Navy Secretary promises to improve conditions on USS Washington after string of suicides
Daily PressMay 18, 2022
The Navy’s two top officials visited USS George Washington Tuesday to hear from sailors about living and working conditions while the ship is in Newport News Shipbuilding for its overhaul and refueling.
Secretary of the Navy
The Washington saw three apparent suicides within a week in April to make a total of six in the past two years. Its overhaul is taking longer than expected — the latest word is that it won’t be out of the yard until March, instead of an originally planned
“I’ve had several conversations with both the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary and we all know this is hard and want to make it better,” Del Toro said in a statement. “We want the crew’s feedback and recommendations so we can continue to take immediate actions to improve their quality of life and the availability of mental health care services.”
Del Toro and Gilday told sailors it is essential that they look out for one another.
“When you notice someone in your division or work center starting to act different or something just isn’t right with them, don’t be afraid to say something directly to them or to get someone from the medical or resilience team involved as soon as possible. We sometimes call that ‘invasive leadership,’ but I think a better term is involved leadership,” Del Toro said.
“There is no treatment or prevention if we can’t openly speak about our struggles and stresses,” said Gilday. “When someone needs help, we must get them help without judgment or hesitancy.
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Nearly 300 sailors who had been living on the ship have been moved to on-shore housing, while the
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