00:18A U.S. aircraft carrier has now spent nine months at sea, and military families are raising
00:25serious concerns about what sailors are facing on board.
00:29Food shortages, moldy showers, broken toilets, and reportedly falling morale.
00:36The carrier at the center of the controversy is the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, currently operating
00:43in the Middle East as the war with Iran continues.
00:47Around 5,000 sailors and marines have been serving aboard the carrier for roughly nine
00:52months, and one number stands out.
00:55The Lincoln has reportedly spent 208 consecutive days at sea, more than any other U.S. aircraft
01:02carrier in the modern era.
01:04According to military family members who spoke to MSNOW, the crew is exhausted from the long
01:11deployment and demanding operational tempo.
01:14Families reportedly described long lines for meals, shortages of basic supplies such as
01:20soap and toothpaste, broken toilets, mold in showers and laundry facilities that are not
01:26working properly.
01:28There are also claims of food shortages and a backlog of mail and supplies.
01:33The concerns became serious enough that military families confronted Navy leadership this week.
01:39According to recordings cited by MSNOW, Navy officials acknowledged problems with toilets and said they
01:46were working to address shower concerns.
01:49They also acknowledged a backlog of food and mail, reportedly because moving supplies from
01:55Bahrain to the ship has become more difficult during the war.
01:59And this is not the first time food quality aboard the Lincoln has come under scrutiny.
02:04Earlier this year, photos reportedly showed sailors being served small portions and unappealing food.
02:11That led some members of Congress to call for investigations.
02:16The Navy, however, denied that the ships were facing food shortages, saying the USS Abraham Lincoln
02:22and USS Tripoli had sufficient food and healthy auctions for their crews.
02:28Now families are raising another concern, whether prolonged fatigue and poor living conditions
02:34could eventually affect safety and performance on board.
02:37One family member even claimed that holes had been spotted on the carrier's flight deck,
02:43but the Navy's 5th Fleet spokesperson denied that allegation and said the Lincoln remains
02:49fully capable of meeting all mission requirements.
02:52The situation also comes after another carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, faced its own quality of life
02:59problems during an extended deployment, including repeated toilet failures and a laundry room fire
03:06that required repairs in port.
03:08For the USS Abraham Lincoln, the key issue now is endurance.
03:13The carrier remains in the Middle East, while its sailors continue operating through an unusually long deployment.
03:20And as families demand answers, the Navy is insisting that the ship remains operationally capable.
03:26But the question being raised is clear.
03:30How long can a crew maintain peak performance when the mission keeps going, while basic conditions
03:37on board remain a growing concern?
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