US Navy veteran Jonny Burnell spent 111 days aboard the battleship USS Vinson during the US war with Afghanistan in 2001. His role as a Navy photographer allowed him to visit crew throughout the ship, unlike most sailors who are confined to parts of the vessel where they work. In an age before digital photography, troops were often eager to get their picture snapped whenever they saw him.
Over more than three months aboard the USS Carl Vinson, he witnessed a change among the crew as their excitement and energy faded to what he called a "sadness". "There was one point where there was a visible kind of deadness in the shipmates' eyes", he recalls. "I still think the hardest part of my job was watching the sadness in people's faces every frickin' day." Burnell told the BBC he's been watching on the brink of tears as concern mounts about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln - which has been deployed as part of the US-Iran war since 11 December, more than double his deployment aboard the Vinson.
Military on the Lincoln are reportedly contending with food shortages, broken plumbing and exhaustion, according to two US publications that cover the military - the Military Times and Stars & Stripes. Family members of sailors onboard have expressed concern about their mental health deteriorating due to the conditions, with some sailors having reportedly attempted to jump overboard. Military officials have disputed that there are severe issues afflicting the ship, and some veterans have also suggested that the accounts in the media are overblown.
The reports in the media are largely inaccurate, and "99% hype," says retired Navy Lt Commander Steve Rogers, Director of the Association of the United States Navy (AUSN). As part of his job for the AUSN - a non-profit that works to help US Navy servicemembers - he has been speaking to relatives of troops on the Lincoln. He says its normal for families to worry about their loved ones at war, and that the troops are well prepared for the situation they find themselves in.
In an interview with the BBC, a relative of one sailor on the Lincoln said that their family member had lost 65lbs (29kg), and has been suffering from exhaustion because of the constant noise and vibrations. Asked about the situation aboard the Lincoln on Friday, Trump dismissed the reports, saying the deployment is "not nearly long enough". On Sunday, the head of US Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, released a statement saying that of the 11 active aircraft carriers in the US military "the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health".
"This doesn't mean all is perfect," said Admiral Brad Cooper, adding that "service at sea for long periods isn't for everyone". "It is uniquely challenging and tough," he continued, adding that "mental health is another aspect of individual health and requires our attention just like physical health and spiritual health". Burnell, the former military photographer, says from his prior experience, he believes many members of the crew aboard the Lincoln don't get the chance to even visit the top deck due to their duties below.
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