Like Being Sent to a Prison that Could Also Sink and Drown You': US Navy Deployments are Hard. Aircraft Carrier Deployments that Go Almost a Year Are Even Harder

A Navy veteran describes what a long aircraft-carrier deployment means for the crew aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) after 10 months at sea. Sean Spoonts, who flew as a helicopter anti-submarine aircrewman during the Cold War, says the pace for today’s sailors remains relentless: 12-hour days, seven days a week, with time tracked to the days of departure and return. The article cites a tight social circle, “sea legs,” and bells every 30 minutes, along with missed seasons and holidays. It also reports eight self-harm attempts across the Lincoln strike group during the deployment, noting stigma can prevent sailors from seeking help. Conditions may be harder even when amenities have improved.