From left to right: Cpl. Jason G. Pautsch, age 20, Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods Jr., age 24, Sgt. Edward W. Forrest Jr., age 25, and Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Hall, age 32. These four soldiers together with Private Second Class Bryce E. Gautier (no photo provided) were killed when the military vehicle they were in was hit by a "suicide vehicle-borne" explosive in Mosul, Iraq on Friday, April 10, 2009. All were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. (AP Photo/U.S. Army)

Tech. Sgt. Latersa Frazier, a personal effects supervisor in the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover Air Force Base, polishes a watch on April 1 to demonstrate the cleaning process used on personal effects during preparation of remains, part of the dignified transfer process. The personal effects office prepares and cleans all items to be returned to the families of the soldiers. Sergeant Frazier is deployed from the 43rd Force Support Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)

Selections from a 25-photo collection at The Big Picture documenting the process of the return of war dead.