The sailors are moving to a local Navy installation as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier continues to go through a years-long refueling and overhaul process at the shipyard in Newport News in Virginia. Over the past 12 months, seven members of the crew have died, including four by suicide, prompting the Navy to open an investigation into the command climate and culture on board the Nimitz-class carrier.
The commanding officer of the carrier, Capt. Brent Gaut, made the decision to allow sailors living on board the ship to move to other accommodations, according to a statement from Naval Air Force Atlantic. On the first day of the move, which began Monday, more than 200 sailors left the carrier and moved to a nearby Navy facility.
“The move plan will continue until all Sailors who wish to move off-ship have done so,” the statement said. Although the carrier does not have its full complement of approximately 5,000 sailors, the ship still has between 2,000 and 3,000 sailors living aboard during the overhaul process.
The ship’s command is working to identify sailors who could “benefit from and desire the support services and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs” that are available on local Navy facilities. The Navy is in the process of setting up “temporary accommodations” for these sailors, according to an earlier statement from Naval Air Force Atlantic.
“Leadership is actively implementing these and pursuing a number of additional morale and personal well-being measures and support services to members assigned to USS George Washington.”
The deaths aboard the carrier prompted Rep. Elaine Luria, a 20-year Navy veteran whose district encompasses multiple military facilities, to write a letter to the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday, demanding immediate action to ensure the safety of the crew.
“Each of these deaths is a tragedy, and the number of incidents within a single command, which includes as many as four sailors taking their own lives, raises significant concern that requires immediate and stringent inquiry,” Luria wrote last week, noting that her office has received complaints about the quality of life aboard the ship and a toxic atmosphere.