Top admiral praises USS Lincoln crew after reports of worsening conditions

The leader of U.S. Central Command, Adm.

The leader of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, wrote Sunday that his recent visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln was “awe-inspiring” and hailed the crew’s “resilience” following rising concerns about mental health and deteriorating conditions aboard the aircraft carrier.

Loved ones of some of the thousands aboard the ship have described to NBC News and other news organizations a lack of supplies and food and an overall deteriorating mental health situation with multiple sailors having attempted to jump overboard.

The ship has not made a port call in more than 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers who have called for answers.

USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea in April.U.S. Central CommandCooper wrote in a statement posted on social media on Sunday that the Lincoln had the lowest number of mental health cases of the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers. But he did seem to acknowledge the difficulty of the deployment.

“This doesn’t mean that all is perfect. Find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans in America today and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn’t for everyone. It is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways,” he said in a post on X.