ON?
>> TO HELP IT MAKE SENSE WE
CREATED A NEWSCAST JUST FOR
THEM, WE HOPE YOUR FAMILY WILL
WATCH NIGHTLY NEWS GIVES
EDITION BUT
>>> THE NAVY ADDRESSES SEVERAL
DEATHS BY SUICIDE ON THE USS
GEORGE WASHINGTON NBC NEWS
REPORTING THE NAVY’S PLAN FOR
REPAIRING MORALE ON THE
HISTORIC WARSHIP IT INCLUDES
TEAM BUILDING EXERCISES LIKE A
VIDEO GAME COMPETITION,
RECREATION AND MOVIE TRAILERS
OFF THE SHIP. SOME SAILORS SAY THAT ISN’T
ENOUGH SO DION, NBC NEWS TALK
TO SEVERAL SAILORS AND THEY
SAID MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES
WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO A
CULTURE WHERE SEEKING HELP
WASN’T MET WITH HER THE
NECESSARY RESOURCES, AS WELL AS
A NEARLY UNINHABITABLE LIVING
CONDITIONS ABOARD THE SHIP.
WHAT ELSE DID THEY SAY ABOUT
LIFE THERE?
>> Reporter: YES.
I SPENT THE ENTIRE WEEK OUTSIDE
THE RESTRICTED AREA WHERE THE
USS GEORGE WASHINGTON NAVY SHIP
IS AT, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH
IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU WERE
JUST SAYING, THE WORKING AND
LIVING CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN A
LITTLE TOUGH.
A LOT OF THE CONDITIONS THAT
ARE ON THE SHIP, THERE IS A LOT
OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, IT
TENDS TO BE LOUD, THE HALLWAYS
ARE DIRTY.
AND IN FACT, IN ONE SECTION OF
THE SHIP, THE BATHROOMS DO NOT
WORK AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT
OF ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO THE
HEATING AND ELECTRICITY
SYSTEMS.
IN THE WINTERTIME IT HAS BEEN
COLD AND OFTENTIMES LAST WINTER
IT WASN’T EVEN MORE MENTAL.
>> NBC NEWS EXPOSER NAVY
SPOKESPERSON AND WHAT IT IS
ABOUT BOOSTING MORALE?
CONSIDERING WHAT YOU’RE
DESCRIBING, VIDEO GAME
COMPETITIONS AND RECREATION IT
DOESN’T SOUND LIKE IT WILL FIX
THAT.
>> I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO
SPEAK TO THE SPOKESMAN TO GET
IT CONFIRMED, BUT WE DID GET IT
CONFIRMED FROM SOME OF THE
SAILORS WHO WORK AND LIVE ON
THE SHIP THAT THIS IS THE
NAVY’S BEST PLAN TO MOVE
FORWARD MAYBE ONE OF THE BEST
PARTS OF THE PLAN I THINK IS
THEY ARE MOVING PEOPLE OFF THE
SHIP.
BECAUSE IF YOU’RE HAVING
PROBLEMS SLEEPING ON THE SHIP,
AND SOMETIMES IF YOU SLEEP
WHERE YOU WORK, THE TWO ARE
INTERTWINED, THEY’RE MOVING
SAILORS OFF THE SHIP.
THE VIDEO CAME PART AND THE
TEAM SOCCER TOURNAMENT, WE
TALKED TO AN EXPERT WHO SAID
MAYBE IT WOULD WORK BUT IT WILL
TAKE MORE THAN ONE BUILDING
EVENT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE
ROUTINE AND READY FREQUENT TO
SEE SOME TYPE OF CHANGE.
>> CONTINUE ON.
>> THAT WAS IT.
>> IS THIS PROBLEM UNIQUE TO
THE NAVY OR DO WE SEE IT IN
OTHER BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY?
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING AND
HEARING?
>> IT IS UNIQUE EVERYWHERE, IT
IS THE MILITARY, BUT ANYWHERE
YOU GO IN SOCIETY.
WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHY PEOPLE
TAKE THEIR LIVES, LEST THEY
LEAVE SOME KIND OF NOTE.
AND IN THESE CASES WITH THE
SAILORS ON THE USS GEORGE
WASHINGTON IT DOESN’T SEEM THEY
DID.
BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM
EVERYWHERE.
IT IS HARD TO SERVE THE COUNTRY
AND HARD TO PUT YOUR LIFE ON
THE LINE EVERY DAY AND THAT CAN
PRAY ON PEOPLE’S MINDS DAY IN
AND DAY OUT, ESPECIALLY ON A
SHIP.
>> ISSUER IS AND WE ARE SO VERY
THOUGHTFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE,
ALSO FOR YOUR REPORTING DION,
THANK YOU.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
IF YOU ARE SOMEONE THAT YOU
KNOW ARE IN CRISIS, CALL THE