After a string of apparent suicides among the crew of a U.S. naval vessel, officials announced they are removing sailors from the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and allowing them to live off-ship.
The U.S. Navy has removed more than 200 sailors, reports CNN, and is investigating the deaths of seven crew members, including four by apparent suicide in the past year.
According to the Washington Post, three crew members are believed to have died by suicide in April — all within a week of each other.
Several news outlets report dismal conditions aboard the docked ship in Newport News, Va., which has been undergoing a major overhaul to refuel its reactors and upgrade its combat systems.
Delays in the work, however, have at times left the boat without running water, hot meals and working washrooms.
ABC News reports that after the string of deaths, and following complaints from the crew, the Navy has begun to offer temporary accommodations for the ship’s staff.
While the majority of the ship’s 2,700 crew members already live off-ship, 260 of the 400 on-ship staff can now access accommodations elsewhere. And additional 50 crew members will be given the option next week.
Master Chief Russell Smith visited the vessel last week to talk to crew members and take questions.
He acknowledged that for sailors working on a ship undergoing maintenance, it can be a difficult gig.
“How many of you signed up to go to a ship in the yards? How many of you thought, man, I can’t wait to be in a dry dock … and instead chip paint and do all the things that we do to make our ship ready to go to war?” he asked the crew. “No one wants to do that work.”
He continued: “So if you’re less happy because you don’t feel like you’re doing the thing that you came here to do, you’re hemorrhaging your technical abilities in whatever rating you’re in. It’s not optimal. We know that.”
According to CNN, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been working to address the issue of military suicides. So far this year, the Navy has had 18 active-duty members take their own lives.
“One death by suicide is one too many,” Austin wrote in a memo announcing an independent review committee to tackle suicide prevention and response. “And suicide rates among our Service members are still too high.”
According to the U.S. Defense Department, 580 service members died by suicide in 2020, and suicide rates across all branches of the military have increased in the last five years.
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If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
For a directory of support services in your area, visit the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
Learn more about how to help someone in crisis on the government of Canada’s website.
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