On August 14th, local time, US Navy Deputy Secretary Hung Cao (of Vietnamese descent) issued a statement stating that a 'small number' of soldiers on the USS Lincoln had experienced mental health issues, and no one was injured after treatment.
"Without a doubt, our young male and female soldiers have been pushed to the limit, but they have never surrendered," he wrote on social media X platform, "Of course, they are exhausted, but they have never given up the fight."
He insisted that soldiers and their families were not victims, but "incarnations of American strength and resilience."
In addition, Cao Hong also refuted the claims of food shortages on aircraft carriers. According to him, when fresh ingredients cannot be replenished in time, the meal plan will be adjusted, but "not a single meal is missed."
On the same day, a naval officer told the American CBS that consultants and social workers would be deployed to the USS Lincoln.
This U.S. military officer said: “The Navy is working hard to assign more psychological counselors and social workers to strengthen the already well-established mental health resources that are available 24/7 for the crew.”
This official states that there are currently five chaplains, one clinical psychologist, one clinical social worker, three behavior health technicians, and one integrated prevention coordinator aboard the Lincoln.
Statement screenshot
The Lincoln has been in deployment for nine months, and the families of its crew members express concerns about the living conditions, work intensity, and the mental health of the officers and sailors on board.
According to reports by several American media outlets, there are issues such as shortages of food and personal necessities on the ship, malfunctioning sanitation facilities, and disruptions in the mail system.
In April, USA Today first reported photos of meal plates provided by the family members of the sailors.
There are also reports that several sailors attempted to jump into the sea on the USS Lincoln. According to The Naval Times, the U.S. Navy has not released specific numbers regarding the number of sailors who attempted to jump into the sea or engage in self-harm during this deployment.
On the 14th local time, U.S. President Trump dismissed concerns about the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier.
When asked about the duration of the deployment of this aircraft carrier, Trump said that it was not the case, and that it was “far from long enough”. He also denied any concerns expressed by the families of crew members regarding the conditions on board the ship.
However, Trump mentioned that the aircraft carrier will be replaced by another “very similar ship”.
Later on the 14th, an American official revealed to CBS that the U.S. aircraft carrier “Washington” was en route to the Middle East, in order to replace the “Lincoln”.
