The USS Abraham Lincoln has spent roughly 250 consecutive days at sea supporting US operations linked to the war with Iran, with the USS George Washington now heading to the region as its expected replacement.

Families have raised concerns about exhaustion, isolation and mental health after months without a normal port visit, while Pentagon officials dispute claims of a crisis onboard.

Alison Bath is an investigative journalist with Stars and Stripes, the US military's independently-run news outlet for the armed forces and their communities. 

She has recently published an article about the conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and the toll it's taking on sailors and their families.