US Central Command Chief Visits Middle East Aircraft Carrier Amid Long Deployment and Suicide Attempt Controversy

The commander of the U.S. Central Command, who oversees military operations against Iran, has visited the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln deployed in Middle Eastern waters.

The USS Lincoln has recently emerged as a contentious issue in the United States amid worsening service conditions due to prolonged deployment and mental health concerns, including suicide attempts by crew members.

According to U.S. media on the 16th (local time), U.S. Central Command Chief Brad Cooper boarded the USS Lincoln the previous day, which has been deployed to the Middle East for nearly nine months.

Commander Cooper praised the carrier, stating, "The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is a powerful team comprised of highly capable Americans," and adding, "History will record this deployment as one of the most intense and critical modern deployments."

The USS Lincoln, carrying a crew of about 5,000, was originally scheduled to complete its mission in May, but its deployment was extended as the conflict with Iran has not concluded.

Recently, U.S. media reports have highlighted poor living conditions aboard the carrier, including mold in the showers and rotting food.

Reports also surfaced that some crew members attempted to jump overboard.

The opposition Democratic Party has initiated an investigation into whether authorities responded adequately regarding the health and well-being of the crew members.

The USS Lincoln is scheduled to be replaced by the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which had been stationed in the Pacific.

The USS Lincoln departed the U.S. West Coast last November and headed toward the Indo-Pacific region before being reassigned to the Middle East in January.

On its way to the Middle East, after making a single port call in Guam in December, it remained at sea for 208 consecutive days until stopping briefly in Oman on July 7 of this year.

Commander Cooper traveled through Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates over a 10-day period to discuss responses against Iran and encourage deployed service members.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.