Remembering Brandon Caserta

Teri and Patrick Caserta, parents of U.S. Navy Petty Offi cer Third Class Caserta, helped create the Brandon Act. (Photo by Dennis Murphy)

New act stresses the importance of mental health care

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Sound of Freedom Executive Editor

Liberty High School graduate Brandon Caserta was known for being kind and generous.

Now the late Navy sailor will help others through the Brandon Act, which, when President Joe Biden signs the act, will make it easier for servicemembers to seek mental health care confi dentially.

“He absolutely loved helping everybody,” says his mother, Teri Caserta. “I don’t think there was anybody he turned away for help. He would even help somebody who did not care for him. Of course, they’d become friends aft er that.”

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) revealed Dec. 15 that the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that included the Brandon Act, legislation they introduced named in honor of fallen U.S. Navy Petty Offi cer Th ird Class Caserta. Th e act is headed to Biden’s desk.

“For months, I worked with Republicans and Democrats to get the language of the Brandon Act in the defense bill,” Kelly says.

Th e Brandon Act is designed to protect service members who experience mental health emergencies and reduce the stigma around reporting. Th is bill will allow service members to seek mental health treatment, and require a mental health evaluation as soon as a service member self-reports. It will also allow Americans serving in uniform to seek help confi dentially and, if necessary, outside of the chain of command.

“Today, our hard work has paid off . Th anks to the tireless advocacy of Teri and Patrick Caserta, and bipartisan support in Congress, our eff orts will help us confront military suicide head on and save the lives of other young servicemembers,” Kelly says.

Moulton, the bill’s author, adds, “America’s service members shouldn’t have to settle for a broken system that’s incapable of providing them with the mental health support they need, and today’s vote means they no longer have to. This bill is an important piece of Brandon’s legacy — one that will save the lives of so many great American heroes. I’m proud of his parents for fighting to make sure that families of other service members never have to share their experience, and I look forward to continuing to do this work alongside them.”

Brandon Caserta died by suicide on June 25, 2018, on the flight line at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. After his death, his parents and friends discovered six notes in which Brandon attributed his suicide to persistent hazing and bullying from some members and leaders of his Navy helicopter squadron.

The Brandon Act expands the existing law that regulates how service members are referred for mental health evaluations, to provide a confidential channel for service members to self-report mental health issues. The process would protect the confidentiality of service members, similar to the restricted reporting option that protects victims of sexual assault.

The Brandon Act is supported by several original co-sponsors, including Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Rep. Kaialiʻi Kahele (D-HI), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) and Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is an original co-sponsor of the companion bill in the Senate. Additional members of Congress joined in supporting amendments to include this measure in the NDAA.

Teri says she was in tears when she and Patrick heard the news.

“We’re elated,” she says.

“It’s definitely needed,” Patrick adds. “There is a lot more work that needs to be done to get suicides down to zero in the military. There are 25 a day. The public doesn’t really know this. It’s not that anybody is keeping this a secret. It’s just not a good subject to write about, obviously. We want to put a stop to it. It’s unnecessary for all those deaths to happen.”

The Peoria couple did not know this was a problem until Brandon’s death.

“I had no idea,” adds Patrick, who was on active duty for 22 years and in Navy recruiting for 15. “I don’t understand why I didn’t know.”

Labor of love

The Brandon Act’s passage was a labor of love for the Casertas.

Patrick and Teri unsuccessfully sought help from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. In a moment of desperation, the couple bought a new car, hopped in it, and drove to Washington, D.C.

“In 2019, we were allowed in Capitol Hill without an escort,” says Teri, who also received advice from Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat, Councilmember Bridget Binsbacher and Lesko. “We went door to door for the most part. That’s how it started. Ironically, the chief of staff at Congressman Moulton’s office had this tragedy happen to him, too.

“He sat down and talked to us, what they could do and how to work with them. After that, we went to Martha McSally’s office. The act passed the House and, due to Arizona laws, she lost the election and her staff had to leave right away.”

That was a “crunch time,” she says, when The Brandon Act went to committee in 2020. It did not make it through. However, Kelly took over and “ran with it on the senate side,” she says.

“We got to meet with him personally and by Zoom,” Teri says. “Rep. Moulton took the House and Kelly took the Senate. They

Teri and Patrick Caserta advocated for the Brandon Act, which will make it easier for servicemembers to seek mental health care. (Photo by Dennis Murphy)

were able to get it passed in the House and the two of them worked together and was able to get it in the Senate. Th ey did outstanding work on this. Sen. Kelly is retired Navy and Congressman Moulton is a veteran. Th ey convinced everyone that this needed to be done.”

‘Amazing’

Teri describes Brandon as amazing, kind and generous. He was athletic and enjoyed swimming and karate. Year-round, he played football, whether it was tackle or fl ag.

“He lived by his karate code words, which are honor, respect, patience and kindness,” she says. “Trust me, he lived by those words.”

At the funeral, Brandon’s karate instructor (Charlie Rogers from Arizona American Institute for Self Defense Arts) said he was the most “mentally tough kid he ever met,” Patrick says. “Th e swim instructor said the same thing. Th ey didn’t even know each other.”

Most of all, Brandon was thoughtful.

“He would bring home homeless kids,” she says. “He’d stay aft er school and help out special needs kids on his own. He had several friends like that. He just always helped anybody. Th at was his attitude.”

Living out his dream

When Brandon showed an interest in joining the military, Patrick didn’t approve, but he was supportive.

“We were faced with the dilemma of, do we say no and he’ll join anyway when he turned 18, or support him and give him everything he needed to succeed,” he says.

“We chose to support him and give him everything he needed to succeed. I think any parent would do that if they could. Brandon’s college was paid for. He could go to any school he wanted.”

Patrick and Teri preferred that Brandon attend college.

“I knew Brandon would come around and say, ‘You never went to college. Why do I have to go to college?’ So I went to ASU and I got two degrees. I went, basically, to encourage him to go to college. It was rough, too.

“We really wanted him to go, but he really wanted to be a Navy SEAL. He had a plan. He was in shape. He passed the testing perfectly. Th at’s what he wanted to do We supported him and that’s how he ended up there. We were dead set against it, but the only way to be a Navy SEAL was to join the Navy.”

Th e couple say Brandon’s story can be used to save others.

“Th is is an important story,” Terri says. “Th is is a victory for the service members. Th ey’re going to benefi t from this. Future veterans will benefi t. Active duty will get the help they need.

“We want to work with the VA and Congress to get more help for active duty. We need to decrease veteran suicides, too. The biggest key is how to ask for help, get help and learning that people want to help you. That’s the biggest thing that a service member needs to understand. Help is out there.”

Where to get help

The Veterans Crisis Hotline is sta ed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255, press 1. Services also are available online at veteranscrisisline.net or by text, 838255.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and con dential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Find more information about the Lifeline at suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call directly by dialing 1-800-273-8255, too.

It’s also possible to text TALK to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.