The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is returning home after 266 days on deployment, at least 200 of them spent directly in the war zone. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao disclosed the information.
Concerns have grown over the carrier’s extended deployment. Members of the US Congress and family members of sailors serving on the ship have raised questions after reports emerged of declining morale and mental health struggles among the crew.
Hung Cao said the carrier will return to the United States soon as part of a planned rotation. He stressed that the welfare and safety of the ship’s sailors remains the top priority.
Hung Cao said the Lincoln’s deployment was extended out of mission necessity. Long deployments are difficult, he said, and combat operations make them even harder.
Concerns over prolonged deployment
According to a CNN report, the Abraham Lincoln was sent to the Middle East to support US operations amid the war with Iran, now in its sixth month. The carrier has been deployed for more than 250 days.
The ship has not docked at any port in more than 200 days.
Hung Cao said the ship’s sailors have endured difficult conditions during deployment. With fresh food supplies unavailable, changes had to be made to meal options. Restrictions were also imposed on phone calls home when threats to operations increased.
The Navy secretary said a small number of sailors sought treatment for mental health issues during the deployment, but there were no fatalities.
CNN reported that a sailor jumped into the water from the carrier last month. The sailor was quickly rescued, and doctors examined their physical condition. It was not immediately clear whether the sailor later returned to duty or was reassigned.
Thousands of missions conducted
The Abraham Lincoln departed its home base in San Diego last November before being deployed to the war zone in the Middle East.
Hung Cao said the carrier conducted more than 10,000 flight operations during the deployment and dropped 1.5 million pounds of ordnance. He added that the ship’s crew deployment rate is among the highest of any US aircraft carrier.
Hung Cao said: “There is no doubt our young men and women have been pushed to the very limit of their capability. But they never broke down.”
However, the senior official acknowledged that prolonged combat operations create uncertainty and various disruptions, requiring military leadership to balance operational needs with the welfare of service members.
Hung Cao also objected to describing the ship’s sailors and Marines as “victims,” saying they and their family members have shown resilience throughout the deployment.
Hung Cao said: “Their safety and security is always the top priority. When the carrier returns home, its sailors should be given a ‘heroes’ welcome.'”
Recent reports from various US media outlets, including The New York Times and NBC News, found that after a long and exhausting deployment in the Middle East with no clear return date, the mental health of the ship’s sailors and crew has severely deteriorated. Families and colleagues have expressed deep concern over a resulting rise in suicide risk among crew members.
Affected families have raised these concerns directly with senior US Navy leadership. At a heated town hall meeting held in San Diego last week, family members voiced their frustration in front of Hung Cao and other senior officials. The officials did not directly respond to their concerns.
It was also not specifically disclosed what measures the Navy is taking in response to the intense concerns raised by families at the meeting regarding sailors’ mental health and suicide risk.
The Navy has said the carrier has an organized mental health support network in place, including counselors, chaplains, specialist physicians, and other emergency support services.
Families and sailors allege that the roughly 5,000 service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have faced severe food and water shortages, compounded by disrupted mail service and prolonged work hours with little opportunity for rest.
Morale among sailors and crew has reportedly collapsed to such an extent that they no longer want a rest stop at any port — they simply want to return home as quickly as possible. One sailor pleaded: “At this point, we really don’t have any expectations left. We just want a firm date to go home.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact Kaan Pete Roi at +880 9612-119911 or the national emergency helpline at 999. In the United States, contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report