Navy Sailor Faces Discipline After Overboard Incident
PHOTO CAPTION: A U.S. sailor assigned to Airborne Command & Control Squadron 117 observes flight operations from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 11, 2026. U.S. Navy photo via NAVCENT Public Affairs.
A sailor who jumped overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln earlier this month in what his wife describes as a suicide attempt is now facing nonjudicial punishment from the Navy for alleged malingering and absence without leave.
Charging documents reviewed by MS NOW accuse the sailor of violating Article 83 and Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The sailor has not been publicly identified, and the allegations are being handled through nonjudicial punishment rather than a court-martial.
The sailor went overboard from the Lincoln on Aug. 3 and spent roughly an hour in the water before being rescued. His wife has said the incident was an attempt to take his own life following repeated struggles with his mental health during the carrier's extended deployment.
According to MS NOW's reporting, Article 83 covers malingering, including intentionally injuring oneself or feigning illness to avoid work, duty or service. Article 86 addresses unauthorized absence from a required place of duty.
The sailor's wife told MS NOW that her husband had repeatedly sought help for his mental health before the incident. She also said he had repeatedly requested paternity leave following the birth of their daughter in February but was denied.
After returning to San Diego on Aug. 13, the sailor spent five days at Naval Medical Center San Diego, according to his wife. She said he was monitored medically but did not meet with a psychiatrist or therapist during that stay and was later directed to return to work.
His first therapy appointment came Aug. 26, nearly two weeks after he returned to San Diego, his wife told MS NOW. That same reporting revealed the disciplinary action now being pursued against him.
“I think they’re insane for doing this to people who need mental help,” his wife told MS NOW, criticizing the Navy's decision to pursue discipline.
The sailor is expected to face a captain's mast, a form of nonjudicial punishment that allows a commanding officer to address alleged misconduct without a court-martial. Potential punishment could include a reduction in pay, according to MS NOW's reporting.
The case comes amid broader scrutiny of conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln during an unusually long deployment that began in November 2025 and was repeatedly extended amid U.S. military operations involving Iran.
Military Times reported earlier this month that multiple sailors had attempted to go overboard during the deployment, citing sailors' family members. The Navy declined to provide an exact number of incidents but said Lincoln's leadership continually assesses the crew's psychological readiness and that counselors, chaplains and medical professionals are available aboard the carrier.
In a statement addressing questions about disciplining sailors following suicide attempts, a Navy official told MS NOW that the service remains committed to sailors' health and well-being and said asking for help is a sign of strength. The Navy did not publicly detail the circumstances it believes support the allegations against this sailor.
The disciplinary action now places a deeply personal case at the center of a broader military debate: how the services should balance accountability and good order with the treatment of troops experiencing serious mental-health crises.
Source: MS NOW, U.S. Navy, Military Times
