Captain of a US Navy aircraft carrier that faces a growing outbreak of the coronavirus fired by US Navy leaders over a memo sent to plead for help
Removal of USS Theodore Roosevelt's commander condemned by members of the US House Armed Services Committee, who called it a “destabilising move” that will “likely put our service members at greater risk and jeopardise our fleet’s readiness."
Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said the ship's commander, Capt. Brett Crozier “demonstrated extremely poor judgment” in the middle of a crisis. He said the captain copied too many people on the memo, which was leaked to a California newspaper and quickly spread to many news outlets. The USS Theodore Roosevelt, with a crew of nearly 5,000, is docked in Guam, and the Navy has said as many as 3,000 will be taken off the ship and quarantined by Friday. More than 100 sailors on the ship have tested positive for the virus, but none are hospitalised at this point.
Earlier this week, Modly told reporters that Crozier would not be relieved of duty for trying to protect his sailors, but left the door open for punishment if the captain leaked the memo to the press. On Thursday, Modly said he has no information to suggest that Crozier leaked the memo to the press. “Captain Crozier was justifiably concerned about the health and safety of his crew, but he did not handle the immense pressure appropriately,” the lawmakers said. "However, relieving him of his command is an overreaction.”
Crozier, in his memo, raised warnings the ship was facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus and asked permission to isolate the bulk of his crew members on shore, an extraordinary move to take a carrier out of duty in an effort to save lives.
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