The Pentagon is preparing to deploy the USS George Washington to the Middle East, where it will replace the USS Abraham Lincoln following one of the longest and most demanding carrier deployments in recent memory, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday.
U.S. officials told the Journal that the George Washington’s deployment is part of a routine carrier rotation that had already been scheduled before members of Congress began raising alarms about the difficult conditions facing sailors aboard the Lincoln.
The Abraham Lincoln originally left on deployment last November but was redirected to the Middle East in January as the United States prepared for war with Iran. Since then, the carrier’s aircraft have participated in Operation Epic Fury—the U.S. air campaign against Iran—and the ship has continued operating as part of the maritime blockade of Iranian ports, the Journal reported.
The extended mission has placed extraordinary demands on the crew. According to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the carrier has now spent more than 250 days deployed and nearly 200 consecutive days without stopping at a port—an unprecedented period at sea.
Blumenthal sent a letter this week to War Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao requesting detailed information about the conditions aboard the vessel.
In his letter, the senator pointed to reports describing shortages of essential supplies, contaminated drinking water, plumbing failures, safety issues, interruptions in mail delivery, and increasing mental health challenges among the crew.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., also announced that he plans to press the Pentagon and the Trump administration for answers regarding the situation.
“At the end of the day, we know that those who are serving have to have comfort knowing that they’re getting properly taken care of,” Stutzman told CNN on Thursday.
Earlier reports indicated that sailors aboard the Abraham Lincoln had been coping with dwindling food supplies as well as shortages of everyday necessities such as toothpaste and soap.
Lawmakers have also voiced growing concern about crew fatigue and declining mental health after months of continuous operations with virtually no opportunities for rest during port visits.
According to the Wall Street Journal, sending the USS George Washington to the region will allow the Abraham Lincoln and its exhausted crew to head home while ensuring the United States continues to maintain an aircraft carrier presence in the Middle East as tensions with Iran remain high.
{Matzav.com}
