COVID and the Military
"Command is a sacred trust that must be continually earned,"
One would like to believe that he really meant to say "continuously" - there's a considerable difference! The new (and returning) CO has a major task on his hands......
Jack
One would like to believe that he really meant to say "continuously" - there's a considerable difference! The new (and returning) CO has a major task on his hands......
Jack
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Full Statement From SECNAV on Relief of CO Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112537
Extracts:
"But there is a larger strategic context, one full of national security imperatives, of which all our commanders must all be aware today. While we may not be at war in a traditional sense, neither are we truly at peace. Authoritarian regimes are on the rise. Many nations are reaching, in many ways, to reduce our capacity to accomplish our national goals. This is actively happening every day. It has been a long time since the Navy and Marine Corps team has faced this broad array of capable global strategic challengers. A more agile and resilient mentality is necessary, up and down the chain of command.""Perhaps more so than in the recent past, we require commanders with the judgment, maturity, and leadership composure under pressure to understand the ramifications of their actions within that larger dynamic strategic context. We all understand and cherish our responsibilities, and frankly our love, for all of our people in uniform, but to allow those emotions to color our judgment when communicating the current operational picture can, at best, create unnecessary confusion, and at worst, provide an incomplete picture of American combat readiness to our adversaries."
".. the TR’s Carrier Strike Group Commander, RDML Stuart Baker. RDML Baker did not know about the letter before it was sent to him via email by the CO. It is important to understand that the Strike Group Commander, the CO’s immediate boss, is embarked on the Theodore Roosevelt, right down the passageway from him. The letter was sent over non- secure, unclassified email even though that ship possesses some of the most sophisticated communications and encryption equipment in the Fleet."
"It was sent outside the chain of command, at the same time the rest of the Navy was fully responding. Worse, 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."
"I could reach no other conclusion than that Captain Crozier had allowed the complexity of his challenge with COVID breakout on the ship to overwhelm his ability to act professionally, when acting professionally was what was needed most. We do, and we should, expect more from the Commanding Officers of our aircraft carriers."
Video of SECNAV Press Conference:
https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112537
Extracts:
"But there is a larger strategic context, one full of national security imperatives, of which all our commanders must all be aware today. While we may not be at war in a traditional sense, neither are we truly at peace. Authoritarian regimes are on the rise. Many nations are reaching, in many ways, to reduce our capacity to accomplish our national goals. This is actively happening every day. It has been a long time since the Navy and Marine Corps team has faced this broad array of capable global strategic challengers. A more agile and resilient mentality is necessary, up and down the chain of command.""Perhaps more so than in the recent past, we require commanders with the judgment, maturity, and leadership composure under pressure to understand the ramifications of their actions within that larger dynamic strategic context. We all understand and cherish our responsibilities, and frankly our love, for all of our people in uniform, but to allow those emotions to color our judgment when communicating the current operational picture can, at best, create unnecessary confusion, and at worst, provide an incomplete picture of American combat readiness to our adversaries."
".. the TR’s Carrier Strike Group Commander, RDML Stuart Baker. RDML Baker did not know about the letter before it was sent to him via email by the CO. It is important to understand that the Strike Group Commander, the CO’s immediate boss, is embarked on the Theodore Roosevelt, right down the passageway from him. The letter was sent over non- secure, unclassified email even though that ship possesses some of the most sophisticated communications and encryption equipment in the Fleet."
"It was sent outside the chain of command, at the same time the rest of the Navy was fully responding. Worse, 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."
"I could reach no other conclusion than that Captain Crozier had allowed the complexity of his challenge with COVID breakout on the ship to overwhelm his ability to act professionally, when acting professionally was what was needed most. We do, and we should, expect more from the Commanding Officers of our aircraft carriers."
Video of SECNAV Press Conference:
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I'm not far from East Mids and was surprised to see an RAF Atlas heading that way yesterday. After a quick google it seems they have at least one kitted with "full aeromedical evacuation capability for high dependency and highly infectious patients".
Also plenty of Mil choppers around, A Lynx just flew over today, there was a Merlin went over the other day as well.
Also plenty of Mil choppers around, A Lynx just flew over today, there was a Merlin went over the other day as well.
This Captain, commander of thousands of crew members, tried to take care of his people. Something his commander-in-chief and henchmen know nothing about nor respect. I salute this Captain, he did nothing that diminished our national security. Nothing that was irreversible. Retreat to fight another day is a well understood military measure. We must care for and care about those who go into harm’s way for our sake. Shame on SecNav and those in authority over him. Do we not value the investment we have in these crew members and the time and resources it would take replace them, even if we disregard their lives and well-being?
