Navy recommends reinstating fired captain who sounded alarm on coronavirus outbreak - POLITICO
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 4 years ago • 12 commentsBy: LARA SELIGMAN (POLITICO)
Navy recommends reinstating fired captain who sounded alarm on coronavirus outbreak
Crozier lost his command this month after a letter requesting help from Navy leaders leaked to the media.
Capt. Brett Crozier. | Alexander Williams/U.S. Navy photo
By LARA SELIGMAN
04/24/2020 03:21 PM EDT
Updated: 04/24/2020 05:17 PM EDT
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Top Navy officials are recommending that Capt. Brett Crozier, the former commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, be reinstated to his position, according to a senior defense official with knowledge of the decision.
The unprecedented decision, which still must be approved by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, would be a stunning rebuke to former acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who fired Crozier over his handling of the outbreak and later resigned over remarks he made to the ship's crew.
Navy leaders verbally briefed Esper on the recommendations in the service's preliminary inquiry Friday afternoon, Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement. Once Esper receives a written copy of the completed inquiry, he will "thoroughly review" the report and will meet again with Navy leaders to discuss "next steps," Hoffman said.
Esper is likely to support the Navy's decision. Hoffman said earlier Friday that while "he is going into this with an open mind," Esper is "generally inclined" to support the chain of command.
But Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wants "a different approach," according to the senior defense official.
The news of the recommendation was first reported by The New York Times.
Modly fired Crozier after the captain emailed several Navy leaders asking for help for his roughly 5,000 sailors. The message was later leaked to the media. Modly abruptly fired Crozier on April 2 before the service could complete an investigation into the incident, saying the captain exercised "poor judgment" and that he believed President Donald Trump would want him relieved.
Crozier's reinstatement will likely be viewed favorably by Navy veterans and lawmakers, many of whom criticized Modly's decision to relieve the captain in the middle of a crisis for what was moved as a minor infraction. The move had already been called into question: Modly told reporters that Crozier had CC'd "20 to 30" people on the email, but The Washington Post reported that the captain only copied a handful of other Navy officials.
The ship's crew has also been eager to see Crozier reinstated. Videos posted of his last moments on the ship showed sailors cheering, chanting his name and swarming to say goodbye.
Lawmakers on Friday urged Esper to accept the Navy's recommendation and reinstate Crozier.
"While Captain Crozier's actions at the outset of the health crisis aboard the TR were drastic and imperfect, it is clear he only took such steps to protect his crew," said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, calling Modly's decision to fire Crozier "wrong." "Not only did Captain Crozier have the full support of his crew, he also attempted to work within his chain of command. During this time of crisis, Captain Crozier is exactly what our Sailors need: a leader who inspires confidence.
Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) also called on Esper to heed the Navy's advice.
"The Navy made the right decision in recommending Brett Crozier be reinstated as Captain of the U.S.S. Roosevelt. Captain Crozier is a man of incredible integrity and is respected by the sailors aboard the U.S.S. Roosevelt," Garamendi said.
Modly himself stepped down in early April after an uproar over a profanity-laced address he gave to the Roosevelt's crew, in which he called Crozier "naive" and "stupid" for sending the message.
Although Trump suggested that he might intervene in the investigation, the White House did not get involved, according to the defense official. He did, however, fault Crozier for writing the letter.
"The letter was a five-page letter from a captain, and the letter was all over the place," Trump said. "That's not appropriate."
"I thought it was terrible, what he did, to write a letter. I mean, this isn't a class on literature. This is a captain of a massive ship that's nuclear powered. And he shouldn't be talking that way in a letter," Trump said.
In the letter, Crozier urged "decisive action" to remove the "majority of personnel" from the carrier.
"We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die," Crozier wrote. "If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors."
Trump later said "I don't want to destroy somebody for having a bad day."
The Roosevelt's crew has been stuck on Guam since March 27 as it deals with the outbreak. The Navy has now tested 100 percent of the crew, with 856 positive results. Four sailors are in U.S. Naval Hospital Guam being treated for Covid-19 symptoms. One died this month. Crozier, who was also infected, is in isolation in Guam.
A second ship at sea, the destroyer USS Kidd, has now been sidelined by the virus. The ship is preparing to pull into port after 18 sailors tested positive for Covid-19, the Pentagon confirmed Friday.
POLITICO
When I said, a couple weeks ago , that the behavior of Modly (berating the captain to the crew) might result in Captain Crozier getting another ship to captain, I had a couple people here telling me I didnt know what I was talking about. And that Crozier was finished in the navy.
Well, what do you know, it appears now that Crozier is not only going to get a ship to command, its going to be the same one, the carrier Roosevelt , that he was removed from by Modly.
Not so fast JR. Seems the Sec Defense isn't so sure.
Another outbreak on the USS Kidd, a destroyer.
He's waiting for Trump to tell him what to do.
The Secretary of Defense is unqualified for his position and this is exactly the reason Trump chose him.
Several other ships have crew that tested positive.
It will continue to spread.
I've been following this through the Navy Times. The Navy has completed it's investigation and recommended he be reinstated. It looks as though it was the chain of command above the captain that broke down without responding to the virus issue, AND disclosed the email that ended up in public hands. Everyone thought it was the captain that made the disclosure.
The SECDEF should just leave it alone with the Navy, but I'm sure that the request for additional investigation is all about foot dragging and pressure from above.
Even some of the "Hard-Core" by-the-book types that comment on boards on at the Navy Times are in agreement that the captain should be reinstated to his command. The point that is worrisome that the chain of command didn't provide direction to the captain, thus it fell to the captain to make the decision that those with stars wanted cover from. Pretty typical.....
To be honest, that was my first impression. My belief was the captain told the air wing commander, his immediate supervisor, and that commander did nothing.
In Crozier's frustration, he wrote the letter, omitting the air wing commander because he had already went that route and sent it to other supervisors. That pissed of the the air wing commander, prompting someone to say he went above his CoC.
I hear that if he were to get reinstated, it has been delayed for at least a month until the completion of another investigation.
Capt. Crozier should have never been dismissed for simply looking after his crew and ship.
If a dismissal in this case is warranted then the entire Trump cabal should be thrown into a den of werewolves. The Administration, since day one of the COVID outbreak have been diluting and hiding the facts from the American people for purely political reasons. To do this is not normal and contradicts everything a government is supposed to do.
And last week Esper said he would "likiey" abide by the Navy findings and recommendations.
I am guessing that Esper was not prepared for this as it bucks Navy tradition biggly.
Sad situation. Delay indicates no confidence in either Gilday, Crozier or the pentagon.
Not good unless it can be spun into a win for the White House.
"spun into a win for the White House." In the reality of this why is that necessary? Is the White House really that dangerous?
Dunno, going on a week now.
New Acting Navy Sec asks for "deeper review".
Capt. Crozier should have never been dismissed for simply looking after his crew and ship.
True to a point..... When made public, the Navy will always frown on displaying dirty laundry in public, hence the reaction. IF.... the captain had in fact made his email public, then he would be in error by going around the chain of command. The fact that he wasn't the one that leaked the email to the San Francisco press, means that in fact he was working within his chain of command as is proper procedure.
This captain, once he gets his flag, will make a very good regional/fleet commander. Let's just hope he gets to trade in his eagles for stars I the near future.