USS Abraham Lincoln Crew Suffers Mental Health Crisis After 9-Month Gulf Deployment
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 17
USS Abraham Lincoln Crew Suffers Mental Health Crisis After 9-Month Gulf Deployment
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 17
Summary
Nearly nine months at sea have pushed some USS Abraham Lincoln sailors into severe distress, with family members telling US media that at least one crew member tried to jump overboard and others showed suicidal ideation.
More than 5,000 personnel have remained aboard since the carrier left San Diego on November 21, 2025, making only a one-day Guam stop as it carried out security and blockade operations near the Strait of Hormuz.
Families and lawmakers say the strain has been worsened by food shortages, broken toilets and showers, unsanitary conditions, water concerns and disrupted mail, raising questions about the Navy's ability to sustain an indefinite Gulf blockade.
Admiral Brad Cooper visited the ship on Sunday and praised the crew, while saying Lincoln has the fewest mental health cases among the Navy's 11 active carriers; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier dismissed the reports as misrepresented.
The deployment, originally due to end in May, is now set to wind down only after USS George Washington reaches the Gulf within a week, underscoring broader concerns that prolonged carrier missions erode readiness as well as morale.