The USS Abraham Lincoln is set to return to its California homeport after a 321-day deployment that has raised concerns over sailor morale, mental health and the strain of prolonged operations.
The aircraft carrier left Naval Station San Diego on November 21, 2025, and later joined US military operations in the Middle East after the United States launched the Iran war alongside Israel on February 28.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to welcome the crew while the ship is still at sea, a day before sailors return to American soil for the first time in more than 10 months. The Defense Department said Hegseth will also address the crew, take part in physical training and have lunch with service members.
Concerns over the crew’s wellbeing emerged during an August 6 town hall in San Diego, where families raised issues including possible self-harm and food shortages. Military Times later reported that two sailors attempted to jump overboard.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress that eight sailors aboard ships in the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group had attempted suicide since the deployment began.
The carrier will return several days short of the USS Gerald Ford’s 326-day deployment record.
