Two sailors who are subjects in an overarching investigation into the three deaths of senior personnel assigned to Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., died by apparent suicide, local officials confirmed to USNI News.
Chief Gunner’s Mate Daniel Dlask and Machinist’s Mate First Class Jacob Lavold died on April 18 and May 14, respectively. Another sailor, Chief Damage Controlman Reba Miller, died on April 28. The circumstances of her death are still pending the results of a toxicology report, according to local officials.
Naval Education and Training Command directed an investigation, led by Rear Adm. Robert Nowakowski, the deputy commander for force development, into the deaths to determine any connections between them, USNI News previously reported.
“Naval Education and Training Command’s formal investigation will review the details of each individual incident, and will also aim to identify potential common factors,” NETC spokesperson Cmdr. Laura Stegherr told USNI News in a Wednesday email. “At this time, it is essential that we refrain from making any assumptions or drawing premature conclusions. Our priorities are to conduct a thorough and respectful examination and continue to support the health and well-being of all personnel at RTC.”
Naval Criminal Investigative Services is also investigating each death. NETC would not provide more details due to the ongoing investigations.
The probe into the deaths is similar to the one the Navy conducted following three suicides among sailors assigned to USS George Washington (CVN-73) in 2022 while the carrier was in an extended maintenance period. The investigation ultimately found no connections between the deaths but did find that the ship had an overwhelmed mental health system. A separate investigation identified several quality-of-life concerns among sailors.
Training new recruits, across the military, can be one of the most stressful jobs. A 2021 article in the journal Military Medicine found that long hours, lack of sleep and lack of exercise created stressful environments for Army drill sergeants.
Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among sailors. Navy suicide numbers appeared to drop in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the fourth quarter Department of Defense suicide report.
In 2024, 61 sailors died by suicide compared to 68 the previous year, according to the quarterly report. However, the quarterly report does not account for the number of sailors in the Navy year-to-year. The final numbers for the year will be published in the DoD’s annual suicide report, usually released in the fall.
The annual report also includes the suicide rate for each of the services. The rates are not included in the quarterly reports.
The Navy’s suicide rate trended up over the past three years, with the unadjusted rate at 21 per 100,000 sailors in 2023, up from 20.7 in 2022 and 17 in 2021. When adjusted for age and sex, the rate dips slightly, although it still trended up over the past three years.
The two most recent deaths will not be included in the fall’s suicide report but will be accounted for in one released in 2026.
Suicide deaths in Fiscal Year 2024 continue a trend of outpacing deaths resulting from class A mishaps recorded by the Naval Safety Command. In FY 2024, there were 68 suicides compared to 50 deaths recorded by the Naval Safety Center. Data on deaths from illness and overdoses are not readily available.
Suicide Prevention Resources:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
Military Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255
