Washington, Aug 17 (IANS) Former US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has warned that extended military deployments were wearing down personnel and sacrificing future readiness, amid concern over conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the Iran war.
Mullen said on Sunday that deployments lasting a year were too long and placed severe strain on ships, service members and their families.
“You wear yourself out. You actually start to cash in future readiness significantly,” he told ABC News.
The aircraft carrier has spent 268 days at sea. Its 5,000 sailors and Marines have gone more than 200 consecutive days without a port call, according to the programme.
The Lincoln has supported US combat operations in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Reports have described exhaustion, falling morale and growing mental health concerns aboard the carrier.
President Donald Trump dismissed concerns that the deployment had gone on too long.
Asked about its duration, Mullen said: “No, no, no,” before adding: “Not nearly long enough.”
He said such deployments were “significant” and “tough”.
He noted that carriers would ordinarily visit ports to give personnel a break and conduct maintenance.
But ports normally used by the US Navy in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were under threat during the Iran war, he said.
Iran had also targeted Diego Garcia, complicating efforts to find a secure location.
“So, there just isn’t an easy place to go in terms of a port visit,” Mullen said.
The retired Admiral said he had spoken with US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief Admiral Brad Cooper, who visited the Lincoln.
Cooper told him that several problems had emerged early in the deployment and had since been addressed.
Mullen cautioned, however, that morale problems required close attention.
He praised the carrier’s crew for its performance during sustained combat operations.
“These crews will do absolutely everything to make sure the mission goes well. And they clearly have done that on Lincoln,” he said.
The USS George Washington is expected to relieve the Lincoln.
Cooper told its crew that they would be returning home, although no precise date was announced.
“I can tell you, the uplift in morale when you have that, even if they don’t have an exact date, you know you’ve got a relief,” Mullen said.
He also called for the Navy to increase its carrier fleet beyond the current 11 vessels if the US planned to maintain deployments at their present pace.
“We actually need more, I think, in the current environment if we’re going to deploy them like this,” Mullen added.
–IANS
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