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"Of the sailors who have tested positive, they continue to exhibit only mild symptoms, Aquilino said. “I have no sailors hospitalized, I have no sailors on ventilators, I have no sailors in critical condition, no sailors in an [intensive care unit] status on Theodore Roosevelt,” he said."
The ship was not on fire. The humans aboard are a relatively healthy demographic?
Major assets being ready, and appearing ready, is important.
I don't know about your services, but mine suffer a fair number of aircraft crashes and vehicle rollover fatalities in training. There are losses in wars and actions of dubious purpose, and an elevated suicide incidence with the reserves and veterans.
Maybe a little risk associated with keeping the ship staffed would also shed some light on the value-versus-hazard of shutting down the economy of a world threatened most by overpopulation.
The ship was not on fire. The humans aboard are a relatively healthy demographic?
Major assets being ready, and appearing ready, is important.
I don't know about your services, but mine suffer a fair number of aircraft crashes and vehicle rollover fatalities in training. There are losses in wars and actions of dubious purpose, and an elevated suicide incidence with the reserves and veterans.
Maybe a little risk associated with keeping the ship staffed would also shed some light on the value-versus-hazard of shutting down the economy of a world threatened most by overpopulation.
"Of the sailors who have tested positive, they continue to exhibit only mild symptoms, Aquilino said. “I have no sailors hospitalized, I have no sailors on ventilators, I have no sailors in critical condition, no sailors in an [intensive care unit] status on Theodore Roosevelt,” he said."
The ship was not on fire. The humans aboard are a relatively healthy demographic?
Major assets being ready, and appearing ready, is important.
I don't know about your services, but mine suffer a fair number of aircraft crashes and vehicle rollover fatalities in training. There are losses in wars and actions of dubious purpose, and an elevated suicide incidence with the reserves and veterans.
Maybe a little risk associated with keeping the ship staffed would also shed some light on the value-versus-hazard of shutting down the economy of a world threatened most by overpopulation.
The ship was not on fire. The humans aboard are a relatively healthy demographic?
Major assets being ready, and appearing ready, is important.
I don't know about your services, but mine suffer a fair number of aircraft crashes and vehicle rollover fatalities in training. There are losses in wars and actions of dubious purpose, and an elevated suicide incidence with the reserves and veterans.
Maybe a little risk associated with keeping the ship staffed would also shed some light on the value-versus-hazard of shutting down the economy of a world threatened most by overpopulation.
This Captain, commander of thousands of crew members, tried to take care of his people. Something his commander-in-chief and henchmen know nothing about nor respect. I salute this Captain, he did nothing that diminished our national security. Nothing that was irreversible. Retreat to fight another day is a well understood military measure. We must care for and care about those who go into harm’s way for our sake. Shame on SecNav and those in authority over him. Do we not value the investment we have in these crew members and the time and resources it would take replace them, even if we disregard their lives and well-being?
I believe he did the right thing and those in the chain of command likely will understand that as well BUT if he got away with it then danger is someone would do similar in the future. Lets see what happens as it works its way out.
The ship has 4800 people embarked. Given the demographic of the population concerned, let's assume that the death rate from COVID is 0.1% (somewhere around 1/10 to 1/30th of the rate in the general population). If you assume an infection rate of 80% amongst a population with no where to go and no real way of isolating from one another, that's 3 sailors dead. The Captain's point was exactly the opposite to yours. There is no war, and they are providing no critical capability at this point in time. With that in mind, what is the point in killing 3 people at random for the sake of it.
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I'm not far from East Mids and was surprised to see an RAF Atlas heading that way yesterday. After a quick google it seems they have at least one kitted with "full aeromedical evacuation capability for high dependency and highly infectious patients".
Also plenty of Mil choppers around, A Lynx just flew over today, there was a Merlin went over the other day as well.
Also plenty of Mil choppers around, A Lynx just flew over today, there was a Merlin went over the other day as well.
Nothing to do with C-i-C as naval personnel made the call on this. Let their procedures follow their course but to assumme everybody had an input is wrong.
I believe he did the right thing and those in the chain of command likely will understand that as well BUT if he got away with it then danger is someone would do similar in the future. Lets see what happens as it works its way out.
I believe he did the right thing and those in the chain of command likely will understand that as well BUT if he got away with it then danger is someone would do similar in the future. