USS Washington to relieve USS Lincoln after concerns about the crew's mental health

The carrier USS Washington is on its way to the Middle East to relieve the USS Lincoln. The Lincoln has been at the center of concerns over mental health issues, as well as lack of sufficient food and basic supplies, including soap.

The head of Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, wrapped up a tour of the region Saturday, which included a visit to USS Lincoln. He praised the sacrifice of the sailors. Cooper is quoted as saying, "history will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era."

The administration has also been pushing back against reports from families who say the crews are under strain, including reports of sailors jumping overboard. Asked on Friday if the deployment had gone on too long, President Trump said, no, not nearly long enough.

So the problems with logistics are not confined to USS Lincoln. Supply lines have been strained since the beginning of the war. Sam Howard, a former Navy captain who lives in Virginia Beach, said his son was on one of the ships in the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which carries sailors and Marines. His son told him they quickly ran low on hygiene products and other supplies. The crew returned to their home port in Japan in late July, but they still haven't received all of their mail and care packages.

"I asked him very specifically about watch rotation and not having any port visits. And the comment that he made was, you know, not knowing when you're going to get a break, it was — was really among the toughest things that he experienced," Howard said.

Andrea Goldstein, a Navy veteran who was in charge of force resiliency when the Navy was dealing with the rash of suicides in 2022 and 2023, said dismissing sailors' concerns can actually make their situation worse.

"It's not one comment. It's creating an ambient environment of disrespect," Goldstein said.

So USS George Washington is now on its way to relieve USS Lincoln with their 5,000 sailors. It's hard to pinpoint when the Washington will arrive. Normally, you would expect both carriers to remain in the region for a week or so, but a Navy official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly said that there is no standard handoff period. So the Lincoln could leave rather quickly once USS Washington arrives in the region.