FILE: The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) departs Laem Chabang Port, near the city of Pattaya, Thailand, on September 6, 2026, concluding its first port call following reports of deteriorating living conditions aboard after nine months at sea. In a letter dated September 22, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said eight sailors in the carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment and that no service members died by suicide.
Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Navy has disclosed that eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during the group's extended deployment, which included combat operations against Iran, according to a letter from Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. Cao wrote that no service members died by suicide during the deployment. The four-page letter, dated Tuesday, answers questions from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, about the crew's conditions and morale. Cao said he was responding on behalf of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.Cao wrote that the figure covers the Lincoln's crew and sailors from its carrier air wing, the strike group and destroyer squadron staffs, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons, a group of roughly 6,000 to 7,500 service members depending on the count. A defense official said two of the attempts occurred during active fighting with Iran. The letter covers the entire deployment, which began in November 2025. The Lincoln has been away from its home port for more than nine months, including more than 250 uninterrupted days at sea this year, and its time at sea has been described as a modern record. Cao confirmed reports that the carrier has been relieved of its duties in the Middle East, and said its exact schedule for returning to its home port is classified.A U.S. military official said eight attempts is very high, noting that recent carrier strike group deployments have had one or two per year and that combat operations are more strenuous than a typical deployment. A comparison with Pentagon data for 2024, the most recent year for which the department has released suicide statistics, found that the strike group's rate was roughly consistent with that of the active-duty Navy as a whole. The two comparisons measure different things, a typical deployment versus the service-wide rate, and the letter does not resolve which is more apt.Cao said mental health resources on board the Lincoln included five chaplains, an embedded integrated prevention counselor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians and one expeditionary facility dog. He wrote that the strike group has demonstrated exceptional resolve under demanding conditions and that the Navy shares Gillibrand's commitment to the safety, health and morale of service members.


FILE: Aircraft are seen on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as it heads toward Laem Chabang Port, near the city of Pattaya, Thailand, on September 2, 2026. The carrier's strike group deployed in November 2025.
Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

Gillibrand's August letter also asked about conditions aboard the carrier, including food shortages, a lack of basic hygiene supplies and malfunctioning toilets and laundry facilities. Cao replied that the number of main entree options served during regular meal hours was reduced from two to one for a short time. He acknowledged that major combat operations reduced opportunities for the carrier to be resupplied, and said Navy leaders rotated squadrons and departments so they could access stocked goods while the supply of essential items remained stable. He also wrote that earlier in the deployment there were issues with the ship's plumbing and water-purification systems.Gillibrand said in a statement that what President Donald Trump and Hegseth dismissed as "fake news" turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for service members. Family members of sailors and members of Congress raised questions about the Lincoln's conditions last month. Cao wrote that a congressional delegation is in the planning stages to embark the Lincoln for oversight once the carrier returns to the United States.The disclosure comes as the war with Iran, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes, enters its eighth month. The Pentagon's tally of U.S. military personnel killed in the war stands at 19, a count that includes non-combat deaths. The U.S. Navy continues to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, which U.S. Central Command says has redirected 115 commercial vessels.The letter leaves several markers unresolved: the Lincoln's return date is classified, the congressional visit has no announced date, and the eight attempts are the only such figure the Navy has released for the deployment.If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Service members and veterans can dial 988 and then press 1 to reach the Military/Veterans Crisis Line.Tags
U.S. Navy