DID Press: Crew members aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford have expressed dissatisfaction over the repeated extension of the ship’s deployment, reported Israeli media outlets, including Maariv, citing reports from Western media. The carrier, dispatched to the Middle East by order of U.S. President Donald Trump, has now remained at sea for more than eight months, despite the standard carrier deployment cycle being around six months.
According to the reports, some sailors say the prolonged deployment has placed heavy pressure on them and their families, with several indicating they may leave the U.S. Navy after returning home. One crew member told the media that personnel are “deeply frustrated,” and that successive extensions have compounded the hardships of the mission.
Meanwhile, reporting by U.S. outlets, including The New York Times, indicates that senior Navy commanders had earlier warned about the operational and human costs of such prolonged deployments. The sources noted that the USS Gerald R. Ford and its crew, after months of continuous missions, require port calls for rest and scheduled maintenance.
Despite these warnings, the deployment has been extended, fueling concerns over psychological strain on sailors’ families and potential impacts on the readiness of U.S. forces.