WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – A battle played out at sea and in Washington between the Navy and one of its highest-ranking officers. The Navy said it is dismissed a captain for the way in which he spoke out about his concerns that the coronavirus was endangering his crew.
Friday morning, Brett Crozier is a captain without a ship. The Navy’s top brass dismissed him from his duties aboard the USS Roosevelt after the commanding officer sounded the alarm about an outbreak of the coronavirus aboard the aircraft carrier.
The Navy’s acting secretary, Thomas B. Modly, explained the decision on Thursday: “I have no doubt in my mind that Captain Crozier did what he thought was in the best interest of the safety and wellbeing of his crew. Unfortunately it did the opposite. It unnecessarily raised the alarm of families of our sailors and marines with no plans to address those concerns.”
The dismissal comes on the heels of a blunt letter written by Crozier to Navy officials, and obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, detailing a COVID-19 outbreak. The letter read in part: “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset: our sailors.”
Navy officials say their reason for dismissing Crozier was because he sent that letter over “non-secure unclassified email” to a “broad array of people” instead of going through the normal chain of command.
The acting secretary also insisted help for those suffering from the virus was on the way before the letter was written. Modly stated, “The captain’s actions made his sailors, their families, and many in the public believe that his letter was the only reason help from our larger Navy family was forthcoming, which was hardly the case.”
President Trump was pressed on the decision by NBC’S Geoff Bennett, who said, “To fire captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt after he raised red flags about the COVID-19 outbreak, it appears as if he’s being punished for trying the lives of the sailors in his command. What’s your assessment?”
President Trump said, “I don’t agree with that at all. Not at all. Not even a little bit.”
Crozier will keep his rank and remain in the Navy.
As of Wednesday 93 of the more than 4,800 crew members on board the aircraft carrier have tested positive for the virus. More than 1,000 sailors were taken off the carrier and placed in isolation in Guam where the ship is docked.
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