BREAKING: Sailor aboard USS Abraham Lincoln says he lost more than 30 pounds during deployment as family raises food shortage concerns

How is this happening to our men and women in Uniform?

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Writer’s note: The names of the sailor and family member are being withheld because the sailor remains on active duty and the family fears retaliation. Screenshots and images reviewed for this story were redacted to remove identifying information.

A U.S. Navy sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln says he has dropped from about 160 pounds to 128 pounds during deployment, according to messages reviewed by me, as his family says food problems aboard the aircraft carrier are continuing weeks after earlier concerns about meal shortages and weight loss began circulating.

In one message, the sailor appears to write that he weighed 128 pounds after weighing about 160 before deployment.

“My ribs are showing,” the message says.

For a sailor deployed at sea, weight loss is not just a personal health concern. It raises basic questions about the conditions service members are facing while carrying out the mission, far from home and dependent on the ship for food, water, medical care and rest. The family member said the sailor is a little over six feet tall and was already thin before deployment. The relative said the sailor has repeatedly described hunger, small portions and poor food quality while serving aboard the Abraham Lincoln.

“These kids are starving,” the family member said in an interview. “They are getting very little portions of food, and the food that they’re getting is just plain disgusting.”

In another message, the sailor appears to describe himself as “starving” and says he is dreaming of McDonald’s. Another screenshot shows him writing, “I want to go home.”

“I want to go home.” It is not unusual for a young service member to send a message like that during a hard deployment. But taken together with the reported weight loss, the food complaints and the images provided by the family, they point to a deeper concern about whether some sailors aboard the carrier are getting enough to eat.

The family member said the sailor and others aboard the ship are still receiving meals. But the issue, the relative said, is not simply whether meals are being served. It is whether the portions are enough for sailors working long hours during deployment.

In one message reviewed by this reporter, the sailor says he “almost crashed out during breakfast” because eggs and pancakes ran out before they started serving.

A separate screenshot provided by the family appears to show the sailor responding “Yeah, we are” when asked whether sailors were still receiving three meals. The family member said that distinction matters: The allegation is not that the ship has stopped serving food altogether, but that sailors are receiving too little food and that some items are running out before everyone is served.

One photo provided by the family appears to show a mostly empty cafeteria-style tray with a small serving of food in one compartment. The message sent with the image says, “This was my breakfast.”

The family member said the above image reflects what the sailor has been describing what meals look like: limited portions, inconsistent food availability and growing concern about his weight. The family member said they have sent care packages with shelf-stable food, including canned chicken, tuna and beef jerky, because they do not know when the sailor will have reliable access to enough food. They also do not know when the packages will arrive, who will handle them or what condition they will be in by the time they reach the ship.

“I don’t know when the package is going to get there, who’s going to open it, who’s going to manage it, and what condition it’s going to get there in,” the family member said. “These kids are getting sick. They are starving.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln, based in San Diego, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. Reuters reported in January that the Abraham Lincoln and supporting warships had crossed into the Middle East region under U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Navy imagery in February placed the carrier in the Arabian Sea supporting maritime security and stability in the Middle East.

The family member said sailors were recently told their deployment had been extended by 60 days. I have not verified that claim with the U.S. Navy. The family member said they decided to speak out because they believe the situation is continuing and because earlier public discussion about sailors losing weight did not fully capture what their family is now seeing.

The source said the family has deep military ties, including relatives who have served in the Navy. They stressed that the concern is not political and not an attack on the military.

“My family has been in the military forever,” the family member said. “We revere our military. We are so proud of them. And we are not even feeding them. I can’t wrap my mind around that.”

As a Marine Corps veteran, I know there is a difference between a hard deployment and a basic failure to take care of the people carrying it out. Long hours, missed sleep and bad chow are part of military life. But when a sailor tells his family he has lost more than 30 pounds and his ribs are showing, that deserves scrutiny. The family member said that is why they came forward. Not to damage the Navy. Not to expose the sailor. But to force attention on a problem they believe is still happening aboard one of the most important deployed warships in the U.S. fleet.

“This needs to be known,” the family member said. “Whether you agree with the mission or not, they have to eat. They have to be taken very well care of. This is America. We should be able to fill their bellies without having to bat an eye.”

The family said they will continue to monitor the situation, track whether care packages arrive and review messages and photos from the sailor that may document conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln.

For now, the central question remains unanswered by the Navy: How does a sailor aboard a deployed U.S. aircraft carrier say he dropped from about 160 pounds to 128 pounds while his family says food concerns are still going unresolved?

I did send a request for comment to the U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs Office, asking whether the Abraham Lincoln has experienced food shortages, reduced portions, delayed resupply, rationing, complaints about food quality or any medical concerns related to sailor weight loss.

The Navy did not respond before publication.

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