Top U.S. commander acknowledges mental health issues on USS Lincoln

U.S. Navy sailors heave on a line during a fueling-at-sea on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran from an undisclosed location March 10, 2026. U.S. Navy | Via ReutersU.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Sunday acknowledged mental health challenges aboard the USS Lincoln after reports that a sailor jumped overboard amid the aircraft carrier's long Middle East deployment. "Here's an important fact: Of the U.S. Navy's 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health," Cooper said in a statement posted to X following his visit to the ship on Saturday. "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." Cooper's visit and statement follow reports of widespread morale and mental health issues aboard the Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than eight months. The Navy Times reported last week that several sailors had attempted to go overboard, and Stars and Stripes also reported on widespr...