(a) Record date of receipt. The first command receiving a claim shall stamp or mark the date of receipt on the letter or claim form. The envelope in which the claim was received shall be preserved.

(b) Determine the military activity involved. The receiving command shall determine the Navy or Marine Corps activity most directly involved with the claim - usually the command where the incident is alleged to have occurred - and forward a copy of the claim to that activity. The original claim (and the transmittal letter, if a copy is forwarded to a more appropriate activity) should immediately be sent to the Tort Claims Unit Norfolk.

(c) Initiate an investigation. A JAGMAN Litigation Report Investigation shall be commenced immediately by the command most directly involved with the claim. Once the investigation has been completed, an advance copy shall be forwarded by the convening authority to the Tort Claims Unit Norfolk. Waiting until endorsements have been obtained before providing a copy of the investigation to the Tort Claims Unit Norfolk is neither required nor desirable. The facts of the incident must be made known to cognizant claims personnel as soon as possible.