A young sailor died by suicide. Her family blames health care gaps and long deployment
The family of Jaimie Bethea, a Navy sailor who died by suicide, is criticizing the military for long deployments and inadequate mental health support. The report highlights systemic issues within the Navy regarding personnel well-being during extended missions.
Why it matters
The story underscores the human cost of military operational tempo and the ongoing crisis of mental health support for service members.
Jaimie Bethea took hundreds of photographs during her 11 months on the USS Fort Lauderdale, images that show a keen eye and add up to a kind of visual diary of daily life while deployed at sea. But a month before the USS Fort Lauderdale returned to Norfolk, Va., in July, the 21-year- old Navy communications specialist died by suicide.
"Nothing matters to me more than my sister," Arianna Calderon, her older sister, told NPR. "Nothing ever has. I lost my world, genuinely. I lost everything, and all I care about now is getting some semblance of justice."
The USS Fort Lauderdale was in the Caribbean, part of the Trump administration's operation around Venezuela. The mission included the capture of Nicholas Maduro and ongoing attacks on boats in the region suspected of carrying drugs, along with earthquake relief.
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