The move to change supply bases, putting more than 2,200 miles between U.S. Navy combat ships and a vital resupply hub, has prompted concern over mental health of the crew and supply issues aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).
The carrier served as a floating base for extensive aerial combat operations in the Arabian Sea as part of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. war on Iran.
Supply problems started at the beginning of the war on Feb. 28 when Iran attacked and heavily damaged much of Naval Support Activity Bahrain, a key Navy logistics base on the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, the New York Times reported.
The Navy chose Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, a U.S.-operated base on British-controlled Diego Garcia, as a replacement. Diego Garcia, an island south of the Maldives, is about 2,200 miles from U.S. naval forces in the Gulf of Oman. The Bahrain base is about 500 miles from the central Gulf of Oman.
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That’s caused the loss of what the Navy calls a “liberty port” – a port at which a ship’s crew can leave the vessel for free time ashore.
Crew members use that time to rest, connect with family and engage in recreation. Ships can be resupplied and repairs can be made.
The Abraham Lincoln’s crew has spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea without a port call. The ship has been away from port since December.
Some Navy vessels have spent long periods at sea without shore leave, especially during World War II. Most recently, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower spent 206 days without a port call during the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Some family members of Abraham Lincoln crew members have expressed concern about their mental health deteriorating. USA TODAY reported on food problems aboard the ship in April.
Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Mark Kelly have criticized the Trump administration and called for an investigation into living conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln. Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about the conditions on the Lincoln – not harshly criticizing the administration, but not defending it either.
The Navy, U.S. Central Command and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have pushed back against claims of personnel problems aboard the ship, saying reports had been “completely misrepresented.”
The change in supply bases has also stretched the supply chain between the Navy logistics base and the ships themselves. Shortages and loss of mail were reported aboard the Abraham Lincoln, the Navy said in a statement.
“Leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail,” the Navy said, adding that crew members now have access to clean water and “healthy meal options.”
The Abraham Lincoln is being relieved by the USS George Washington (CVN-73). The Lincoln is expected to head to its homeport of San Diego.
Contributing: Erin Mansfield, Greta Cross and Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; U.S. Navy; U.S. Central Command