- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that reports of deteriorating conditions and mental health struggles on the USS Abraham Lincoln have been 'completely misrepresented', pushing back against congressional pressure over the ship's record-breaking, nearly nine-month deployment.
- CNN reported that a sailor went overboard from the Lincoln last month and was rescued and medically evaluated, citing an unnamed US official, adding to concerns about the more than 5,000 sailors and marines onboard.
- Hegseth said, 'We make sure every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment,' adding that 'some deployments are longer than others' and praising sailors enduring high seas and austere conditions with less port calls.
- The wife of a sailor onboard the Lincoln, Annabelle Loma, said her husband, who reportedly attempted to go overboard, feared a dishonorable discharge would end his 13-year career, and Stars and Stripes reported a spouse tearfully told officials her husband hoped he 'doesn’t wake up tomorrow'.
Pete Hegseth has strongly refuted claims regarding the deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently on a record nine-month deployment. He stated that reports of mental health struggles and supply shortages are 'completely misrepresented.'1
Hegseth's comments came amid increasing scrutiny from Congress, particularly from Senator Richard Blumenthal, who expressed serious concerns about the extended deployment and its impact on sailors' well-being. In a letter to Pentagon officials, Blumenthal highlighted reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, and declining mental health among the crew.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has not made a port call in over 240 days, marking a modern-day record for consecutive time at sea. This extended deployment has raised alarms about the Navy's ability to maintain operational readiness while ensuring the welfare of its personnel.
A navy official stated, 'Based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship.' However, reports from Stars and Stripes and the Navy Times indicate multiple attempts by crew members to jump from the ship, alongside accounts of exhaustion and declining morale.
The situation has prompted families of sailors to voice their concerns, with one spouse revealing that her husband expressed a desire 'he hopes he doesn’t wake up tomorrow.'
“The nearly nine-month deployment has sparked congressional pressure, with a sailor going overboard last month and being rescued. Annabelle Loma, wife of a sailor, said her husband feared a dishonorable discharge would end his 13-year career.”
The Guardian
