4 hours agoUSS Abraham Lincoln ‘not experiencing an increase in mental health issues’: US official A US official told Fox News on Saturday that “we are not experiencing an increase in mental health issues” aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and that there are “religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise” among sailors and Marines. The comment comes after reports this week claiming declining morale and conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, which spent more than 260 days at sea during its deployment in support of the US war against Iran. “We have not seen an increase in suicidal ideation or attempts aboard the ship,” the US official told Fox News. “USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) has five Navy chaplains, a clinical psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians, and an integrated integrated prevention coordination (EIPC) counselor. The ship also has an expeditionary dog, CAPT Fathom, to support crew morale and emotional well-being,” the official continued. “These resources are available to Sailors and Marines across the strike group 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” “Sailors go through normal transitions throughout a deployment cycle. Adjusting to life at sea can be difficult, so we have learned how to provide resources and assist sailors with these transitions. We are not experiencing an increase in mental health issues aboard the Abraham Lincoln,” the official added. The official also said the USS Abraham Lincoln is “operating in a highly contested environment where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted by combat actions.” “In response, leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail. Current ship reports confirm continued access to clean water, functional air conditioning, and healthy meal options,” the official said. Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this post.
