Military training aids in death scene cleaning

OPELIKA, AL — Benjamin Lichtenwalner learned his trade of cleaning up the aftermath of deaths through his service in the Marine Corps Mortuary Affairs Unit in Iraq, according to the Monterey Herald.

Already possessing the necessary skills to perform the work, Lichtenwalner and fellow Marine Ryan Sawyer started Biotrauma after returning from a tour of duty in 2006, the story stated.
Lichtenwalner said: "We realized we had the skills to help people in these tragic situations. We decided to try to do some good beyond being just a janitorial service — get the job done, but be compassionate and sensitive, too."

The work is stressful and many of Lichtenwalner's workers quit before they ever complete five cleanups, the story noted.

A typical death scene cleanup costs around $4,000 and takes roughly four hours to complete, the story added.

According to the story, Lichtenwalner sends a detailed report after each cleanup to both the homeowner and the insurance company as proof that the scene was correctly and professionally cleaned.

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