---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1507"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1507"
heading: "Recommendation of status of death"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1507"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 76 — Missing Persons"
---

# §1507. Recommendation of status of death

- (a) **Requirements Relating to Recommendation.—** A board appointed under section [1503](/usc/10/1503.md), [1504](/usc/10/1504.md), or [1505](/usc/10/1505.md) of this title may not recommend that a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) be declared dead unless—
  - (1) credible evidence exists to suggest that the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is dead;
  - (2) the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) possesses no credible evidence that suggests that the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is alive; and
  - (3) representatives of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1)—
    - (A) have made a complete search of the area where the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) was last seen (unless, after making a good faith effort to obtain access to such area, such representatives are not granted such access); and
    - (B) have examined the [records](/usc/10/801.md?p=14) of the government or entity having control over the area where the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) was last seen (unless, after making a good faith effort to obtain access to such [records](/usc/10/801.md?p=14), such representatives are not granted such access).
- (b) **Submittal of Information on Death.—** If a board appointed under section [1503](/usc/10/1503.md), [1504](/usc/10/1504.md), or [1505](/usc/10/1505.md) of this title makes a recommendation that a [missing person](/usc/10/1513.md?p=1) be declared dead, the board shall include in the report of the board with respect to the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) under that section the following:
  - (1) A detailed description of the location where the death occurred.
  - (2) A statement of the date on which the death occurred.
  - (3) A description of the location of the body, if recovered.
  - (4) If the body has been recovered and is not identifiable through visual means, a certification by a forensic pathologist that the body recovered is that of the [missing person](/usc/10/1513.md?p=1). In determining whether to make such a certification, the forensic pathologist shall consider, as determined necessary by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of the [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) concerned, additional evidence and information provided by appropriate specialists in forensic medicine or other appropriate medical sciences.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, § 569(b)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 347; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 578(e), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2537; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title V, § 599(c), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1768.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1997—Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 105–85 added pars. (3) and (4).

1996—Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 104–201 struck out pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows:

“(3) A description of the location of the body, if recovered.

“(4) If the body has been recovered and is not identifiable through visual means, a certification by a practitioner of an appropriate forensic science that the body recovered is that of the missing person.”