USS Abraham Lincoln Plans Home-Port Move

PHOTO CAPTION: Sailors depart the USS Abraham Lincoln after the aircraft carrier returned to San Diego on October 8, 2026, following a 321-day deployment. The Navy has since confirmed the carrier will change home ports to Bremerton, Washington, by the end of the year, requiring another permanent change of station for affected sailors and families. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Maliq J. Martin)

Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln returned home earlier this month after spending 321 days deployed, including 265 consecutive days without a port visit. Now, just weeks after reuniting with their families, they are preparing for another major change: relocating to Washington state.

The Navy has confirmed that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will shift its home port from San Diego, California, to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Washington, by the end of 2026.

The move will be executed as a permanent change of station for the carrier's crew and their families, according to the Navy.

Although the relocation was planned before the carrier returned, its timing has renewed concerns about the demands placed on sailors following one of the Navy's longest modern deployments.

321 Days Away From Home

The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, for what was initially expected to be a routine deployment.

Its mission expanded after American and Israeli forces began military operations against Iran in February.

The carrier's deployment was extended twice.

Over the course of nearly 11 months, the Lincoln operated across the Pacific and Indian oceans and supported combat operations in the Middle East.

The ship completed approximately 40 days of combat operations and spent 265 consecutive days without a port visit, according to Navy reporting.

Its crew also supported thousands of aircraft sorties and conducted extensive at-sea replenishment operations.

The carrier finally returned to Naval Air Station North Island on October 8.

Approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines were welcomed by family members and friends after the extended deployment.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the carrier strike group would receive a Presidential Unit Citation for its combat service.

Homecoming Followed by Another Major Move

The Navy confirmed October 19 that the Abraham Lincoln would relocate to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton for previously scheduled maintenance at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

Task & Purpose reported October 22 that December 31, 2026, is the administrative date established for the home-port change.

That gives sailors and their families little time between the carrier's October homecoming and the end-of-year transition.

For affected households, a permanent change of station can involve arranging transportation, finding housing, transferring children between schools, coordinating employment for military spouses and shipping household belongings.

The Navy has not publicly specified an individual relocation deadline for every family.

Unlike a temporary maintenance visit, the announced home-port change is being handled through the Navy's permanent change of station process.

Families Had Already Raised Concerns

The relocation adds to a period of uncertainty for families who spent much of the year waiting for news about the carrier's return.

During the extended deployment, relatives of sailors raised concerns about food quality, living conditions and mental health aboard the ship.

The Navy and Pentagon disputed some of the allegations concerning conditions on board, while the service also sent additional mental health support personnel to the carrier.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao subsequently confirmed that eight sailors across the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group had attempted suicide during the deployment. No deaths resulted from those attempts, according to the Navy.

At an August town hall in San Diego, family members also raised concerns about uncertainty surrounding the expected move to Washington.

For those families, the October homecoming did not mark the end of logistical challenges.

Some Sailors Just Met Their Newborn Children

The timing has particular significance for families that welcomed children during the deployment.

According to Navy Times, 122 sailors from the Abraham Lincoln and its embarked air wing became fathers while deployed.

Some met their children for the first time when the carrier returned to San Diego.

Those families are now adjusting to life together after months of separation while also facing the possibility of relocating to another state.

It is not yet known how many of the families with newborn children will be moving to Bremerton.

Navy Says Relocating Families Will Receive PCS Support

A Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose that sailors and their families will relocate individually with assistance from their chains of command and the service's permanent change of station resources.

The Navy says the available support includes transportation and storage of household goods, travel allowances and assistance with housing.

Eligible sailors relocating dependents may receive up to four proceed days, while commanders can authorize up to 10 days of house-hunting time, depending on operational requirements.

Naval Base Kitsap and regional organizations are also preparing transition programs for arriving families, including childcare support, housing resources and a Welcome to Kitsap event.

These benefits and services are intended to help families complete the transition, although the Navy has not provided a public assessment of how many households will require relocation.

Carrier Moving for Long-Planned Maintenance

The Navy says the home-port change is part of broader fleet planning and a scheduled maintenance period intended to restore the Abraham Lincoln's readiness after years of operational service.

The carrier is expected to undergo work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

Officials have not announced when the maintenance period will begin.

The move also supports the Navy's broader positioning of aircraft carriers across its Pacific installations.

For the Abraham Lincoln's crew, the next phase follows nearly 11 months away from home, two deployment extensions and a widely celebrated return to San Diego.

The carrier's maintenance schedule was already planned, but the timing means many sailors and families now face the demands of another military relocation shortly after one of the longest deployments of their careers.

(Source: OAF Nation)