The Pentagon is facing criticism for moving aggressively against a suicidal sailor and an Air Force officer who protested the Iran war, even as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly intervened to shield troops he finds entertaining from discipline, according to a new report.

A 19-year-old sailor who jumped overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln on August 3, after enduring a record-long deployment and repeated denials of paternity leave, now faces two Uniform Code of Military Justice charges: malingering and unauthorized absence. The case has drawn attention because it sits at the intersection of military discipline and troop mental health, an issue that often surfaces when service members in crisis are handled through the justice system rather than through treatment and support.

His wife said he was not contacted for four days and received minimal psychiatric care despite being hospitalized.

“I think they’re insane for doing this to people who need mental help,” the wife told MS NOW.

MS NOW’s Jen Psaki described the case as “the latest, most egregious sign that the Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump's leadership, has pushed U.S. servicemembers to the absolute limit.”

The sailor is not the only service member at the center of the issue. Air Force Maj. Jason Watson, who was arrested after holding a Capitol protest sign calling for Trump and Vice President JD Vance to be impeached and removed over the unauthorized war with Iran, faces three charges, including the rarely used Article 88, “contempt toward officials.” He remains in pretrial confinement. His case has also put a spotlight on how the military responds when active-duty personnel publicly challenge senior civilian leaders, especially when the protest is tied to a disputed wartime decision.

According to MS NOW’s Steve Benen, the handling of those cases stands in sharp contrast to Hegseth’s approach to service members who have put themselves and others in danger while showing off.

Benen wrote, “Last month, for example, helicopter pilots from the South Carolina National Guard flew at surprisingly low altitudes over a July 4 beach gathering, and after they landed, officers were immediately notified of their suspensions, pending an investigation into possible safety violations. Hegseth soon after personally intervened, derailed the investigation and reversed the suspension.”

Benen said the contrast is striking, suggesting that a “desperate sailor in the midst of severe mental health distress jumps overboard” may be punished while service members who ignore safety protocols can avoid consequences if Hegseth likes their antics.

Citing The Atlantic’s Brynn Tannehill, Benen wrote, “As long as what you do looks cool and puts on a show for the public, you can break flight rules without consequences,” adding that this sends a “dangerous message” from Hegseth’s Pentagon.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, please call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org.