On Monday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) responded to a question on CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper saying the USS Lincoln has the lowest number of mental health-related cases of any Navy aircraft carrier by saying that “I haven’t looked at the data,” but “you’re misrepresenting an issue and you’re ignoring an issue when you have crew members that are trying to end their lives because of what this deployment has been like for them.” And that he wants an investigation.
Guest co-host Sacha Pfeiffer asked, “[Y]ou’ve been in touch with relatives of sailors aboard the USS Lincoln. What are you hearing from them?”
Kelly responded, “Well, we’re hearing that the conditions are not what they or any sailors should expect. And they’ve deteriorated over a period of time, because they’ve been at sea for a record amount of time. I spoke to a grandmother of a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln who said her grandson, who was skinny when he joined the Navy, now looks like he’s lost 20 to 25 pounds, and is struggling. And it’s depressing and it’s a difficult — very difficult situation.”
Pfeiffer then asked, “The head of CENTCOM…Brad Cooper, the statement he issued over the weekend also described his visit as awe-inspiring. And he says that the Lincoln has, in his words, quote, the lowest number of cases related to mental health of the Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers. Your thoughts on his comments?”
Kelly answered, “Well, I haven’t looked at the data, but when you have crew members jumping off because of the conditions, literally, jumping off the ship to end their lives, that’s a problem, and it needs to be investigated. So, that’s why myself and my colleagues are demanding an investigation. And you’re misrepresenting an issue and you’re ignoring an issue when you have crew members that are trying to end their lives because of what this deployment has been like for them.”
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