Sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln can look forward to returning to San Diego soon, multiple news outlets reported Thursday.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington will relieve the Lincoln amid ongoing operations against Iran, Reuters reported.
The Washington is based in Yokosuka, Japan. Defense Department photos show the ship was operating in the South China Sea Tuesday.
The Associated Press reported Thursday the ship was transiting the Straight of Malacca heading toward the Indian Ocean.
Sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln are reporting poor conditions and low morale on board to their families in San Diego, according to recent reports.
Families expressed their concerns to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao during a town hall at Naval Air Station North Island Aug. 6, according to an MS Now report.
Lincoln family members told the secretary they were concerned about the health and safety of the crew, the report said.
According to the Navy Times, at least two sailors have tried to jump overboard.
CNN reported Thursday that a sailor did go overboard last month but did not say whether they did so intentionally.
A Navy official told KPBS the service hasn't seen an increase in suicide ideation or attempts among the crew of the Lincoln.
The official also said there are religious, medical and mental health services available to sailors on board.
Attorney Don King spent 24 years in the Navy as a judge advocate general and a military judge — time that included aircraft carrier deployments.
King says under the best conditions, these deployments are difficult.
Operating in the Middle East is especially arduous due to the heat, and a lot of sailors work on the flight deck exposed to the elements.
"Everybody on the ship is working long hours," King said. "It's incredibly taxing not only physically but mentally as well."
The Lincoln left San Diego for its deployment in November. It arrived in the Middle East in January and has been involved in combat operations against Iran.
The length of the deployment isn't the only factor impacting crew morale — the ship has reportedly only made two brief stops in port along the way.
The Navy official acknowledged the Lincoln has struggled to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to the crew and to keep some personal items in stock in the ship's store.
The crew currently has access to clean water, healthy food and air conditioning, the official said.
King said the Navy should understand the limits on how far it can push a ship's crew under the conditions the Lincoln's experiencing.
"I think that the tolerance for hardship has diminished a little bit — not just within the Navy, not just within the military — but within our society," King said. "I'm not saying that ... is a bad thing — I'm just saying it exists, I think."
The Navy told KPBS it could not comment on future operations.
