RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Washington \u00e2\u0080\u0094 Senate Democrats demanded answers Wednesday about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises during the aircraft carrier\u0027s record-setting deployment. In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, called for the Navy to account for conditions aboard the carrier, which he said "has been deployed more than 250 days" without coming ashore "in over 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea." Blumenthal voiced concern over such extended deployments, noting "widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns" and other problems aboard the Lincoln.A Navy official told CBS News that the "Lincoln is operating in a highly contested environment where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted by combat actions. In response, leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail. Current reports from the ship confirm continuous access to clean water, functional AC, and healthy meal options." \u00a0 The carrier departed San Diego on Nov. 21 last year for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28.In two recent meetings, family members clashed with Navy leadership over the difficult conditions \u00e2\u0080\u0094 including food shortages \u00e2\u0080\u0094 faced by the 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln and demanded to know when loved ones would return home, MSNOW reported. Some families reported severe mental health issues and attempted suicides on board.Citing a\u00a0report in the Military Times that several sailors had tried to jump overboard or were prevented from trying to in recent months, Sen. Ruben Gallego, of Arizona,\u00a0said in a social media post Wednesday that the Navy "must allow a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to visit the USS Lincoln to conduct (an) oversight investigation into this horrible situation." \u00a0The Navy official told CBS News,"Based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship. ... (The) Lincoln is providing a comprehensive support network, including onboard deployment-resilience counselors, chaplains, Fleet and Family Support Center services, Military OneSource, and medical professionals."
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