US Navy Commander Visits USS Abraham Lincoln Amid Crew Concerns Over Extended Deployment

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier over the weekend in an effort to ease concerns raised by families of service members aboard. The carrier's crew has been deployed for nine months, exceeding the typical six-month deployment duration, leading to worries about deteriorating mental health, sanitary conditions, and food supplies amid the U.S.-Iran conflict.

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Deployment at sea is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways.

In a statement posted on X, Adm. Cooper acknowledged the challenges of extended sea deployments. "Deployment at sea is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways," he wrote. Cooper emphasized the importance of mental health, stating, "I've long believed that mental health is another aspect of individual health and requires our attention just like physical health and spiritual health." He did not confirm or deny specific issues reported by media outlets.

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I've long believed that mental health is another aspect of individual health and requires our attention just like physical health and spiritual health.

Recent reports from Military Times and Stars and Stripes have highlighted concerns about declining morale and suicide attempts among the thousands of sailors and Marines on the Lincoln. Jefferson Kelley, whose son is aboard, told CBS News that the service members "should not be deployed this long" and noted that the ship is "not even state-of-the-art" and requires constant maintenance. However, the Navy stated it has not seen an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts on board. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the reports as "completely misrepresented," and President Trump suggested the deployment had "not nearly long enough."

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These are old ships. It's not like they're even state-of-the-art. And they take a lot of maintenance, a lot of work. It's around the clock.

Despite these disputes, members of Congress are demanding answers and oversight. GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska called for congressional oversight and testimony from Navy officials, while Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Pentagon officials detailing concerns about "widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health" and "deck safety concerns," urging a relief plan for the sailors.

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We should have oversight.