Posted on Apr 13, 2022
A Sailor With Diagnosed Mental Health Issues Says He's Being Targeted for Seeking Help
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Jatzael Alvarado Perez began struggling with life aboard the destroyer USS Farragut last year. The ship was in the process of getting ready to deploy, and a combination of the conditions aboard the Mayport, Florida-based ship and long stretches at sea were taking a toll on the 23-year-old sailor.
"It's just not a good environment at all, it's not a healthy one for sure," Perez told Military.com in a phone conversation.
After a couple of false starts, Perez would take the advice of a chaplain and seek help for the growing strains on his mental health, eventually receiving a diagnosis of a mood disorder. Instead of getting that help, though, he's faced repeated disciplinary actions, a positive drug test that suddenly wasn't, allegations of making it all up and, finally, confinement to the ship and a reduction in rank. Eventually, the situation drove his wife to spill everything in a post on Facebook.
"It's just not a good environment at all, it's not a healthy one for sure," Perez told Military.com in a phone conversation.
After a couple of false starts, Perez would take the advice of a chaplain and seek help for the growing strains on his mental health, eventually receiving a diagnosis of a mood disorder. Instead of getting that help, though, he's faced repeated disciplinary actions, a positive drug test that suddenly wasn't, allegations of making it all up and, finally, confinement to the ship and a reduction in rank. Eventually, the situation drove his wife to spill everything in a post on Facebook.
A Sailor With Diagnosed Mental Health Issues Says He's Being Targeted for Seeking Help
Posted from military.com
Mental Health
Punishment
Social Media
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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The Navy is trying to get folks to seek help,after the suicide last year, so why are they pursuing charges on someone who does? This doesn't make much sense.
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
This "bipolar" response is what makes people afraid to trust leadership on this and other issues.
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MCPO Hilary Kunz
My experience was completely different. I told the command what I was going to do, go to medical and get help from the Navy shrinks. I went and did it, then returned to full duty. That was in 1990.
My case was a bit more obvious; the CO, and many of the khakis, attended my daughters funeral, so it was all out in the open.
Regardless, the MH providers seems to have screwed the pooch big time.
My case was a bit more obvious; the CO, and many of the khakis, attended my daughters funeral, so it was all out in the open.
Regardless, the MH providers seems to have screwed the pooch big time.
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