Marital turmoil, mental health struggles and an “inability to acclimate” to military life — “life stressors” contributed to the life-ending decisions of three sailors assigned to the USS George Washington in April, a Navy investigation released Monday reported.
Xavier Mitchell-Sandor, an 18-year-old sailor, lived aboard the dry-docked carrier for just three months before sending a final text message to his parents. During his time on the Washington, he slept in his car “on several occasions” and traveled home to Connecticut often to escape the shell of a ship that was periodically without hot water or power.
“Quality of life concerns were major sources of stress for Mitchell-Sandor, but these were not the sole cause of his suicide,” the report concludes.
