The "limit" situation faced by crew members aboard the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, stationed off the coast of Iran for nine months, is turning into a nationwide issue.

This is because it is by no means an isolated story, not only for the families of the Lincoln crew but also for U.S. military service members and their families deployed around the world.

Amid unfavorable public sentiment driven by the prolonged war with Iran, news surrounding the Lincoln is emerging as a political battleground ahead of the midterm elections.

The Lincoln departed its homeport in San Diego on November 21 of last year carrying 5,000 crew members.

En route to the Middle East, it made a stop in Guam in December and remained at sea for 208 consecutive days until briefly stopping in Oman on July 7 of this year.

This is an unprecedented duration in modern naval history.

Originally scheduled to wrap up operations and return in May, its return was delayed twice as the war dragged on.

Consequently, concerns began to flare up over plunging morale, exhaustion, and mental health issues among the crew due to their prolonged stay at sea.

Last month, a sailor finally jumped overboard from the ship.

The exact reason for the jump has not been confirmed, and the sailor was rescued safely at the time as they were wearing a life vest.

In a statement sent to CNN on the 13th (local time), the U.S. Navy drew a line by stating, "We have not observed an increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts within the ship," denying any connection between the Lincoln's delayed return and the sailor's jump. However, there appear to have been several other jumping attempts aboard the Lincoln besides this one.

The U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported that sailors are "suffering from fatigue and low morale, which includes reports of suicidal ideation and at least one instance where a crew member was prevented from jumping into the sea."

The U.S. military publication Navy Times shared an interview with the wife of a Lincoln sailor who attempted to jump overboard, as well as another case in which a fellow sailor prevented a crew member from jumping.

It was revealed that living standards for the crew have drastically deteriorated as prolonged deployment at sea made supply deliveries difficult.

Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted the arrival of supplies from the U.S. 5th Fleet base in Bahrain.

During a town hall meeting held in San Diego on the 6th between Navy leadership and families of the Lincoln crew, complaints poured out regarding crew "burnout," shortages of supplies and food, water contamination, and poor sanitation and ventilation facilities.

Representative Mike Levin (D-California) stated during the meeting that issues were raised regarding "moldy showers, broken toilets, weeks without hot water, and meals reduced to half a cup of rice and two tortillas."

Vice Admiral Douglas Verissimo explained to the families of the crew that this was due to "a logistics situation heavily contested [by Iran] and a tremendously difficult and long supply line," adding, "Everyone is working together under extremely difficult circumstances."

As the Lincoln issue surfaced, Democrats are aiming to bring the matter to Washington, D.C., pointing fingers at Commander-in-Chief President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Representative Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, pointed out the problem as "a president who has mocked service members experiencing mental health issues" and "a defense secretary more focused on testosterone testing than protecting the lives of service members," pledging an investigation at the committee level.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth and the acting Navy secretary urging answers regarding the living conditions aboard the Lincoln.

Reuters reported that Defense Secretary Hegseth refuted a series of reports claiming serious problems with the Lincoln's poor environment or the crew's mental health as "completely misrepresented."

Answering reporters' questions during a visit to Panama, Hegseth said, "We are ensuring every single ship, every single crew, and every single captain has every single thing that we can provide at every single moment."

(Photo: Getty Images)