Washington – Senate Democrats demanded answers Wednesday about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of food shortages, burst pipes and mental health crises during the aircraft carrier’s record-breaking deployment. In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called on the Navy to take into account conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, which he said “has been deployed for more than 250 days” without coming ashore “in more than 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.” mental health, deck safety issues” and other issues aboard the Lincoln. A Navy official told CBS News that the “Lincoln is operating in a highly contested environment where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East have been disrupted by combat actions. In response, leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail. Current ship reporting confirms continued access to clean water, functional air conditioning and healthy food options.” The Navy confirmed in a statement to CBS News that a sailor assigned to the air wing attached to the USS Abraham Lincoln fell overboard from the ship earlier this month and was safely recovered. The sailor was quickly picked up by a helicopter and air search team, treated by the ship’s medical department and flown off the ship for follow-up care. The sailor’s family was notified. The circumstances are under investigation, the Navy said. CNN was the first to report on the sailor who fell overboard. In two recent meetings, family members clashed with Navy leaders over the difficult conditions (including food shortages) facing the 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln and demanded to know when their loved ones would return home, MSNOW reported some families reported serious mental health problems and suicide attempts on board. or been prevented from attempting in recent months, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said in a social media post Wednesday that the Navy “should allow a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the USS Lincoln to conduct (an) oversight investigation into this horrific situation.” comprehensive, including onboard deployment resilience counselors, chaplains, Fleet and Family Support Center services, Military OneSource and medical professionals.” During his visit to Panama, Hegseth told a Newsmax reporter that the situation aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln had been “completely misrepresented.” “We make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide for them at any given time,” Hegseth said. “Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anyone else. What they do on the high seas in those austere conditions with fewer port calls is incredible.” Eleanor Watson contributed to this report. Go deeper with The Free Press at:
