Washington (AP) — Eight sailors attempted suicide while deployed with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which spent a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea supporting operations in Iran, according to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. This information was provided in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand after she inquired about the strike group's crew. The Lincoln's extended deployment has drawn attention due to reports of crew stress, poor mental health, and supply shortages, including food and hygiene products.
Experts noted that eight attempts among a strike group of 6,000 sailors over 10 months is relatively low. The Navy reported 356 suicide attempts across the service in 2024, with over 1,500 attempts among all active-duty personnel that year. However, Dr. Harold Kudler, a former national lead for mental health services at the Department of Veterans Affairs, indicated that the reported attempts do not fully reflect the conditions on the Lincoln and its supporting destroyers, emphasizing the need to understand the concerns raised by families of the sailors.
Gillibrand's inquiry included questions about ship conditions, mental health support, and food availability. Cao confirmed in his letter that there have been no suicides on board during this deployment and mentioned that the carrier was equipped with mental health professionals, including a psychologist and a therapy dog.
Cao stated that the Lincoln maintained adequate food supplies, although meal options were temporarily reduced due to combat operations limiting resupply opportunities. He acknowledged delays in resupply shipments but noted that the Navy prioritized hygiene product delivery and addressed piping failures and desalination unit issues early in the deployment.
President Donald Trump had previously downplayed reports regarding conditions on the Lincoln, which left its homeport in San Diego in November and arrived in the Middle East in January. The carrier spent over 260 days at sea before stopping in Thailand in early September on its return to California. Trump referred to the lengthy deployment as a 'good period of time,' while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that conditions were 'completely misrepresented.'
In response to Cao's letter, Gillibrand criticized Trump and Hegseth, stating that their dismissals of the situation as 'fake news' were inappropriate given the serious conditions faced by service members. She emphasized the sacrifices made by troops and their families and criticized the administration for not adequately supporting them.
Kudler suggested that the Lincoln's experience could provide valuable lessons for the Navy regarding the impact of extended deployments on service members and their families. He called for a thorough examination of the situation to improve future deployments.
Source: PBS NewsHour