Navy: Former USS Theodore Roosevelt Commander Navy Capt. Brett E. Crozier, breaks his silence
Capt. Brett Crozier of the Theodore Roosevelt Covid 19 drama broke his silence in an exclusive to the San Francisco Chronicle: “With a “bureaucratic logjam” above him and a spiraling coronavirus outbreak aboard his aircraft carrier, Navy Capt. Brett Crozier told investigators he knew sending up a “red flare” would jeopardize his military career, but he did it to avoid catastrophe.”
“The situation was so dire on the USS Theodore Roosevelt that by March 30 leaders on the coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier found themselves “inside a tornado fighting a war,” according to emails recently released to Task & Purpose by the Navy this week. after a FOIA request in April.
“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,” Crozier had written in an email that was leaked that triggered massive hysteria.
In hindsight, the situation could have been handled differently had the military not been hurled into the mayhem of fears of the unknown.
Crozier was frustrated with the administrative minutia and lack of responses and missed communications and “lost confidence.” “I fully realize that I bear responsibility for not demanding more decisive action the moment we pulled in, but at this point, my only priority is the continued well-being of the crew and embarked staff,” he wrote.
He sent the infamous email knowing it was at the risk of his job.
“I regret attempting [the aft quarantine] and would not do it again,” Capt. Daniel Keeler said. “By the time we pulled into Guam, it was apparent the entire ship met [the Navy’s] definition of ‘close contact.’” “CO, [command master chief], and I are inside the tornado fighting a war,” wrote Keeler, the executive officer, in an email sent on March 30.
In the final analysis, the crew could not enforce “social distancing”, likely all were exposed, over 1100 tested positive and one sailor died. He was Aviation Ordnanceman Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr., 41, of Fort Smith, Ark.
But the high profile case gave ammunition for scientific studies of the CDC, which at first, admittedly, had “limited knowledge,” and was making wild guesses concerning the new virus. The results of the case study:
Among a convenience sample of 382 young adult U.S. service members aboard the aircraft carrier experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, 60% had reactive antibodies, and 59% of those also had neutralizing antibodies at the time of specimen collection. One fifth of infected participants reported no symptoms.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Young, healthy adults with COVID-19 might have mild or no symptoms; therefore, symptom-based surveillance might not detect all infections. Use of face coverings and other preventive measures could mitigate transmission. The presence of neutralizing antibodies among the majority is a promising indicator of at least short-term immunity.
Some quoted by Task and Purpose from the released emails were on Crozier’s team: “Whether you intended for your letter to be made public or not is beside the point,” one Navy commander, their name redacted in the released emails, wrote Crozier on March 31. “You are a HERO for looking out for your sailors and I’m sure they are grateful for it. We need more leaders like you in our Navy.”
Another unnamed commander under fire and under quarantine sent his empathy to Captain Crozier:
“I wanted to say thank you for your letter and taking the risk to help your sailors. I had my first positive COVID 19 onboard this morning and while trying to lead 300+ in a tough time I was subsequently being questioned by [Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic] along the lines of how could I let this happen.
“CNSL has mirrored most of Navy leadership in trying to wish this problem away and I thought your letter was spot on in trying to preserve readiness by preserving our force.”
But the top Brass was not: Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly was livid, and relieved Crozier of his post, then later resigned himself. Rear Adm. Baker was also disapproving of Crozier’s actions.
For his decision which he apparently does not back down from after the storm has settled, Capt Crozier was under intense heat and released from his post:
Navy: Former USS Theodore Roosevelt Commander Will Not Be Reinstated
JUNE 19, 2020 | BY C. TODD LOPEZ, DOD NEWS
Following the release of a report into the events surrounding an outbreak of COVID-19 on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Navy Capt. Brett E. Crozier, the ship’s former commander, will not be reinstated, Navy Adm. Michael M. Gilday, chief of naval operations said at a Pentagon news conference.
Based on facts found in the report, which Gilday and Navy Secretary Kenneth J. Braithwaite characterized as both thorough and fair, Gilday said his initial recommendation that Crozier reinstated was proven wrong.
In addition, Navy Rear Adm. Stuart Baker’s pending promotion to two-star rank has been put on hold, pending further review, Gilday said. Baker, the commander of Strike Group 9, was Crozier’s immediate superior.
“I previously believed that Captain Crozier should be reinstated following his relief in April, after conducting an initial investigation,” Gilday said at today’s news conference. “The much broader, deeper investigation that we conducted in the weeks following that had a much deeper scope. It is my belief that both Admiral Baker and Captain Crozier fell well short of what we expect of those in command. Had I known then what I know today, I would have not made that recommendation to reinstate Captain Crozier. Moreover, if Captain Crozier were still in command today, I would be relieving him.”
Crozier will not be reassigned as the commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, nor will he be eligible for future command opportunities. Instead, he will be reassigned to other work.
“Captain Crozier’s primary responsibility was the safety and the well-being of the crew, so that the ship could remain as operationally ready as possible,” he said. “In reviewing both Admiral Baker and Captain Crozier’s actions, they did not do enough, soon enough, to fulfill their primary obligation.”
Both Crozier and Baker failed to move sailors off the aircraft carrier as quickly as they could have, and failed to move them to a safer environment more quickly, Gilday said. Additionally, he said, Crozier “exercised questionable judgment when he released sailors from quarantine on the ship, which put his crew at higher risk and may have increased the spread of the virus aboard the Theodore Roosevelt.”
Crozier was relieved of duty April 2 following the leak of a letter he wrote to those higher up in his chain of command. In the letter, he asked for more assistance in dealing with the outbreak of COVID-19 on the ship. Gilday said it is the findings of the more detailed investigation, rather than the existence of the leaked letter, that have prevented Crozier from being reinstated as commander of the Roosevelt.
“As Captain Crozier stated in his email, he should have been more decisive when the ship pulled into Guam,” Gilday said. “He also said that he was ultimately responsible for his ship and his crew. And I agree. In the end, the email and the letters sent by Captain Crozier were unnecessary. Actions were already underway to acquire [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]-compliant off-base hotel rooms for the crew before he sent that email.”
Gilday said it’s rare for ship commanders to directly communicate as high up in their chain of command as Crozier did.
“If they do, they must ensure that all of the means of communication within the chain of command have been thoroughly exhausted and that they have a full understanding of all the facts, and that they include all members of their chain of command in that communication,” he said.
At the time the letter was sent, Gilday said, the Navy already had made arrangements for off-ship lodging for Roosevelt sailors.
Braithwaite said he’s satisfied with the depth and fairness of the report, and its conclusions.
“I am satisfied that it was conducted in an extremely thorough and fair manner,” he said. “Moreover, I fully support its findings and recommendations, and I’d like to take this time to commend the investigation team led by [Adm. Robert P. Burke] under the direction of our chief of naval operations [on the work that they did, under very demanding conditions.”
The secretary also commended Guam Gov. Lew Guerrero; Navy Rear Adm. John Menoni, the commander of Joint Region Marianas; and Navy Capt. Jeffrey Grimes, commander of Naval Base Guam, for work related to finding facilities on Guam to house sailors from the Roosevelt.
“Their outstanding efforts greatly contributed to the health, safety and recovery of the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt,” Braithwaite said.