As the war with Iran passes the half-year mark, even the U.S. Navy, once confident of being the world's strongest, is faltering. On the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been stuck in the Middle East for more than 250 days, the laundry facilities have stopped, and there is testimony that a crew member attempted to jump overboard under stress.
AP said on the 13th (local time) that the Lincoln has stayed at sea near the Gulf of Oman for more than 240 days since the war began without pulling into port. It is the record for continuous time at sea among modern U.S. Navy carriers. The Lincoln left San Diego on Nov. 21 last year and arrived in the North Arabian Sea in Jan. this year. Since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28, it has taken on the critical tasks of core bombing operations and a blockade of Iranian ports. The Lincoln was initially set to finish its deployment in May, but as the war dragged on, the operation deadline was repeatedly extended. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of the Armed Services Committee said, "There has been no formal port call for more than 200 days in which Lincoln crew members could get off the ship to rest."
The U.S. Navy typically sets overseas carrier deployments at six to seven months and brings them into port in the middle to handle resupply, maintenance, and crew rest all at once. A port call is virtually the only time crew members can leave the ship. Even while maintaining operations for 11 months, the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford docked in Split, Croatia, in Mar., received maintenance for a set period, and gave the crew shore leave.
Rep. Mike Levin of the Democratic Party compiled and released reports from Lincoln crew members about moldy onboard shower facilities, broken toilets, and laundry facilities that were down for weeks. Contrary to the reputation of being the world's strongest navy, hot water was long cut off inside the carrier, and supplies of soap, toothpaste, and deodorant ran out. Congress also said there were cases where a crew member's meal consisted of half a cup of rice and two tortillas.
The U.S. Navy acknowledged that as the fight with Iran has dragged on, supply hubs in the Middle East are not functioning properly. It added that it would concentrate remaining transport capacity to improve the carrier environment in the order of food, hygiene products, and mail.
Some have raised concerns about crew mental health as the longest time at sea in U.S. carrier history continues. The military outlet Navy Times interviewed crew members and families and reported that "there have been multiple attempts by crew members to jump overboard on the carrier." Annabel Loma, who spoke with Navy Times, said, "My husband, who attempted to jump, fears he will end his 13-year career with a dishonorable discharge." Stars and Stripes, the military's house organ, said that at a recent family forum in San Diego, a spouse tearfully appealed after receiving a message from a husband serving on the Lincoln that said, "I hope I don't wake up tomorrow."
The U.S. Navy acknowledged that earlier this month a crew member fell overboard, was immediately rescued by helicopter, treated by onboard medical staff, and then transported off the ship. The military, however, did not classify the incident as a suicide attempt. It said the exact circumstances are "under investigation," and added, "We have not confirmed that suicidal ideation or suicide attempts have increased on the ship."
According to a study of 956 people released in Jan. last year by researchers at the Naval Postgraduate School, Navy personnel serving on ships experience the most severe psychological distress among all U.S. service members. The researchers noted that they suffer from poor living conditions, chronic hull noise, and 24-hour duty schedules that make it difficult to secure sleep time.
As the Lincoln crew issues surfaced, the U.S. military chose a swap plan to push another carrier into place earlier than scheduled. The carrier replacing the Lincoln is expected to be the George Washington, which has been based in Japan and operating in the South China Sea. Military officials said the George Washington recently stopped in Da Nang, Vietnam, and then transited west through the Strait of Malacca with a cruiser and destroyers. However, if the George Washington pulls out to fill the Lincoln's slot, the Pacific is expected to have a gap with no U.S. carrier for the time being.
Brian Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 13th that "the Iran war is pushing back carrier maintenance schedules" and estimated that "it could take three years for the U.S. Navy fleet to return to an ideal readiness posture." He added, "Under normal circumstances, the George Washington would conduct patrols and demonstrate to countries like the Philippines and Japan the United States' resolve to defend the Pacific and its clear support," and said, "With this decision, we have given up all strategic opportunities that would affect relations with neighboring countries."