USS Boxer issues statement amid reports of shortages of women’s hygiene products
The U.S. Navy has denied claims that female sailors aboard the USS Boxer were running short of tampons and other hygiene products, pushing back against allegations from family members and commentators that supplies aboard the amphibious assault ship had become scarce during its deployment to the Middle East.
The denial comes as the Navy faces broader scrutiny over conditions aboard deployed warships, particularly the USS Abraham Lincoln, where reports of food shortages, sanitation problems and declining morale have prompted questions from lawmakers and military families.
Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Defense and U.S. Navy via email for comment.
What Sparked the USS Boxer Shortage Claims?
The USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1995. Homeported in San Diego, the ship is designed to transport military personnel, helicopters and other aircraft in support of expeditionary missions. The ship left San Diego in March to support U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
After reports circulated online over the weekend, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s 5th Fleet issued an unusually direct rebuttal on social media, describing claims of a shortage as “FALSE.”
The statement came after allegations emerged from family members of sailors aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. One account, published last week by MeidasTouch, claimed female sailors had run short of pads and tampons and were asking relatives to send extra supplies. The report also alleged that care packages sent to the ship had failed to arrive.
According to the family member’s account, the Boxer left San Diego in March and later deployed to the Middle East in support of U.S. military operations in the region. They claimed lengthy periods at sea and a lack of resupply opportunities had contributed to shortages onboard.
What Has the Navy Said About Conditions Aboard USS Boxer?
In its response, the 5th Fleet said the Boxer had made four port visits since departing San Diego in March and had spent less than two months at sea since its most recent stop. Officials also said feminine hygiene products were available through the ship’s store and medical offices, while the vessel had received two major mail deliveries during August.
The Navy added that the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group remained “fully equipped and prepared to execute all assigned missions.”
Alongside the official message, the USS Boxer Facebook account has shared several posts in recent days celebrating the distribution of mail to on-board sailors and Marines.
USS Boxer Controversy Follows Scrutiny of USS Abraham Lincoln
The disagreement comes as questions about the welfare of sailors on lengthy deployments have become a growing issue for the Navy.
Earlier this year, family members, sailors and lawmakers raised concerns about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been operating in the Middle East during an extended deployment. Allegations have included food shortages, inadequate access to hygiene products, plumbing and laundry problems, mail disruptions and mounting mental health strains among crew members.
At the time, the Pentagon denied any suggestions of food shortages on board the USS Abraham Lincoln and did not comment on the new pictures, directing Newsweek to a series of posts by the U.S. Navy’s Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, including one that said: “Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false.”
But questions about conditions have continued. Last week, a group of House Democrats wrote to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao seeking information about reports of deteriorating living conditions aboard the Lincoln and asking what steps were being taken to support sailors during the deployment. Lawmakers said they had seen reports of chronic hygiene issues, food shortages and mental health concerns among the carrier’s crew.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously described reports about onboard conditions as “completely misrepresented,” while Navy officials have stressed that the carrier’s eventual relief by USS George Washington is part of a planned rotation.
The USS Boxer arrived in the Middle East in late June, while USS George Washington is preparing to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, placing renewed attention on the challenges of sustaining long deployments amid ongoing operations.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
