Eight service members from Lincoln strike group attempted suicide, acting Navy secretary says
Sara Jacobs, a Democrat representing California’s 51st district, called for an inspector general investigation and a House Armed Services Committee field hearing on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as the carrier prepares to dock in San Diego on Thursday afternoon, ending a nearly year-long deployment supporting US military operations against Iran.
In a statement last week, Jacobs — who visited the carrier in late September — said that while she is “relieved that the USS Abraham Lincoln will soon be back in San Diego” and “looking forward to welcoming them home,” her “demand for accountability won’t end when they make port.”
“I will continue pushing for an OIG investigation into these conditions and a House Armed Services Committee field hearing in San Diego to hear directly from these service members,” Jacobs said. “We need to prevent this crisis from happening ever again, and ultimately end the Iran war and bring all our service members home.”
Two weeks ago, as the Lincoln headed back to San Diego, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged that eight service members from the Lincoln and its accompanying strike group attempted to take their own lives during the deployment.
The Lincoln left San Diego last November, initially bound for the Pacific, but it was redirected to the Middle East after the US and Israel launched their war with Iran in late February. The carrier remained there until late August, when it was relieved by the USS George Washington and began its journey home. The deployment has been described as “one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era.” It was extended multiple times.
Earlier in August, the Lincoln’s deployment made headlines and faced scrutiny as reports began surfacing about poor living conditions aboard the ship, including shortages of supplies and water, plumbing problems, low morale, and worsening mental health among the roughly 5,000 personnel on the carrier. Two leading military newspapers also reported two attempts by sailors to jump overboard, prompting concern among families and military health experts.
The reports drew outrage from Democrats. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the reporting about conditions “completely misrepresented.” When reporters asked President Donald Trump whether he thought the deployment had gone on too long, he responded: “Not nearly long enough” — a comment that angered some naval families.
In a statement at the time, Adm. Brad Cooper, who heads US Central Command, said that of the US Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln had “among the lowest number of cases related to mental health.” But, he said, “this doesn’t mean that all is perfect.” Cooper said a long deployment at sea “is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways.”
On Wednesday, Hegseth visited the Lincoln ahead of its return and praised the crew, acknowledging that their deployment hadn’t been “easy.”
“When you greet your families tomorrow, just pass my gratitude from the president and myself,” Hegseth said. “Let them know that their long wait, we believe, was in service of a righteous and historic mission.”
During his remarks, Hegseth announced that those aboard the vessel would be awarded the presidential unit citation, which, according to the US military, is conferred on units of the armed forces “for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.”