I don’t have strong opinions about the Navy’s decision to remove Capt. Brett E. Crozier from command of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt nuclear-armed aircraft carrier. As a political matter, however, I think it was handled terribly and will result in a big loss of confidence from rank and file sailors. I understand that it’s not good to have commanders writing about sensitive issues that wind up being published in the San Francisco Chronicle. Capt. Crozier should have taken more care to assure that his email did not leak, and that’s assuming he didn’t intend for it to leak.
His concern was obviously justified. The Covid-19 virus was spreading like wildfire on his ship and he didn’t have any way to stop it except to disembark the crew. When he was relieved his command, his crew cheered him. Now he has himself tested positive for the virus, which will only add to the sympathy have for him.
The news of Crozier’s diagnosis is likely to fuel further skepticism of the Navy’s handling of the outbreak aboard the aircraft carrier, which has already received notable criticism from the rank and file. On Friday, videos circulated showing hundreds of sailors aboard the Roosevelt cheering for Crozier as he disembarked the ship. Memes depicting the Navy captain rescuing his sailors from a burning building over saving his own career sprouted up across social media.
Crozier’s basic position seems unassailable:
In his letter to top Navy command, Crozier said if it was operating in wartime, the ship would cope and continue operations and battle the illness as best it could.
“However, we are not at war, and therefore cannot allow a single Sailor to perish as a result of this pandemic unnecessarily,” Crozier wrote. “Decisive action is required now in order to comply with CDC and (Navy) guidance and prevent tragic outcomes.”
There are already 155 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among the crew of 4,000, yet fortunately no one is critically ill at this time. Crozier sent his email to about 20 people over an insecure channel, and that’s really the reason why he has been sacked. Still, it’s a bit much to argue, as President Trump did, “He shouldn’t be talking that way in a letter. I thought it was terrible what he did.”
Joe Biden naturally pounced:
On Sunday, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. expressed criticism of the Navy’s actions on ABC’s “This Week,” saying, “I think it’s close to criminal the way they’re dealing with this guy.”
“I think he should have a commendation rather than be fired,” Biden added.
As a matter of public relations and military morale, I have to agree 100 percent with Biden. On the merits, it’s a closer call. But I think it’s safe to say that the Trump administration isn’t winning many military votes with their treatment of Crozier. Sailors respect a commander who puts their lives first even if he makes some mistakes in how he goes about it.
The good Captain puts his crew first and gets punished for it. I suspect that he had made many pleas through channels for getting his crew taken care of. This speaks that he was saying “fuck ’em” to the political appointees probably telling him to sit down and shut up about the illness about to kill someone on his crew. Captain Crozier likely did not want a preventable death on his conscience.
But, way to alienate a lot of military folks who tend to vote Republican. Some might want to die for their country. Getting killed by a virus in peacetime by orders of their negligent commander in chief isn’t what they likely had in mind.
I suspect you are correct that Capt. Crozier probably exhausted the normal protocol he felt was available to him without getting a response. The biggest regret is that he felt like he had to decide between the well-being of his crew and his career. From where I stand as a 23-year Navy veteran I have no doubt that he made the morally right and honorable choice. I wonder how many others in that position would have made the same choice.
Now if Jared was the captain he woulda got a medal. You can bet on that as some would say.
But his email…
Netflix will make a movie about him. Tom Hanks will play the lead, bringing more pathos to the role, having had the virus.
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bungle is the only way they know how to do things.
I’m not a military person, so perhaps it is not my place to opine on this. But this brings to mind something I’ve been saying for a while about Trump. He has no honor. Not only that, he doesn’t understand anyone who does.
You are 100% right about that.
Apparently he has tested positive.