Washington, D.C. – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2024
Contacts: Melvin Soto, melvin.soto@mail.house.gov
Abigail Hills, abigail.hills@mail.house.gov;

Today, Representative Anna Paulina Luna sent a letter signed by herself and Representatives Brandon Williams and Derrick Van Orden outlining their concerns to the Hon. Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.

Representative Luna released the following statement to accompany the letter:

“The strength of our military relies greatly on the mental well-being of our service members. Unfortunately, we have been hearing frightening reports about how our Submarine Force has been experiencing an increase in mental health incidents among Sailors because of safety concerns, the unnecessary separation of families, and unfair investigations by the Inspector General when Sailors report their concerns. 

The Secretary of the Navy is responsible for taking care of his personnel and ensuring that all vital equipment has undergone vigorous safety inspections to operate safely while underway. This is why I’m taking the lead in sending this letter, along with some colleagues, to the Secretary of the Navy, asking him about the recent spike in mental health incidents and safety concerns within the Submarine Force. We must ensure that all facets of our military operate at peak efficiency and that our service members’ safety is a top priority.”

Read the full letter here.