WASHINGTON — The Navy's top civilian leader is making a solemn vow following recent suicides among the crew of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
In April, there were three suspected crew suicides -- one of them aboard the ship itself -- within one week of each other, bringing the total for the past two years to six sailors believed to have taken their own lives.
The Navy has two investigations underway -- looking at the three April deaths and the circumstances immediately preceding them and seeking to answer questions about what sailors experience while they're in the shipyard for prolonged periods.
On Thursday, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro vowed to do whatever it takes to help sailors.
"As I discussed in my recent visit to USS George Washington last week, we are prioritizing the access to mental health and eliminating barriers to seeking that help," he testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Del Toro continued: "We owe it our military families to ensure their safety and well being. And when we do fall short, we will look our problems square in the eye, and we will take the necessary action to correct them."
Lawmakers said it is urgent that America's sons and daughters in the military are protected and have access to the care they need.
Senate Armed Services Committee member Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) said the Navy's twin investigations should help legislators determine what they can do to help.
"I am confident we will get a really thorough accounting of what was going on there. And it's going to have a number of different components to it," he said. "And that can then help us, as we put the defense bill together, to make sure we're providing the mental health resources that we need."
The Department of Defense recorded 384 active-duty service member suicides in 2020.
According to the Government Accountability Office, that's an increase of more than 33% since 2016.