US soldiers stationed aboard a US warship, whose deployment has been prolonged due to escalating tensions with Iran, are voicing concerns over their exhausting schedules being compounded by persistent toilet blockages on the vessel.
Some crew members on the USS Gerald R. Ford are even considering leaving the military, overwhelmed by the prolonged separation from their families.
Originally set to return to Virginia in early February, the ship is now navigating towards the Middle East to bolster US efforts in light of ongoing clashes with Iran.
This massive warship, the largest in the US fleet, embarked on its mission in June 2025. Initially, it was stationed in the Mediterranean but was redirected in October to the Caribbean to assist with the Venezuelan crisis, where US forces detained President Nicolás Maduro.
The extended deployment has kept sailors at sea for 11 months, far exceeding the usual six-month stint. This unexpected duration has already led to at least one sailor missing a family member’s funeral.
Compounding their challenges, routine maintenance has been difficult to perform, leaving many of the ship’s 650 toilets non-functional, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Officials told WSJ that the problem is not impacting their missions, but that hasn’t stopped soldiers from complaining to their families about the problem.
Sailors on the US Gerald R. Ford have been sent back to the Mediterranean. It is the second time their deployment has been extended after they were shipped from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to assist with the Venezuelan operation
US Navy Capt. David Skarosi acknowledged the extension of the deployment was a ‘sting’ for many sailors but insisted it was part of the job
Jami Prosser’s son is currently stationed on the Ford. She said the father-of-two has missed big family moments, including his great-grandfather’s funeral and his sister’s divorce.
Others have to cancel trips, recuse themselves from weddings, and more.
Scott Tomlin’s son has also mentioned the bathroom situation to his parents. He told his father part of the problem was due to someone throwing garbage into one of the toilets, his father told WSJ.
Parents and loved ones are also shipping as many packages as possible to the warship, as their honorable family members are begging for better food, whether it be mac and cheese, hot sauce, or their favorite snacks.
Rosarin McGhee has sent her husband 17 care packages since his deployment, she said.
McGhee was ‘heartbroken’ to hear her husband’s return was being once again delayed.
‘I must stay here by myself, no matter how lonely or overwhelming it becomes,’ she said.
Not only are sailors homesick and missing trips, but they’re also dealing with daily maintenance calls to some of the 650 toilets onboard
President Donald Trump extended their deployment to help with any US operations against Iran
Captain David Skarosi acknowledged the soldiers’ disappointment, calling it a ‘sting’.
Skarosi told WSJ that the extension even came as a surprise to him.
He wrote to sailors in a February 14 letter that he too had to rearrange his plans to fix his backyard fence because of the extension, but said: ‘When our country calls, we answer.’
‘I’ve spoken to many of your Sailors who are coming to terms with missing Disney World plans, weddings they already RSVP’d to attend, and spring break trips to Busch Gardens,’ he wrote in the letter, the WSJ reported.
On Friday, the ship passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, according to the US Naval Institute (USNI) News.
Alongside the Ford, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group has also been sent to the Mediterranean.
The US has continued to build up its presence in the Mediterranean as the president talks about striking the country due to political unrest.
The world sits on edge that the strike could happen soon amid news the US moved more than 60 attack aircraft to a base in Jordan on Friday.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has also been deployed to the Mediterranean
It and its strike crew are seen traveling the seas on February 6
Dozens of aircraft were seen parked at the base, known as Muwaffaq Salti, according to flight tracking data reviewed by the New York Times.
The 60 aircraft are about triple the number of jets that are normally stationed there. At least another 68 cargo planes have also landed at the base since Sunday.
Satellite imagery also revealed several drones, helicopters, F-35 stealth jets, and new air defenses have landed at the base.
Anonymous Jordanian officials told the Times they hope negotiations will prevent military action in the region, but that American planes are deployed at the base as part of a defense agreement between the two countries.
Donald Trump has alluded to striking Iran in the coming days, telling reporters on Friday that he was considering military action to pressure Iranian officials to negotiate the terms of the country’s nuclear program.
White House sources previously told the New York Times and CNN that the US was prepared to strike Iran as early as this weekend.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Navy for comment.
