US media: USS George Washington aircraft carrier to be deployed near Iran
Reports in the US media suggest that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier will be deployed to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently stationed near Iran. The reports state that military personnel on the Lincoln and their families back home have raised complaints regarding basic necessities on the ship and deteriorating mental health conditions.
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As the political and military crisis between the US and Iran continues, reports in the US media regarding the replacement of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier stationed near Iran have drawn attention. In a report citing two unnamed US officials, the US-based NBC News stated that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier is heading toward the region to replace the Lincoln. It was suggested that the change would be carried out as part of a previously planned mission schedule. The change is reportedly taking place at a time when expectations for an end to the Iran conflict have weakened and US officials are concerned about the "low morale" of troops stationed in the Middle East.
Sailors and families complain of "deteriorating mental health"
The report also stated that sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln and their families have raised complaints regarding issues such as shortages of basic supplies on the ship, months of continuous duty, and deteriorating mental health. It was noted that some sailors' families have brought allegations to the press that their relatives have attempted to jump overboard from the ship.
US Senator sends letter to Secretary of Defense Hegseth
According to the report, US Senatör Richard Blumenthal stated that the USS Abraham Lincoln, which began its mission last November, set a record by operating for approximately 200 days without making a port call. It was noted that Blumenthal sent a letter yesterday to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, drawing attention to the allegations regarding conditions on the aircraft carrier. In his letter, Blumenthal stated, "There are widespread complaints regarding shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, concerns about deck safety, and failures in the mail system that have caused cargo sent to the ship to be lost for months.”
Secretary Hegseth, however, said that the allegations regarding conditions on the ship were "completely misrepresented." Speaking to reporters during a visit to Panama, the US Secretary of Defense said, "We ensure that every ship, every crew, and every captain has all the resources we can provide at any given moment. Some missions last longer than others. I have more respect and gratitude for these sailors than anyone else. The work they do in difficult conditions on the high seas and with fewer port visits is truly incredible."
Meanwhile, it was reported that families of the sailors conveyed their complaints about the conditions on the ship to Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao at a meeting held earlier this month in San Diego, California.
Security sources reported that the USS George Washington and its accompanying strike group are currently located near the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia. In addition to the USS Abraham Lincoln, it is known that the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is also deployed in the region as part of the Iran conflict.