ON WATCH

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 256

Two-hundred days. That’s 200 sunrises with 12+hour workdays for all hands-on deck. It’s equivalent to over 1200 rotations of 4-hour watches. It’s over 3 million meals served; thousands of aircraft evolutions; and an incalculable number of gallons of potable water produced.

For over 200 days, the men and women of the USS Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, has been on watch. Her crew hasn’t stepped on land or had liberty.

Moreover, and worse yet, by all reports, she’s quickly running out of food, hygiene and cleaning supplies, and the ship is heavily under mechanical stress. Yet, she’s being ordered to hold the line and keep up the fight, in a fight our nation didn’t need to start.

Morale is at an all-time low, and reports have indicated several crewmen have attempted suicide. Supposedly she’s going to be relieved, but until the George Washington arrives on station, Lincoln will remain on watch.

Some online are saying “Suck it up. You signed up for this.” My guess, those tuff guy naysayers have never served. Me? I understand, but only to a point.

During Operation Desert Storm, we were underway for over 90 days before pulling ashore. That said, that was less than half the Lincoln's current time on station, and at no time did we ever run out of supplies or food, or suffer from mold, backed up sewage systems, and deal with a rat infestation.

My friends, as you can see, tonight I’m writing a different kind of blog,. This former sailor is one peeved swabbie. No sailor, marine, airman, solder, or guardsman should have to serve in these horrid conditions. I cannot imagine their plight. I beg you, keep the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln in your prayers tonight.

On this 256^th daily edition, I’m thankful for every man and woman in our military arsenal who awakes daily and dutifully stands their watch. They’re not in it for the money nor the applause. At a minimum, though, they deserve our gratitude and certainly our prayers.

Lord, thank you for every man and woman who’s lifted their right hand and take the oath to defend this nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. Protect our men and women in uniform. Encourage, comfort, and guide them. Give our sailors, specifically, aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln the relief they need, sooner than later. Amen!