Navy's Top Enlisted Leader Tells George Washington Crew at Least They Aren't 'Sleeping in a Foxhole

[rebewranger]

Navy's Top Enlisted Leader Tells George Washington Crew at Least They Aren't 'Sleeping in a Foxhole Like a Marine'
 

26 Apr 2022
Military.com | By Konstantin Toropin
The Navy's top enlisted leader -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith -- told sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington on Friday that there is little the branch can do to improve the living conditions aboard the ship.

Military.com reported April 20 that the carrier has experienced a string of suicides going back at least 10 months, including three suicides in a six-day stretch earlier this month.

In the wake of these deaths, Smith came aboard the ship and took questions from the crew. According to a transcript provided by the Navy, Smith began the session by telling the sailors that they "shouldn't have clapped yet, cause you don't know if I'm gonna say anything that's worth clapping for, but I appreciate that."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/26/navys-top-enlisted-leader-tells-george-washington-crew-least-they-arent-sleeping-foxhole-marine.html

[rebewranger]

He is, of course, correct but I don't think it did much for the crew.  It sounds like a cop out. In my 3 1/2 years on a carrier, we had only one suicide.  That guy jumped over the side and the sharks had bone-in human roast.  Maybe the reason we had no real problem with suicidies is we had no snowflakes on board.