USS Abraham Lincoln's record deployment highlights shortfalls of US military readiness

Reports about the USS Abraham Lincoln’s long deployment are being used to spotlight shortfalls in U.S. military readiness. The Navy says the carrier spent 266 days deployed, including 200 in a combat zone, with crew members reportedly running on “almost no sleep” and suffering mental strain. The service also acknowledged meal plans had to be adjusted when fresh resupply wasn’t available, and that sailors and Marines were “pushed to their limits.” The article argues the key issue isn’t pushing people who volunteer for hard missions, but whether the Department of Defense’s operational demands were necessary. It links the debate to rising operational tempo concerns noted by Army leaders.