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Sailor Faces Punishment After Seeking Mental-Health Care

8/30/2026

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Summary

Navy Sailor Faces Punishment

A U.S. Navy sailor faces nonjudicial punishment after jumping from USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 3.
He returned to San Diego on Aug. 13, spent time at Naval Medical Center, and began therapy on Aug. 26.
Charging documents accuse him of Article 83 malingering and Article 86 absence without leave.
If punished, he could lose up to half his regular pay.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said no sailor should be punished for seeking mental-health care.

Summary

Lincoln Endures

Abraham Lincoln completed a 250-day deployment, a record for consecutive sea time without a port call.
Crew reported chronic shortages of food, hot water, functional toilets, laundry services, and mold-infested showers.
Three sailors attempted suicide, leading the Navy to dispatch additional counselors and social workers.
An Iranian attack on a Bahrain supply hub forced logistics to shift 2,200 miles to Diego Garcia.

History

Historical Context

In March 1918 the Spanish-flu pandemic infected 522 men at Camp Funston within days of its first recorded case. The Navy’s experience that year, including the battleship USS Arizona’s wartime service, led to its first formal mental-health program in 1919. Today the USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew faces comparable morale and supply challenges, renewing calls for policy change.

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Navy Sailor Faces Punishment

A U.S. Navy sailor faces nonjudicial punishment after jumping from USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 3.
He returned to San Diego on Aug. 13, spent time at Naval Medical Center, and began therapy on Aug. 26.
Charging documents accuse him of Article 83 malingering and Article 86 absence without leave.
If punished, he could lose up to half his regular pay.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said no sailor should be punished for seeking mental-health care.

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