Lincoln's Record-Long Deployment Tests Navy Patience and Sailor Morale
The USS Lincoln is on one of the longest carrier deployments in U.S. history, with few port calls and growing reports of morale and mental‑health strain, supply shortages, and maintenance challenges. Experts warn longer deployments risk burnout and retention problems, while Navy officials say there’s no proven link to self-harm. The trend, seen alongside other Ford-class carriers’ long missions, is prompting a rethink of force-generation models as aging ships and delays shape future timelines.