SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego parents with sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are closely monitoring news out of the Middle East as the carrier supports U.S. military operations against Iran.
Todd Sickinger and his wife have one thing on their minds: their son, Devynn, a sailor aboard the Lincoln.
"We were as shocked as everybody Saturday morning," Sickinger said.
The San Diego-based carrier left port last November, spending the early part of its deployment in the Indo-Pacific before being moved to the Middle East in late January amid rising tensions with Iran.
Over the weekend, the ship was at the center of conflicting reports about whether Iran had struck the carrier. The U.S. later said missiles "didn't even come close."
Devynn has been in the Navy since 2021 and is now a Petty Officer Third Class. The 23-year-old works with fighter jets, doing aircraft safety equipment.
"So you may have seen there was a plane shot down over Kuwait. The pilot got out, so my son would be in charge of making sure that pilot is able to get out safely," Sickinger said.
Sickinger says he's proud of his son's service and will keep a close eye on any developments.
"Of course, we have mixed feelings about everything, and we're concerned about his safety, but also we understand that he's in the Navy and this is his time to shine," Sickinger said.
As he keeps a close eye on any news or communication from the Lincoln, he says he hopes for the best for his son's safety, and says it's inevitable to worry.
"You're always going to worry about your kids, you always will, so I need to sometimes step back and let him be the man that he's become," Sickinger said.
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