NORFOLK, Va. - — News 3 is looking into the report of a local Sailor who died by suicide last week.
In a statement, the U.S. Navy confirmed the Sailor passed away on Aug. 2. The statement said law enforcement continue to investigate the Sailor's death.
The medical examiner told News 3 the Sailor died from a gunshot wound to the head, but the manner of death remains pending.
News 3 is not currently naming the Sailor while the investigation continues.
Military
New law requires mental health services for US troops; Named after local Sailor
Local members of Congress continue to push for more mental health resources to be available to service members.
"We've just been having real serious issues with access to mental healthcare in members of our military," said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) during a virtual press conference with reporters at the end of July.
Both the House and Senate have now passed their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and the two sides will have to merge the bills into one bill after they return from August recess.
Kaine says the NDAA includes things like easier access to mental healthcare, tries to increase retention in mental health professionals, and tries to make mental healthcare more affordable.
"We've had some particularly challenging instances with Navy suicides in the Hampton Roads area, but you dig into it and you find it's not a Hampton Roads issue, it's not just a Navy issue, it's DoD-wide," said Kaine.
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia) in an interview with News 3 last month said he has also been pushing for more help for service members, especially after a report examining a cluster of Sailor suicides in 2022 said the Navy had failed the Sailors.
“If we lose one sailor to suicide, that’s one too many," Kiggans said. "The Navy can do better."
The Brandon Act is now being implemented by the Department of Defense. The law allows service members to start the process to get a mental health evaluation for any reason at any time in any environment.
The law is named after a Sailor named Brandon Caserta who died by suicide in 2018.
Caserta's parents have been pushing for change since their son's death.
"Now maybe suicides in our military will go down," Teri Caserta told News 3 in May.
