The U.S. military is the first to break down—U.S. Navy crew members aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln have sent out a plea for help, saying: "We're about to collapse from exhaustion."

This week, the U.S. Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln broke its own record by remaining at sea continuously for 207 days without docking, surpassing the previous record held by the USS Eisenhower.

Since January this year, this nuclear-powered carrier—carrying around 5,000 personnel—has been anchored in the Arabian Sea, conducting airstrikes on Iranian territory, targeting Chah Bahar, and blockading Iranian ports, with no pause in operations.

But behind the record lies human cost. One sailor wrote in a family letter: "Our mental and physical health are in grave danger—we need help." A family member, fearing retaliation, anonymously revealed that "it’s heartbreaking and worrying, but you can do nothing about it." Another lieutenant colonel also posted publicly in June, openly admitting that he and his fellow crewmates "are close to breaking down."

Under normal deployment schedules, U.S. Navy carriers typically dock every 30 to 45 days to allow sailors to rest. The Lincoln has now gone 207 days straight—equivalent to compressing six normal cycles into one nonstop grind. Adding to the strain, the carrier strike group includes the USS Bush and the Boxer amphibious ready group. There are over 50,000 U.S. military personnel deployed across the Middle East—spread thin because the entire frontline from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf and Iran remains ablaze.

Meanwhile, U.S. military command spokesperson Hawkins offered the usual boilerplate response: "The well-being of our personnel is a top priority," and "No other army on Earth supports its combat forces as comprehensively as the U.S. military." But these words ring hollow when matched against the reality described in sailors’ letters and external reports: In April, allegations surfaced about insufficient food and poor living conditions; families sending supplies were even blocked by postal service disruptions, with medical packages stuck en route.

This situation is deeply ironic:

On one hand, "207 days at sea breaking records" is being celebrated as a positive operational achievement. On the other hand, sailors are writing desperate letters begging for rescue.

Who breaks the record doesn’t matter—it’s the fact that the record is sustained not by ships, but by people. Nuclear-powered carriers theoretically have unlimited range, but humans don’t.

Last year, the USS Eisenhower endured an equally extended deployment, returning to base to widespread complaints from its crew. This year, it’s the USS Abraham Lincoln stepping up, with the USS Bush likely already en route.

The current pace of carrier rotations in the Middle East has become the heaviest burden on the U.S. military’s global deployment schedule. With Houthi activity still ongoing in the Red Sea and tensions flaring again with Iran, plus the need to keep watch in the Asia-Pacific region where the USS Washington is also on station—the pool of assets is limited, and the number of carriers is small. Every new record-breaking deployment indicates that the logistical system is stretched to its absolute limit. The next time a record is broken, it may not be about days at sea—but about the crew breaking first.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870413238273160/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author