Democratic Senators Demand Pentagon Review of Conditions Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and Other Warships

Democratic senators are calling on the Pentagon to conduct an immediate independent strategic review of quality of life and readiness issues aboard several US Navy ships. In a letter sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Senators Patty Murray and Chris Coons requested an investigation into the deployments of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the USS Benfold. The review is intended to examine mental health, manning, culture, and communications with families.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to dock in Thailand next week for rest and recreation. The ship has not made a port call in more than 200 days, which represents a modern day record for consecutive days at sea. Reports from crew families and military newspapers have cited deteriorating conditions on the Lincoln, including plumbing problems, disrupted mail services, and shortages of fresh food and hygiene items. One sailor's wife told the Guardian that her husband is exhausted and has shown a loss of hope.

The USS Gerald R. Ford also experienced a record long deployment involving combat missions against Iran and Venezuela. During its tour, the ship suffered a major fire in the laundry department that left approximately 600 sailors without access to their bunks. Additionally, the USS Benfold spent four days without power in the South China Sea following an engineering failure.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao praised the endurance of the crew in an August 14 statement, asserting that while sailors have been pushed to their limits, they have never broken. CNN reports that extended deployments exceeding the Navy's seven month target have become increasingly common since 2020.