The U.S. Navy has confirmed eight suicide attempts among personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during its extended deployment, including a period when the group supported U.S. combat operations against Iran.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed the figure in a letter to Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who had asked the Pentagon about the morale, living conditions and mental health of personnel assigned to the carrier and its strike group. The letter said there had been no suicide deaths during the deployment.
The eight cases involved personnel across the wider strike group, including the Lincoln’s crew, its carrier air wing, strike-group and destroyer-squadron staff, escorting destroyers and embarked aviation squadrons. The disclosure therefore does not mean that all eight attempts occurred aboard the aircraft carrier itself.
The letter also described two incidents involving sailors who attempted to go overboard. In early August, a sailor assigned to the carrier air wing went overboard and was quickly rescued by a search-and-rescue helicopter before being taken off the ship for further care. In March, another sailor attempted to go overboard but was stopped by fellow service members and returned to the home port.
The disclosure comes after growing scrutiny of the Lincoln’s unusually long deployment. The carrier strike group left San Diego in November 2025 and was later redirected to the Middle East as the United States became involved in military operations against Iran. The Lincoln spent 286 days deployed, including an extended period without a port call.
The prolonged mission had already prompted reports and complaints about conditions aboard the carrier, including food and supply problems, plumbing issues and concerns about the mental health of sailors and Marines. Families of service members and Democratic lawmakers had previously raised concerns about the impact of the deployment.
The Pentagon and Navy have disputed some of the reports about conditions aboard the ship. Navy officials have said personnel had access to chaplains, counselors and other mental-health resources and have argued that the number of suicide attempts was not above the broader rate for active-duty Navy personnel. CNN reported that the eight attempts were roughly consistent with the Navy-wide rate based on the latest available 2024 data.
Gillibrand said the new disclosure underscored the seriousness of concerns previously raised about the wellbeing of service members. The Navy, meanwhile, has emphasized its commitment to sailor health, wellbeing and morale as the Lincoln and its personnel return from the extended deployment.
The USS Abraham Lincoln eventually made a port call in Thailand in early September after its 286-day deployment. The disclosure of the eight suicide attempts is likely to intensify scrutiny of the operational and human costs of prolonged deployments during sustained combat
