Did the Navy Kill a Military Whistleblower? The Death of Lt. Van Dorn

The mysterious death of Lt. David Van Dorn, a Navy chaplain who complained about sexual abuse and harassment within the military, has raised questions about the Navy’s handling of whistleblower complaints. Van Dorn was shot in the back at a Hampton Roads hotel weeks after he had filed a report detailing the abuse and harassment. The Navy initially said that Van Dorn had died by suicide, but an independent investigation found that he had been killed. The Navy has not released the results of its own internal investigation, and it is unclear whether anyone has been held accountable for Van Dorn’s death. The case has highlighted the challenges whistleblowers face when they report wrongdoing in the military and has raised concerns about the Navy’s commitment to protecting service members from retaliation.