3 Suicides Among the Crew of a Single Navy Ship in 1 Week Highlight Rising Trend in U.S. Military

A string of suicides by sailors from the Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush last week has prompted an investigation by local and federal authorities—but it reflects a tragic trend in the Navy, the U.S. military more broadly and across the country. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is currently assisting local authorities in Portsmouth and Norfolk in investigating three deaths — one that took place on Sept. 14 and two that occurred on Sept. 19, Navy officials said Tuesday. The ship’s commanding officer, Capt. Sean Bailey, acknowledged the suicides in a Facebook post on Monday and said, “Now is the time to come together as a crew and as a family to grieve, to support each other, and to care for those in need.” “My heart is broken,” he said. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, public affairs officer for the Naval Air Force Atlantic, said in a statement to TIME that Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Vincent Vincent Forline was found dead off base on Sept. 14. Chief Electronics Technician, Nuclear James Shelton and Airman Ethan Stuart were found dead in separate incidents at off-base locations on Sept. 19. Cragg said a special psychiatric rapid intervention team is on board the aircraft carrier to assist those grieving, in addition to chaplains, psychologists and counselors. She added that the sailors “did not serve in the same departments and there does not appear to be a connection between their deaths.” The USS George H.W. B...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized mental health Military onetime Source Type: news