A sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln is currently facing non-judicial punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) after an alleged suicide attempt during the aircraft carrier’s extended deployment. The incident has raised concerns regarding mental health support for service members in high-stress environments.
The sailor reportedly went overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln on August 3 while the carrier was operating in rough seas.
US officials told CNN that the sailor was wearing a life jacket and was recovered about an hour later by an air-wing search-and-rescue helicopter. However, the incident was an attempted suicide, according to his wife. She said she did not learn that the sailor who went overboard was her husband until four days later. World Socialist Web Site reported that in a text message sent to his wife on July 21, less than two weeks before the incident, the sailor wrote, “I think the boat is finally getting to me.”
Officials described the incident as a mental health crisis. He was medically evaluated aboard the carrier before being evacuated for further treatment.
