American sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln deserve leadership, not neglect
For 22 years, I had the distinct honor of wearing the uniform of the United States Navy.
I walked into the fleet as an 18-year-old enlisted recruit, earned my anchors as a chief petty officer (E-7) after eight years, received my officer commission as an ensign in my ninth year, and retired after 22 years of honorable service and seven overseas deployments as a lieutenant commander.
I have walked in the steel-toe boots of the young sailor working 12-hour shifts on steel decks, and I have stood four-hour watch as an officer making operational calls in high-stress, hostile waters.
I know what it takes to maintain readiness under pressure. More importantly, I know that chief petty officers and other deckplate leaders are the true backbone of our fleet — and when deckplate conditions deteriorate, our national security crumbles with them.
Today, as a Georgia state representative in my 10th year of public service, I carry a dual responsibility — to honor the uniform I wore for over two decades, and to use my elected platform to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
That is why I cannot remain silent about the reality facing the crew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).
Morale matters for combat readiness
Currently deployed in volatile Middle Eastern waters, the USS Abraham Lincoln is not just a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier — she is a multibillion-dollar national asset and a sovereign extension of American resolve.
Yet, reports and testimonies emerging from her decks reveal a glaring disconnect between the strategic value we place on the vessel and the value we are placing on the 5,000 human beings who operate her.
Our sailors are reported to be facing severe mistreatment, escalating burnout, and a toxic, unaddressed crisis of morale.
While executing high-tension aviation and maritime security missions, the crew reportedly is subjected to unrelenting operational tempos without adequate relief, unaddressed quality-of-life concerns, and a command climate that too often dismisses legitimate strain as mere “complaining.”
In the military, we preach that “people are our greatest asset.” But when leadership, especially in Washington, DC, turns a blind eye to deteriorating morale, those words ring hollow.
Morale is not a luxury item — it is an absolute prerequisite for combat readiness. High operational stress paired with low morale leads directly to severe sleep deprivation, compromised decision-making, and operational errors that put lives and multi-billion-dollar assets at risk.
Top leaders are failing to do their jobs
Those of us in elected office have a sacred obligation to listen when these brave men and women in uniform — and the families sacrificing alongside them at home — raise the alarm. When military families worry in silence as they watch their loved ones stretched beyond human limits, leaders in Washington cannot turn a deaf ear.
Our young sailors do not expect luxury in a combat zone. They expect discipline, clear purpose, and hard work. But they also expect leadership that matches their sacrifice with accountability, dignity and care. Expecting service members to absorb endless strain without responsive action is not toughness — it is a failure of command.
A carrier’s true power does not reside in her catapults, her reactors, her fighter jets, or her flight deck. It resides entirely within the young men and women standing watch in the engine rooms, loading ordnance through the night, and carrying the burden of our national defense.
Naval leadership and decision-makers in Washington must immediately step up to evaluate operational strain, enforce quality-of-life standards, and restore trust aboard the Lincoln and other afloat assets (i.e., ships, submarines, etc.). Taking care of our people is not secondary to mission accomplishment — it is how we accomplish the mission!
Our sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln and other ships and submarines have earned our respect, our gratitude, and above all, our action! Bring them home now and end this senseless war!
Rep. Derrick Jackson is a Georgia state representative serving his 10th year in public office. He is a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander who served 22 years on active duty, rising from seaman recruit to chief petty officer to commissioned officer and accomplished seven overseas deployments.