Aircraft carrier captain removed from duty after pleading for help with coronavirus outbreak

awpitt

Main Streeter
.........................
The captain of an aircraft carrier struggling with a coronavirus outbreak has been relieved from command after a letter he penned pleading for help leaked to the media.

Capt. Brett Crozier was relieved from command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced Thursday.

Crozier wrote a letter to Navy leaders that was obtained and published by the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday, in which he warned of dire consequences if most of the sailors on Roosevelt aren’t evacuated.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/...POexi_NlI7tFAz6aM9sHd44C6GljMunVEtFDkO4Lp-MPo
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
Gotta let the story play out, so many things that have happened over the years are not what they seem. It's gotten to where I don't believe the whole story is out there, EVER. Sucks big time to not trust our leaders, media or whoever. Obviously he was relieved of duty, I'm not talking about that.
 

awpitt

Main Streeter
That message wasn't "leaked" to the press, Capt Crozier gave it to the press, which is why he was relieved of command.

Watch and see.


Yea, If he's the one that leaked it, he deserved to be relieved. If not, then it's a case of him being relieved for doing his job.
 
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WingsOfGold

Well-Known Member
In some ways the Navy acts like the catholic church.
Rules are rules, it's called chain of command. While he was trying to do right he SHOULD have known better, he phucked up royally.
This guy got shafted even worse IMO. I would have loved to be aboard his ship.

 

awpitt

Main Streeter
Rules are rules, it's called chain of command. While he was trying to do right he SHOULD have known better, he phucked up royally.

You're assuming he's the one who gave it to the press. While it is likely he did, none of us know, for a fact, that he did.
 

WingsOfGold

Well-Known Member
You're assuming he's the one who gave it to the press. While it is likely he did, none of us know, for a fact, that he did.
This is true but I'd take that bet and give odds if we could find out for sure. Sadly today's military has a softer underbelly due to PC, watered down basic, coed warships and loss of tradition.
 
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Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
You're assuming he's the one who gave it to the press.
Seems like acting SecNav is saying just that. From NPR - "Modly charged that by having "widely distributed" a letter highly critical of the management of a coronavirus outbreak that has sickened more than 100 of the Roosevelt's crew, Crozier had "allowed emotion" to color his judgment and that the captain's letter "was sent outside the chain of command" by failing to alert his immediate supervisor, strike wing commander Rear Adm. Stuart Baker." https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...er-criticizing-handling-of-coronavirus-outbre
 

limblips

Well-Known Member
It is stunningly obvious that he released information about the condition of his crew. Classified info. And we bid you adieu Captain.
 

awpitt

Main Streeter
Seems like acting SecNav is saying just that. From NPR - "Modly charged that by having "widely distributed" a letter highly critical of the management of a coronavirus outbreak that has sickened more than 100 of the Roosevelt's crew, Crozier had "allowed emotion" to color his judgment and that the captain's letter "was sent outside the chain of command" by failing to alert his immediate supervisor, strike wing commander Rear Adm. Stuart Baker." https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...er-criticizing-handling-of-coronavirus-outbre

Thanks.

My guess is that the letter, in question, wasn't the CO's first attempt at alerting the higher ups about the threat to the ship's material condition of readiness. As is often the case, things like this initially fall on deaf ears and nothing gets done until this sort of "whistle blower" act happens. This happens a lot in the Navy and the military as a whole. A problem grows and is put on the back burner until something really bad happens. Look at the ship collisions a couple of years ago. The things that let up to those were a longtime in the making and nothing was done.
 
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22AcaciaAve

Well-Known Member

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
I am really torn on this at this point. Why? Because CDRSalamander praised the CO and I generally defer to him on Navy matters.

Perhaps I don't understand how command works in the Navy, but from this Army guy's perspective what the CO wrote was a real problem (and that's an understatement). Given the distance (meaning, no conversation could be face-to-face) this should have been handled via secure phone call or SIPRNET. NOT A LETTER; the outcome of which was almost certain leaking. It almost seemed designed to cause the Navy real embarrassment.

There is much we don't know yet (which is why I'm torn). Did he try to have those secure conversations? Did he feel he wasn't being heard? Was the letter idea "approved" and someone else leaked it? Right now all the Navy is saying is that the CO didn't take appropriate actions to safeguard the info in the letter.

So I'm torn because there's stuff I don't now yet. Plus I read Salamander's take.

But if I had to make a call based on what I'm reading at this point and what I know from what was expected from me, the CO had to be relieved. What he did may elicit sympathy, but it was reckless (on so many levels).

Maybe he and Vindman can open up an online Etsy store together...?

--- End of line (MCP)
 

Merlin99

Visualize whirled peas
PREMO Member
I am really torn on this at this point. Why? Because CDRSalamander praised the CO and I generally defer to him on Navy matters.

Perhaps I don't understand how command works in the Navy, but from this Army guy's perspective what the CO wrote was a real problem (and that's an understatement). Given the distance (meaning, no conversation could be face-to-face) this should have been handled via secure phone call or SIPRNET. NOT A LETTER; the outcome of which was almost certain leaking. It almost seemed designed to cause the Navy real embarrassment.

There is much we don't know yet (which is why I'm torn). Did he try to have those secure conversations? Did he feel he wasn't being heard? Was the letter idea "approved" and someone else leaked it? Right now all the Navy is saying is that the CO didn't take appropriate actions to safeguard the info in the letter.

So I'm torn because there's stuff I don't now yet. Plus I read Salamander's take.

But if I had to make a call based on what I'm reading at this point and what I know from what was expected from me, the CO had to be relieved. What he did may elicit sympathy, but it was reckless (on so many levels).

Maybe he and Vindman can open up an online Etsy store together...?

--- End of line (MCP)
Given the info we have, the second paragraph is the pertinent one.
 

WingsOfGold

Well-Known Member
Maybe he and Vindman can open up an online Etsy store together...?

--- End of line (MCP)
Now that's a thought! :bann:

Truth of the matter is he phucked up jumping the chain of command. No service puts the massive responsibility of a navy skipper, ESPECIALLY that of a super carrier. He wasn't up to task, he got his ass shitski canned.
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member
He had a job to do........didn’t do it....JMHO
Now the Chicoms know we are weak in the South China Sea....what the hell was he thinking?
 

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
He had a job to do........didn’t do it....JMHO
I think this is what the sides are lining up to: the question as to what one means when one says "he had a job to do."

--- End of line (MCP)
 
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