The mom of a New Jersey sailor who died after finishing “Hell Week” workouts to change into a Navy SEAL isn’t glad with the investigation of her son’s dying or the “letter of warning” that the Navy issued to a few officers answerable for the coaching.
“They are saying he died from pneumonia and an enlarged coronary heart,” Regina Mullen mentioned of the investigation into the dying of her son, Seaman Kyle Mullen, on Feb. 4. “However you may’t have two causes of dying.”
Mullen, a registered nurse from Manalapan, mentioned she met with Rear Admiral Brett W. Mietus, who’s head of the workplace of sailor health in Washington, D.C., at her lawyer’s workplace final Wednesday evening. Additionally on the assembly was her congressman from New Jersey’s 4th District, Rep. Chris Smith, who has known as for the Armed Companies Committee to carry a listening to on high-stress SEAL coaching workouts performed by the Navy in Coronado, California, the place Mullen died.
The post-mortem performed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, which is included within the investigative report, discovered that Mullen’s coronary heart was twice the conventional measurement. An electrocardiogram of his coronary heart 9 months earlier discovered no abnormalities, in line with the Navy’s investigation, NBC News reported.
An enlarged coronary heart could be a symptom of efficiency enhancing medicine, and drug paraphernalia was reportedly discovered amongst his possessions. Regina Mullen doesn’t imagine Kyle was utilizing steroids, and mentioned her son let different SEAL candidates use his automotive, so another person might have stashed the needles. No medicine have been discovered, she mentioned.
Mullen believes the Navy’s concentrate on steroids is a distraction from the true challenge: the dearth of medical care after he bought pneumonia throughout Hell Week.
“He might have had an underlying situation,” she mentioned. “However this has nothing to do with steroids. My son died of pneumonia, as a result of he was rowing a ship all evening in freezing water, and didn’t obtain the right medical care.”
The Naval Particular Warfare Command launched an announcement that cleared Kyle Mullen of any misconduct in his personal dying, and mentioned efficiency enhancing medicine “weren’t a contributing trigger” in his dying.
“Our deepest sympathy extends to Seaman Mullen’s household and mates throughout this tough time,” mentioned Rear Adm. Keith Davids, the commander of the Naval Particular Warfare Command.
Two captains and a senior medical officer have been reportedly issued “letters of warning” as a type of self-discipline greater than eight months after Mullen’s dying. His mom says the letters are little greater than a slap on the wrist.
“It’s only a piece of paper that they stick in your file,” she mentioned.
Smith, who represents Manalapan within the 4th District, sponsored an modification to the 2023 protection appropriations invoice that requires the Secretary of Protection to suggest enhancements to medical care and oversight of people engaged in high-stress trainings, just like the Navy SEALs. That modification is now earlier than the Senate and anticipated to move.
He’s additionally written a letter to the U.S. Home Armed Companies Committee, calling for a listening to on high-risk, high-training workouts. “Regina has been tenacious,” Smith mentioned. “She not solely needs solutions for herself. She needs to verify different SEALs will not be uncovered to neglect or abuse.”
Mullen says she spoke to her son simply hours after he accomplished Hell Week, so weak from pneumonia that he was introduced into the barracks in Coronado, California in a wheelchair. She urged him to hunt emergency remedy at a hospital, however her son feared if he did, he can be rolled again within the coaching.
“They name it ‘ringing the bell,’” Mullen mentioned. “It’s like quitting. And he wouldn’t give up.”
The Navy says that since Mullen’s dying, it has begun urine testing for efficiency enhancing medicine, and has prolonged the medical commentary interval for twenty-four hours following the conclusion of Hell Week. It has additionally begun a cardiac display screen program and elevated its concentrate on stopping pneumonia.
“Kyle’s dying is not going to be in useless.” mentioned Davids. “We now have an ethical obligation to study all the things we are able to from Kyle’s tragic dying in order that we are able to guarantee the security of all future candidates.”
©2022 Advance Native Media LLC. Go to nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.
© Copyright 2022 nj.com. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
