WASHINGTON (WAVY) – Laws to improve access to mental health services for military personnel will be reintroduced next week on Capitol Hill, and parents of the sailor who named the law hope it will become law.
Brandon Caserta was 21 years old when he died of suicide on Norfolk Naval Station. He had left SEAL training in San Diego, but so had the vast majority of those who qualify for the training. The course is known as BUDS, or Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training, and Caserta has been mocked with the label “BUDS Dud”.
Caserta ended his life by jumping into the rotor of a helicopter. A military investigation found that his chief sergeant’s abusive acts were a likely factor and that officer has been removed from the position.
The Brandon Law would pave a more direct route to mental health resources and remove the chain of command for access to services and hold the chain of command accountable for suicides if officials fail to take appropriate steps to prevent them.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) And Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) Supported the original legislation, which never came to a vote last year. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) Spoke of his support for the law in a Interview with 10 On Your Side last summer.
Brandon Caserta’s father Patrick Caserta says the Pentagon is unwilling to accept the number of soldiers who need help but cannot get it.
“The first solution to a cure is to admit that you have a problem. The DoD never admitted they had a problem, ”he said.
Patrick and Teri Caserta say the problem is with the culture of the military when it comes to harassment, bullying and harassment.
“Not being okay is okay. If they need help, they have to get help, ”said Teri Caserta.
According to the The latest data from the Department of Defense were released in October, The military’s suicide rate has risen steadily over the past five years.
“Since then, and these are the numbers they released, and the number is even higher, 571 soldiers have died. That was a costly ‘We don’t want this’ mistake, ”said Patrick Caserta.
The Casertas say the Brandon Act will help keep service members alive by providing them with a direct and more confidential path to help and protecting them from retaliation.
Patrick Caserta is a Navy veteran where he served as a psychological advisor.
“If they die on this freeway, a roadblock will be put in place to bring them help so that a psychologist can show them that life is worth living and that you have a support network of family and friends who are beyond your control.” , he said.
The Casertas believe this time they have more momentum to pass the law that bears their son’s name to help service members in crisis and their families.
“We don’t want them to go through what Brandon went through, and we certainly don’t want their families to go through what we went through,” said Teri Caserta.
“Something has to be done,” said Patrick Caserta. “DoD must be held accountable.”
The Casertas will arrive from their Arizona home for a vigil for Brandon on the third anniversary of his death, June 25th, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum. Organized by the League of United Latin American Citizens, it will also include representatives from mental health facilities dedicated to assisting military personnel.
