d) designates the Secretary of the Air Force as the DoD Executive Agent for Digital and Multimedia Forensics for those forensics disciplines relating to computer and electronic device forensics, audio forensics, image analysis, and video analysis.  DoDD 5505.13E (Reference (e)) outlines the duties and responsibilities for the Secretary of the Air Force in that capacity.

d.  DoD Component Heads.  The DoD Component heads:

(1)  Direct compliance with and prescribe procedures to implement this instruction.


(2)  Direct, as applicable, organizations named in Enclosure 2 to appoint representatives to the Committee to address traditional and criminal investigative forensic science issues impacting the DoD.

5.  PROCEDURES.  See Enclosure 2.

6.  RELEASABILITY.  **Unlimited**.  This instruction is approved for public release and is available on the Internet from the DoD Issuances Website at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives. 7.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This instruction:
a.  Is effective April 18, 2014.


b.  Must be reissued, cancelled, or certified current within 5 years of its publication to be
considered current in accordance with DoDI 5025.01 (Reference (f)).


c.  Will expire effective April 18, 2024 and be removed from the DoD Issuances Website if it hasn't been reissued or cancelled in accordance with Reference (f).

Department of Defense Enclosures
1.  References

2.  Procedures Glossary


## Enclosure References

 (a) DoD Instruction 5100.86, "DoD Forensic Science Committee," November 20, 2008
(hereby cancelled)
(b) DoD Directive 5106.01, "Inspector General of the Department of Defense," April 20, 2012
(c) DoD Instruction 5105.18, "DoD Intergovernmental and Intragovernmental Committee
Management Program," July 10, 2009, as amended
(d) DoD Directive 5205.15E, "DoD Forensic Enterprise (DFE)," April 26, 2011
(e) DoD Directive 5505.13E, "DoD Executive Agent (EA) for the DoD Cyber Crime Center
(DC3)," March 1, 2010
(f)
DoD Instruction 5025.01, "DoD Directives Program," September 26, 2012, as amended


## Enclosure 2 Procedures

 1.  MEMBERSHIP
a.  Members of the Committee consist of representatives (DoD military or civilian personnel)
from the:

(1)  Office of the IG DoD.



(2)  Defense Intelligence Agency.


(3)  Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

(4)  U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

(5)  Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

(6)  Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

(7)  Marine Corps Criminal Investigation Division.

(8)  Armed Forces Medical Examiner System.

(9)  Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command-Central
Identification Laboratory.

(10)  Defense Cyber Crime Center, Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory.

(11)  National Media Exploitation Center.

b.  Committee representatives may nominate and approve, by consensus, other agencies to be represented on the Committee.

2.  COMMITTEE PROCESSES
a.  The Secretary of the Army directs Committee meetings are held at least semiannually to address forensic science technology and procedural issues affecting criminal investigative related forensic laboratory support to the DoD.

b.  The Committee Chair:



(1)  Provides minutes of the meetings to the IG DoD and Committee members.


(2)  Establishes Committee processes for monitoring fluctuations in the DoD
Components criminal investigative related forensic science requirements and of the availability of DoD and external laboratory service support.


(3)  Solicits member input to share information affecting the forensic science community and address issues of the DoD Components' concerns, to improve forensic science processes and procedures in support of criminal investigative efficiency and effectiveness.

c.  The IG DoD representative:

(1)  Coordinates appropriate actions arising from Committee meetings with the Director Defense Biometrics and Forensics for identification of potential research, development, test, and evaluation requirements.


(2)  Briefs the Committee on current forensic initiatives with potential criminal investigation and law enforcement applications in accordance with Reference (d).



## Glossary Abbreviations And Acronyms



DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
DoDD
DoD Directive
DoDI
DoD Instruction



IG DoD Inspector General of the Department of Defense