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Conditions on USS Lincoln
A sailor went overboard earlier this month off the USS Abraham Lincoln amid reports of worsening mental health for crew members during an extended deployment for the Iran war, and the sailor was rescued within an hour and medically evaluated.
“by an air wing search and rescue helicopter, treated by Abraham Lincoln’s medical department, and transferred off ship for follow-on care”
CNN reported that the sailor was recovered “by an air wing search and rescue helicopter, treated by Abraham Lincoln’s medical department, and transferred off ship for follow-on care,” and it said the incident occurred on August 3.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days and has gone more than 200 days without a port call, and he listed “shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns” in a letter.
The BBC reported that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called the reports “completely misrepresented” and said the carrier left California in November for the South China Sea and was sent to the Middle East ahead of attacks on Iran in February.
Lawmakers press for access
Democrats demanded answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, with the BBC reporting that Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal listed reported hardships in a letter to Hegseth including “disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months.”
The BBC also reported that Fellow Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego called for the military to allow a congressional delegation to visit the ship and “conduct oversight investigation into this horrible situation,” adding “There is no reason to be denied access.”
In a separate account, ABC News said Blumenthal’s letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao raised questions about the Navy’s ability to preserve service members’ well-being while sustaining its current “operational tempo.”
NBC News reported that U.S. military leaders were privately raising concerns inside the Pentagon and the White House about low morale and widespread fatigue among American service members deployed for months to support the war with Iran, and it said the Pentagon plans to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Replacement and readiness stakes
As questions mounted, the USS George Washington was reported as the carrier set to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, with The Hill saying the USS George Washington departed a port in Vietnam last week and was spotted crossing the Strait of Malacca on Thursday.
“We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship”
NBC 7 San Diego reported that the USS George Washington left port in Da Nang, Vietnam, last week and that a Navy statement said it was heading toward the Middle East after reports of mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.
The BBC reported that the deployment was originally set to end in May but has been repeatedly extended, and it said no return date has been announced while the U.S. was preparing to replace the carrier with the USS George Washington as part of a previously scheduled rotation plan.
In a statement to CNN, the U.S. Navy said, “We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship,” while Blumenthal’s letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the reports “warrant immediate attention” and raised “a broader question: whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force.”
