Families of USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier in Middle East told their loved ones won’t be home for the holidays: report

Detailed summary

The strike group’s deployment has now been extended twice — and Navy officials warned of a potential 12-month deployment

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Families of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group were told their loved ones won’t be coming home for Thanksgiving or Christmas as the conflict in the Middle East continues, according to a report.

Relatives of the 7,000 service members who are part of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group were left incensed after they were told the Iranian attacks continue to “pepper” U.S. ships enforcing the blockade of Iran, meaning their loved ones will not be coming home for the holidays, according to audio of a November 9 meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, obtained by MS NOW.

Roughly 500 family members of deployed service members attended the meeting, which marked the second time that the strike group’s deployment has been extended since departing Norfolk, Virginia, on March 31.

However, this time, the families were warned to prepare for a worst-case scenario of a 12-month deployment.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been there. I know what it feels like; I know how hard it is when your kids are asking, ‘When’s daddy coming home? When’s mommy coming home?’” Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said during the meeting, according to the report.

Family members did not hide their disappointment in the news, which happened just two weeks before Thanksgiving. At times, some of the loved ones yelled at Navy leaders, accusing them of giving them the “runaround,” according to the report.

The report detailed the explosive reactions of audience members, including one who called the war “unsanctioned.”

Another person told Navy leaders: “Trust within the force and among our families is heavily strained right now between record-breaking stretches without relief, shifting timelines and the feeling that communication downplays the reality on the ground. Families are burning out under the immense strain.”

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