Defense Sec. Austin: 'Problem' With How Sailors Housed on USS George Washington

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday admitted there is a “problem” with how sailors were housed on the USS George Washington after the U.S. Navy approved sailors to move off the ship after a string of suicides and deaths.

“I share your concern on the issue of mental health and our access to resources, and that’s why we’re asking you for additional resources in this budget to help us provide greater access to our troops, which includes telehealthcare opportunities as well,” Austin said during a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee about the Department of Defense’s budget in response to questioning by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

“But this is a really important issue,” Austin said. “There are two investigations ongoing by the Navy on the George Washington issue, and I look forward to seeing the results … certainly, there’s a problem there. We have to understand what that problem was, and we have to figure out what to do to ensure we don’t have those kinds of problems in the future.

"It certainly had not been anticipated that the ship would be in repair cycle this long but, nonetheless, I expect leadership to make the right decision.”

Four crew members stationed aboard the USS George Washington died by suicide in the past year, including three in one week in April. One of the world’s largest warships, the USS George Washington has been docked at the Newport News Shipyard in Virginia, where it is undergoing an overhaul.

Hundreds of sailors who live out of state or don’t have off-site housing stay on the ship. The conditions are uninhabitable, according to John Sandor, father of one of the sailors. He said his son slept in his car after his 12-hour shift and didn’t have access to hot water or electricity. Loud construction noises make sleeping after long shifts difficult.

Kaptur called the situation “demoralizing” and said she was troubled by it as “I see it getting worse.

“We’ve got to do something,” she told Austin. “We can’t keep trying to do everything and not doing it well and not taking care of those who are in service to our country right now.”

• Parents of Sailor on USS George Washington Who Committed Suicide Say Living Conditions Were 'Awful'
• Navy Investigating 7 USS George Washington Sailor Deaths