Life is ‘terrible’ on an aircraft carrier

CNN approached 12 current and former sailors of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington. What they tell paints a disturbing picture of a battleship with numerous problems, including poor sleeping conditions on board a ship that has in fact been turned into a construction site, concerns about the quality of the food. product, as well as the perception that leadership did not solve the problem and ignored the complaint.

USS George Washington nuclear-powered aircraft carrier wikimedia commons

“Horrible” living conditions

The sailors interviewed by CNN all said the ship was “unlivable”. The crew began moving on board about a year ago, after the ship had undergone four years of refueling and remodeling, and is said to be ready to take over part of the crew. But the ship was still a construction site around the clock.

US Navy In the past 12 months, the crew of the USS George Washington has lost seven people, of which at least four committed suicide. Xavier Sandor, a sailor who works in the ship’s security department, is one of them. His father, John Sandor, said his son had told him living conditions on the ship were “horrible”.

“How can you sleep on an aircraft carrier with hammering, smoke and smells all day long?” asked John Sandor, demanding an explanation. “My son slept in his car. No sailor should live on that ship in that condition.”

Sailors told CNN that suicides become a tragic reality, not just an anomaly. “I’m not surprised. If I’ve been on the ship for as long as I have, it’s something that unfortunately I’ve become used to,” said a sailor aboard the George Washington. “I’ve seen it all, nothing new.”

The USS George Washington is undergoing repairs. navy.mil

Sailors said that on the ship, it was almost impossible to find a quiet place to sleep, the ship suffered constant power outages and lack of hot water. They said sleeping quarters often lacked ventilation, and the ship’s massive metal structure caused the interior to become very cold or very hot.

“I woke up in the middle of the night because it was freezing cold,” said one sailor. “I lived in my car in the winter, and it still feels better than a bed on a ship. The sailor said he was 19 years old at the time and was shocked by the living conditions on board, Far from his expectations of life in the US Navy, he lived in a car for three weeks, though intermittently, until he got used to the cramped space of the ship’s sleeping quarters.

“This is at the bottom,” he told CNN of the situation aboard the USS George Washington.

The crew left the ship

Earlier this week, the commanding officer of the USS George Washington announced that about half of the more than 400 sailors on board the aircraft carrier will be move to temporary accommodation off the ship. Others who wish to do so will also be accepted. Sailors who spoke to CNN all said it was the right thing to do.

When asked if the US Navy knew sailors slept in vehicles instead of on ships, a spokesman said all sailors are “accommodated” and they will review whether accommodation is appropriate. one of the factors leading to suicide or not.

One sailor shared with CNN messages from the ship’s online comment box, where people can raise issues or share ideas. Many of the posts are labeled “Quality of Life” and focus on issues like remote parking, depressed morale, or food. But rarely anything changes, the sailors said.

“Complaints won’t help. You simply suffer in silence,” said one sailor. Many sailors told CNN that even a complete meal is sometimes difficult to obtain.

“They simply ran out of food, and if they had anything left, it would be – if you’re lucky – some cereal or a small possibly undercooked chicken leg,” the sailor said. . He often works late at night.

“Prisoners get better food than we get in the military,” said a sailor who recently disembarked the USS George Washington. This aircraft carrier was the first place she went on a mission, and she said she suffered from alcoholism for a while because of the living conditions.

“This is the craziest environment I’ve ever been in,” she said.

USS George Washington at the shipyard in Virginia in 2020 us navy

Another former sailor aboard the George Washington said the situation on board was “unacceptable”, especially given the military’s available resources to address the issue of living conditions and quality of life.

“This is not Afghanistan, where things like that are expected,” he said. “This is Newport News, Virginia”.

Following the most recent suicides, the US Navy opened two investigations. The first investigation, expected to be completed soon, looks specifically at recent deaths on board. The second investigation will look at the command environment and cultural at the Newport News shipyard, covering housing, parking and quality of life issues.

The US Navy “believes that a comprehensive investigation and assessment of the command environment and various quality of life issues will identify areas for future improvement and make recommendations.” for immediate action” against the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, according to a spokesman.