The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s demanding deployment saw a wave of suicide attempts

The mental health situation for sailors across the US Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during its long deployment was worse than previously known, according to new information shared by the acting secretary of the Navy with Congress.

Since the start of the carrier strike group’s deployment, which included combat operations against Iran, eight sailors assigned to the group attempted suicide, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in written responses to questions from Sen.

Kirsten Gillibrand, according to a copy obtained by Business Insider.

Cao said that while there were attempts, there were no suicides on board during this deployment and wrote that the Department of the Navy “shares your deep commitment to the safety, health, and morale of our Service Members, as well as the long-term material readiness of our fleet.” He said the eight attempts were among “the LINCOLN crew and Sailors from the carrier air wing, strike group, and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers, and all embarked aviation squadrons.” The Lincoln spent over 200 consecutive days at sea before a brief resupply stop, and did not make a full port visit until Thailand in September.

The carrier strike group was originally supposed to spend roughly six months in the Pacific and South China Sea, but it was diverted when war began between the US and Iran in February.

Deployments are typically longer during conflict, but numerous concerns have been raised about the conditions aboard the ship and the crew’s mental health.

A Navy Times report last month described crew members trying to jump overboard amid the stress of the deployment.

In his response to Congress, Cao wrote that a sailor assigned to the air wing went overboard in early August and was quickly recovered, treated, and taken off the ship for care.

He shared that another sailor “attempted to go overboard in March and was stopped by his shipmates.” Reports have also described issues with supplies on board, including food and hygiene supplies, and families have expressed concerns over the well-being of the crew.

Families have said they have struggled to communicate with their relatives or get updates from the Navy.

Cao said in his letter that there are “limited opportunities for resupply in a combat environment,” so the number of “main entrée options served during regular meal hours was reduced from two to one for a short time.” Four nutritious meals with sufficient calories were still provided daily, he said.

Cao added that “medical personnel remained able to take care of all medical, surgical, and mental health needs for the crew.” He said that “good order and discipline aboard the LINCOLN remain strong.” Democratic lawmakers have been asking the Pentagon for answers, including writing to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

In a mid-August letter, over half a dozen senators wrote that there is “mounting evidence that conditions aboard the carrier have deteriorated to the point that the safety and well-being of its crew could be compromised.” Family members had raised concerns about “exhaustion, food and water shortages, and mental health crises serious enough that multiple sailors reportedly attempted to go overboard,” they wrote.

Hegseth said in August that media reports on conditions aboard the carrier had misrepresented the situation, and President Donald Trump called reporting on the vessel “fake news.” In a statement, Gillibrand said that what Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as ‘fake news’ turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members.” “Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect,” she said. “That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms, and billionaires, but cannot take care of our service members, is completely unacceptable.” Cao wrote in his responses that “the men and women of Carrier Strike Group THREE have demonstrated exceptional resolve under demanding conditions.” “Operational decisions to extend deployments are never made lightly; they are driven by dynamic global security environments and the absolute necessity of protecting US national security interests, our personnel, and our allies abroad,” he said.

USS Abraham Lincoln is currently on its way home after being replaced by USS George Washington.

Service officials said earlier this month that the Navy has been learning lessons from the USS Abraham Lincoln and other carriers in the Middle East to inform future deployments.

These lessons include having more logistics support, as well as more food, supplies, and entertainment options on board.

Navy leaders said that the service is creating more storage space for supplies so that ships can stay self-sufficient longer if resupply becomes difficult, while also adding fitness, entertainment, and holiday supplies to improve life aboard.

They added that the Navy is also working to keep sailors connected with their families.