Suicide

Navy Set to Implement ‘Brandon Act’ Mental Health Reforms

Sailors assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) look for foreign object debris on the flight deck after a replenishment-at-sea with the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) on Feb. 17, 2023. US Navy Photo

A set of new policies offering more confidentiality to sailors seeking mental health care was approved by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro this week, USNI News has learned.

The policies, the results of the Brandon Act, named for Aviation Electrician’s Mate 3rd...

https://news.usni.org/2023/07/11/navy-set-to-implement-brandon-act-mental-health-reforms

USS Montana Sailor Died by Suicide, Says Local Medical Examiner

Virginia-class attack submarine Montana (SSN-794) on Feb. 2, 2022. HII Photo

A sailor assigned to USS Montana (SSN-794) died by suicide, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Tidewater, Va., region told USNI News on Thursday.

Electronics Technician Navigation 3rd Class (ETV3) Devon Faehnrich was pronounced dead at Riverside Regional Medical Center after being found on the pier next to the submarine at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Faehnrich died from a gunshot wound to the head, Donna...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/30/uss-montana-sailor-died-by-suicide-says-local-medical-examiner

Pentagon Committee Recommends Private Firearm Restrictions for Service Members, Personnel Policy Reform to Prevent Military Suicides

Sailors assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) look for foreign object debris on the flight deck after a replenishment-at-sea with the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) on Feb. 17, 2023. US Navy Photo

Reforming the military up-and-out personnel system, guaranteeing pay and reimbursements for troops and limiting access of younger service members to firearms top a list of recommendations from an independent group of researchers tasked to help reduce suicides in the...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/24/pentagon-committee-recommends-private-firearm-restrictions-for-service-members-personnel-policy-reform-to-prevent-military-suicides

Connecticut Senators Raise Concerns to SECNAV about USS George Washington Living Conditions

USS George Washington (CVN-73)

The senators from Connecticut sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, urging him to examine the conditions aboard USS George Washington (CVN-73) after a string of suicides raised concerns about the extended overhaul period and availability of mental health services.

Three sailors died by suicide within a week of each other in April, USNI News previously reported. A naval investigation released in December found that the suicides were not linked,...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/06/connecticut-senators-raise-concerns-to-secnav-about-uss-george-washington-living-conditions

Tech Companies Accused Of Prioritizing Profits Over Children

Credits: Adem AY/ Unsplash
  • Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan denied weakening laws protecting adult social media users and said they would have more control over what they saw.
  • Teenager Molly Russell, ended her life after viewing suicide and self-harm content online.
  • Ms. Donelan insisted the legislation was not being watered down – and that tech companies had the expertise to protect people online.

Controversial measures which would have forced big technology platforms to take down legal but...

https://mfame.guru/tech-companies-accused-of-prioritizing-profits-over-children/

Report: Navy, Marine Corps Suicide Rates Down From Previous Year, 10-Year Trend Increasing

US Navy Photo

The Navy’s 2021 suicide rate decreased compared to 2020 and 2019, according to the annual suicide report released by the Department of Defense on Thursday.

Although the past two years showed decreases, – 2021’s rate is the lowest in five years – the overall trend line since 2011 is still rising, according to the report.

While the Navy’s rate decreased over the past two years, the decrease between 2021 and 2020 was not statistically significant, said Liz Clark, director of the Defense...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/20/report-navy-marine-corps-suicide-rates-down-from-previous-year-10-year-trend-increasing

Pentagon 2021 Annual Report on Suicide in the Military

The following is the Oct. 20, 2022, Department of Defense Annual Report on Suicide in the Military.

From the report

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Annual Report on Suicide in the Military serves as the official source for annual suicide counts and rates for DoD. This annual report satisfies requirements established by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD[P&R]) in October 2018, requiring a report that serves as the official source for annual suicide counts and...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/20/pentagon-2021-annual-report-on-suicide-in-the-military

Navy Plans to Release George Washington Suicide Investigation Next Year, MCPON Tells Congress

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell L. Smith addresses the crew aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) during an all-hands call in the ship’s hangar bay on April 22, 2022. US Navy Photo

The top enlisted officer in the Navy told a House panel it will be next year before the sea service reports its findings into a rash of suicides aboard carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73), as well as sailors’ living conditions aboard carriers undergoing extensive...

https://news.usni.org/2022/05/18/navy-plans-to-release-george-washington-suicide-investigation-next-year-mcpon-tells-congress

USS George Washington Sailor Deaths Prompts Navy to Investigate Manning in Maintenance

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Jon Leonard A. Rodriguez Finister, from San Bernardino, California assigned to the Air department aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) on Feb. 23, 2022. US Navy Photo

The string of deaths of sailors assigned to carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) are prompting Navy leaders to rethink manning for longer ship maintenance periods, the head of the service’s East Coast carrier force said on Tuesday.

George Washington ente...

https://news.usni.org/2022/05/04/uss-george-washington-sailor-deaths-prompts-navy-to-investigate-manning-in-maintenance

Carrier USS George Washington Mid-Life Overhaul Will Extend into 2023

USS George Washington (CVN-73) in 2020. US Navy

THE PENTAGON – The mid-life repair and refueling of carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) will extend into 2023 and last well over five and half years, according to Navy budget documents.

The service now estimates the refueling and refurbishment will finish in March of 2023, almost 19 months later than the expected August 2021 initial delivery, the service said in its recently released Fiscal Year 2023 budget material.

As recently as March, Naval...

https://news.usni.org/2022/05/02/carrier-uss-george-washington-mid-life-overhaul-will-extend-into-2023

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