NORFOLK, Va. — The national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
Suicide continues to be a tragedy impacting the armed forces. The Navy is taking new steps to address mental health.
"To lose a shipmate to suicide is one of the most devastating and horrible things that can ever happen," said US Fleet Forces Command Admiral Daryl Caudle. "So, we take it extremely seriously."
One thing the Navy is doing is working to make chaplains regular members of the crew on ships. The goal is for clergy to connect with sailors -- believers and non-believers alike -- in complete confidentiality. It's something that has allowed several chaplains to talk sailors out of suicidal crises.
"Not only can we play an important role, we do play an important role," said Captain David Thames, a chaplain. "By 2025, every one of our ships or destroyers and ultimately frigates-size or larger will have an assigned chaplain that's part of the ship's company. They become absolutely trusted agents in the eyes of the crew by virtue of being there, day in and day out with those folks."
At Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, 400 mental health counselors and staffers work around the clock on this problem. Clinical psychologist Lieutenant Commander Michael Connor explained what it's like to take a call from a suicidal sailor.
"First step: can we get away from the crisis? Can we get to a point of stability? Then we want to work a little deeper to get through to what some of the roots of the problems are. Because you can patch it up. We want to work on some of the longer-term fixes if we can."
One thing that could have helped would have been if The Brandon Act had been fully implemented sooner.
Back in April, Teri and Patrick Caserta -- the parents of the late sailor for whom the law is named -- expressed frustration over how long the process was taking.
"It should not be this hard to save lives," Teri said.
The Brandon Act improves the referral process for service members seeking a mental health evaluation and allows them to seek help confidentially.
Finally on May 5, more than 16 months after its passage into law, Undersecretary of Defense Gilbert Cisneros signed a policy to initiate implementation of phase one of the Brandon Act within 45 days.
"Our greatest strength is our people, and we are committed to their well-being," he said.
The Navy got put to the test soon thereafter when a 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal aboard the USS Carter Hall repeatedly asked for mental health care by invoking the Brandon Act, but was then denied.
"He said, 'Please help me. They're not listening to me. I've told them everything and no one is listening,'" recalled his wife, Burke Beasley.
After 13News Now started asking questions about the situation, the Navy and Marine Corps decided to fly the Marine off the ship to Bahrain, where he received medical and psychological evaluations.
"In this case, that was not good judgment," Admiral Caudle admitted. "We as a chain of command failed there."
Since 2017, the Navy has lost 452 active duty sailors and 62 reservists to suicide. Admiral Caudle wants sailors and their families to know that the Navy is serious about this problem.
"There is nothing more impactful to the Navy than to lose one of our own through suicide. You are my top priority," he said.
Following a period in which Hampton Roads lost nine sailors to suicide within less than one year's time, Caudle urged teammates thinking of self-harm to call the national suicide hotline at 988.
He outlined many steps the Navy is taking -- including a new Mental Health Playbook -- to assist leaders in addressing mental health problems in their commands, including a mental health roadmap that instructs leaders on specific resources available and actions to take.