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Eight Sailors Attempt Suicide on USS Lincoln During Iran Deployment, Raising Mental Health Concerns
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News18•24-09-2026, 04:56
Eight Sailors Attempt Suicide on USS Lincoln During Iran Deployment, Raising Mental Health Concerns
- •Eight US Navy sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a deployment that included combat operations against Iran, according to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.
- •The attempts involved personnel from across the strike group, including the carrier, air wing, escorting destroyers, and other units, though no sailor died by suicide.
- •The prolonged mission, lasting over six months with limited port visits, raised concerns about the mental well-being of sailors.
- •The Navy previously disputed claims of increased suicidal behavior, stating that religious, medical, and mental health professionals were available to support sailors.
- •Despite the Navy's pushback, a US military official noted that combat operations and constant alerts could bring greater strain, potentially increasing suicide attempts.
Key Questions Answered
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao reported that eight US Navy sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment involving combat operations against Iran.
The aircraft carrier maintained multiple mental health resources on board, including chaplains, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, behavioural health technicians, and a prevention counsellor.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has departed the Middle East and is scheduled to return to its home port located in San Diego within the coming weeks.
