The nearly nine-month-long deployment of the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East has given rise to a severe mental health crisis among its crew. According to US media reports, the intensity of this crisis is such that some sailors have even attempted to jump off the ship. The aircraft carrier is currently reported to be stationed in the Gulf region. Family members of the personnel have complained about food shortages and unsanitary conditions, including broken toilets and showers, leading to health risks.
On November 25, 2025, the USS Abraham Lincoln departed from its homeport in San Diego for a long-term deployment in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East. During this period, more than five thousand personnel have been deployed on the aircraft carrier, currently engaged in maritime security and blockade operations around the Strait of Hormuz. Experts state that the lack of port calls is a major issue for a ship as large and complex as the USS Abraham Lincoln.
During this extended deployment, the ship had only one brief stop, for a single day on December 11-12, at the naval base in Guam. As US President Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announce that the US is prepared to continue an 'indefinite' blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf, questions have arisen regarding how this prolonged deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln compares to other long aircraft carrier deployments in the past.
Last week, reports from two US military publications, 'Navy Times' and 'Stars and Stripes,' quoted family members of military personnel on board. They stated that their family members are suffering from declining mental health and morale, with incidents of suicidal tendencies occurring. Navy Times spoke with Annabelle Lomar, the wife of a sailor, who said her husband attempted to jump off the ship due to 'intense mental stress.'
These reports have raised urgent questions among US lawmakers. On Sunday, Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), visited the USS Lincoln. He praised the crew and stated on social media that 'serving at sea for extended periods is not for everyone.' At the same time, he claimed that the number of mental health cases on this ship is the lowest among the Navy's 11 active aircraft carriers. He further added, 'It is extremely challenging and difficult, and each of us, including myself, reacts differently to stress.'
However, growing concern has emerged among lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties, as they perceive a lack of accountability. Last week, Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissed the mental health reports as 'completely misrepresented.' When President Trump was asked last week if the USS Lincoln had been at sea for too long, he told reporters: 'No, not long enough.'
The USS Lincoln's mission was scheduled to end in May, but it has since been repeatedly extended. Last week, it was reported that another ship, the USS George Washington, has been moved from its position in the Pacific Ocean and will arrive in the Gulf within a week to take over Lincoln's duties. The longest aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam War was the USS Gerald R. Ford's 326-day mission, which began in June 2025.
