What Happens If a Sailor's Wife Has a Child While He's Gone?

By the time President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003, its crew had completed the longest carrier deployment in U.S. Navy history, including delivering some of the first air attacks during Operation Iraqi Freedom. During a naval deployment that lasted nearly 10 months, 150 babies were born to servicemen on the ship -- and by tradition, those sailors were the first allowed off the aircraft carrier when it docked back in the United States.

Life in the U.S. Navy:

• Typical naval deployments last about six months, and ships deploy every 18 to 24 months, depending on the mission, type of ship, and world events.
• While at sea, a sailor's working day is often long. There's a lot to do to keep the ship, its aircraft, and other machinery working properly.
• Off-duty time can be spent exercising, watching movies, playing cards, or emailing friends and family back home. Some ships also provide college classes.