US navy veterans and military health experts express concern over USS Abraham Lincoln sailors

Concerns Raised Over Conditions Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln During Extended Deployment

US Navy veterans and military health experts have discussed the effects of prolonged deployments on sailors serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that has remained at sea for nearly nine months in support of US operations in the Middle East. The ship departed San Diego on 21 November, initially scheduled for Pacific operations, before redirection to the Middle East following the start of the US-Israel conflict with Iran. It has completed more than 250 consecutive days underway without a major port call, with multiple extensions to its schedule.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the US military plans to relieve the Lincoln with the USS George Washington. Separate accounts published this week by the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes described supply and water shortages, plumbing issues, reduced morale, and declining mental health among the carrier’s approximately 5,000 crew members. Those accounts also stated that several sailors had attempted to jump overboard. The reports led some Democratic members of Congress to request information from the Pentagon.

A Navy official stated this week that extended deployments create strain on service members and families. The official said the health and welfare of Lincoln sailors remains a priority and that, based on available command data, no increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts has been identified aboard the ship. Religious, medical, and mental health resources, including deployment-resilience counselors and chaplains, continue to be available. The official noted that conflict-related disruptions have affected traditional supply routes but added that current ship reports confirm ongoing access to clean water, working air conditioning, and regular meals.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday that conditions aboard the Lincoln had been inaccurately portrayed. He said the department provides every ship and crew with available resources and expressed respect for sailors on extended deployments.

Retired Navy Captain Armen Kurdian, who served on the Lincoln in 2005, described the vessel as a large floating community housing roughly 5,000 personnel. He recalled that daily operations include preparation of about 15,000 meals, along with television and communications facilities. During his own deployment, Kurdian completed a graduate-level course remotely, and other sailors pursued various activities during off-duty periods. He characterized shipboard life as high-tempo and at times stressful, with junior enlisted personnel housed in open-bay berthing. Kurdian noted occasional plumbing failures and general wear during his service, observing that equipment on a ship operating at sea experiences constant vibration from aircraft operations. He said the current deployment’s length was not unusual but that the absence of a significant port visit stood out, as such breaks allow crew members time ashore.

Retired Navy Vice Admiral Robert Murrett stated that standard carrier deployments last about six months and normally include port visits for rest. The Lincoln, he noted, has operated continuously since leaving San Diego in November and has spent much of the period under combat conditions in the Middle East. Murrett described carrier operations as demanding due to the confined environment and inherent risks.

The USS Gerald R. Ford completed a 326-day deployment earlier this year, the longest US carrier deployment since the Vietnam era. That deployment also included reports of a fire and food supply complaints.

Nancy Lacore, a retired three-star rear admiral who served 35 years in the Navy, stated that during an earlier deployment to the same region she had operated with an expected return date that was later changed. She described the psychological effect of such adjustments. Lacore was removed from her position by Hegseth in August and is currently a candidate for Congress in South Carolina. She said Lincoln sailors have faced repeated schedule changes and that resilience should not substitute for clear planning.

Terri Tanielian, a senior behavioral scientist who has examined deployment effects on service members and families, said that uncertainty about deployment length can increase strain beyond the separation itself. She referenced periods in 2008–2010 when extensions were common and noted associated rises in reported mental strain for units and families. Tanielian added that support measures should address sleep, physical activity, and overall recovery in addition to counseling access.

The Navy Times and Stars and Stripes accounts of suicide attempts and crew members jumping overboard have not been independently confirmed in official Navy statements or by other major verified reporting outlets. The Navy has stated it has not identified an increase in such incidents based on information available to the command.