USS Abraham Lincoln spent 286 days deployed, much of that period supporting US military operations against Iran.   8 US Navy personnel attempted suicide during deployment.USS Abraham Lincoln deployed for 286 days.Deployment included combat operations against Iran.Did our AI summary help?       Market MasteryWebinar by Vishal Malkan  Find the weak linksin your portfolio by Vishal Malkan   Register for FREE Webinar  Eight US Navy personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its record-setting deployment, which included months of combat operations in the US war against Iran.The disclosure comes weeks after the USS Abraham Lincoln finally made a port call in Thailand following more than nine months at sea. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier spent 286 days deployed, much of that period supporting US military operations against Iran and one of the longest deployments in recent US Navy history.According to CNN, the figure emerged from a letter written by Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao in response to questions from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand about the morale and mental health of sailors serving with the Lincoln strike group. He said there had been no deaths by suicide during the deployment.The eight suicide attempts involved personnel across the wider carrier strike group, rather than only sailors assigned to the Lincoln itself. According to Cao's letter, the figure includes members of the carrier's crew, its embarked air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staffs, escorting destroyers and aviation squadrons.Around 6,000 to 7,000 Navy personnel were deployed with the Lincoln strike group across roughly half a dozen ships. The carrier went more than 200 days without a regular port call — a modern-day record, according to Navy officials cited by CNN — while maintaining a high tempo of combat operations against Iran.According to a US military official quoted by CNN, recent carrier strike group deployments had typically seen one or two suicide attempts a year, describing the eight attempts during the Lincoln's deployment as unusually high. The official attributed the strain in part to the intensity of combat operations, the absence of port calls and the constant state of alert.Cao's letter also said the Lincoln was deployed with a range of mental health and welfare resources, including five chaplains, an integrated prevention counsellor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioural health technicians and an expeditionary facility dog.The disclosure follows earlier reports of sailors going overboard during the deployment. Cao confirmed that a sailor assigned to the carrier's air wing went overboard in early August and was quickly recovered before receiving treatment from the Lincoln's medical department. He also said another sailor attempted to go overboard in March but was stopped by fellow crew members and subsequently received immediate medical care before returning to the ship's homeport.The Navy has previously rejected suggestions that the prolonged deployment had led to an increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts aboard the carrier. In a statement to CNN, the service said it had not observed an increase in suicidal ideation or attempts and that religious, medical and mental health professionals were available to assist personnel.A US official also previously told CNN that the Navy did not believe there was a link between the length of a deployment and thoughts of self-harm, adding that incidents involving sailors going overboard were not unique to the Lincoln strike group.Those assurances have contrasted with accounts from sailors aboard the carrier, who described deteriorating morale and difficult living conditions during the deployment. One crew member told CNN that morale was very low and that they had repeatedly heard fellow sailors discuss suicidal thoughts.The sailor also described problems with basic amenities aboard the carrier, including toilets and water fountains that were frequently out of service and periods when hot water was unavailable.The prolonged absence of port calls was another source of strain. Sailors aboard the Lincoln described the deployment as unlike their previous assignments because combat operations had prevented the carrier from making regular stops at friendly ports.Such port calls are an important part of lengthy naval deployments, allowing ships to replenish supplies while giving sailors time away from the demands of life aboard a warship. The Lincoln instead remained at sea for months as it supported US combat operations in the Middle East.The carrier's eventual arrival at Thailand's Laem Chabang port on September 2 marked its first full port visit after 286 days at sea. About 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln were given an opportunity to go ashore and rest after the unprecedented deployment.The Thailand stop came amid growing scrutiny of conditions aboard the carrier, including reports of poor morale, shortages of supplies and concerns about the mental health of its crew.   Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!