Why are sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln attempting suicide
Several sailors have tried to jump into the sea in suicide attempts on the ship.
Military families and members of the US Congress have expressed serious concern over the deteriorating mental health crisis among sailors and staff deployed on the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Due to the war with Iran, the Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for nine months, approximately 250 days. The continuous duty on the ship has put about 5,000 sailors and marines under prolonged mental stress and suffering.
According to a report by The Guardian,
two major American military publications, Navy Times and Stars and Stripes, have reported that several sailors on the ship have attempted suicide by trying to jump overboard.
The situation on the ship has become extremely concerning due to poor conditions and mental stress. The crew has not set foot on land for nine months and has not been able to meet their families. This extended period at sea is a record for an American aircraft carrier.
Last Thursday, concerned families expressed their worries about the condition of their relatives on the ship during a town hall meeting with naval leadership in San Diego. According to Stars and Stripes, during this meeting attended by about 200 family members, a woman shared that her husband had messaged her that day saying he hoped he wouldn't wake up the next morning. Families directly voiced their concerns to top naval officials. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and other senior officers were present at the meeting.
During the meeting, a woman told Cao that the Navy had "broken the trust between us and the leadership." Navy Times detailed suicide attempts during Abraham Lincoln's current deployment. Annabel Loma shared that,
her husband, distressed by the continuously extended deployment, had tried to jump overboard. She said he is scared and feels he will be disgracefully discharged. Just because he was completely exhausted, his 13-year career could be ruined like this.
The newspaper also cited the wife of another sailor. Her husband was involved in preventing a fellow sailor from jumping overboard during a separate incident on the ship. He had grabbed the sailor and pulled him back onto the deck.
Democratic Congressman Mike Levin from California has also warned about the conditions on the ship. Abraham Lincoln has been involved in war operations against Iran for the past five months. Levin wrote on X about the crew's situation, stating that,
the ship has moldy showers, broken toilets, laundry facilities that have been out of order for weeks, a long-term lack of hot water, and meals consisting of half a cup of rice and two tortillas. According to him, even soap, deodorant, and toothpaste are not available.
Democratic Congressman and former Army Ranger Jason Crow from Colorado, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq, warned that the pressure on the military personnel deployed on Abraham Lincoln and their families is increasing every week. This crisis had been building for several months. The warship left San Diego on November 21. Initially, it was to be deployed in the Pacific region, but after the war between the US-Israel and Iran began, it was sent to the Middle East.
The more than 5,000 people on the ship had only two days on land, in Guam in December and Oman in July. The deployment was supposed to end in May, but it was extended several times due to the ongoing war. In April, there was public criticism regarding the poor conditions on the aircraft carrier. Pictures of poor quality and limited quantity of food had surfaced. There were also complaints about water shortages, moldy showers, and broken laundry machines.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had dismissed these reports as "fake news." Mike Levin responded to Hegseth's comments this week, saying,
these men and women have dedicated themselves to serving their country. In return, their country can at least provide them with hot water, working toilets, and enough food. Hegseth is failing to do even that and then has the audacity to look their families in the eye and call them liars.
The Guardian sought a response from the US Navy regarding the attempts to jump overboard. A naval officer said they are aware that "extended deployments put a lot of pressure on our personnel and their families, and we are grateful for their patience and sacrifice."
The officer stated that the health and well-being of every sailor on Abraham Lincoln is a priority. He said, "Based on the information available to the command, we have not received any reports of suicidal thoughts or attempts on the ship." According to the naval officer, religious advisors, medical experts, and mental health professionals are available under a comprehensive support system. This includes counselors who deal with mental stress during ship deployments.