Democrats seek hearings after USS Lincoln suicide attempts

Lawmakers seek congressional review

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, both Democrats, called for hearings after the Navy disclosed eight suicide attempts across the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during its deployment.

Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Congress should demand accountability and a clear plan for protecting service members and their families. Schneider, whose district includes Naval Station Great Lakes, said sailors lacked the support and resources needed during the deployment. Navy recruits receive basic training at the Illinois installation.

The lawmakers’ statements did not identify a hearing date or say which congressional committee would take up the request.

Navy confirms incidents

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed the eight attempts in a Tuesday letter responding to Gillibrand and other senators. The total covered the Lincoln’s crew, its carrier air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staffs, escorting destroyers and embarked aviation squadrons.

Cao wrote that one Lincoln sailor went overboard in August, was recovered quickly, received treatment aboard the ship and was later transferred for additional care. Another sailor tried to go overboard in March but was stopped by shipmates, treated and returned to the sailor’s home port.

The strike group had an estimated 7,500 people. Its attempted-suicide rate was roughly the same as the active-duty Navy’s service-wide rate in 2024, when the Pentagon recorded 356 attempts among about 337,000 sailors.

Extended deployment

The Lincoln spent a record 286 days at sea without a port visit. It initially deployed to waters near Venezuela to support operations there before being sent to the Middle East to support the war against Iran.

Military Times and Stars and Stripes reported concerns from sailors’ families about mental health crises, food and water shortages, and disrupted communication with relatives during the deployment. Sen. Adam Schiff of California has called for an inspector general investigation into conditions aboard the San Diego-based carrier.