Eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its extended deployment, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in Tuesday’s letter. The cases occurred across the wider strike group, not only aboard the aircraft carrier, and no sailors died by suicide during the deployment.
Cao said the cases involved personnel from the Lincoln crew, Carrier Air Wing 9, strike group and destroyer squadron staffs, escorting destroyers and embarked aviation squadrons. The disclosure followed months of concern from military families about mental health, exhaustion and conditions aboard the Lincoln as its deployment stretched beyond its original schedule.
The Lincoln left California in November 2025 for a Pacific deployment before being redirected to the U.S. Central Command region in January. It later supported combat operations against Iran as its time away from home continued.
USS Abraham Lincoln sailors faced suicide concerns during extended deployment
The Navy has released details about two attempts. In March, a sailor tried to go overboard but was stopped by shipmates, Cao said. The sailor received immediate medical care and later returned to home port.
In early August, a sailor assigned to the air wing went overboard but was quickly recovered. The sailor was treated aboard the ship and transferred off the carrier for follow-up care.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸 Eight US service members on the USS Abraham Lincoln attempted suicide during deployment, CNN reports. pic.twitter.com/aB7Miyruob
— Remarks (@remarks) September 23, 2026
Families had raised concerns before the full number became public. During an August meeting with Navy leaders in San Diego, relatives described declining morale, food shortages and fears about self-harm. At the time, Navy officials said they had not identified an increase in reported suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts aboard the carrier.
The Lincoln reached Thailand on Sept. 2 for its first full port visit in nearly nine months. Navy officials said the stop gave sailors and Marines a chance to rest after extended operations. The ship was 286 days into its deployment by then.
Extended deployment brings scrutiny over crew support
Cao said the carrier deployed with five chaplains, one psychologist, one clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians and an embedded prevention counselor. Military Times reported that sailors could face waits of several weeks for non-emergency mental health appointments.
The Navy also acknowledged some supply and maintenance problems. Cao said meal choices were temporarily reduced, while a piping problem was later repaired. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier said reports about conditions aboard the carrier were “completely misrepresented.”
The disclosure has brought new attention to the length of the deployment and the mental health support available to crews during long periods at sea.
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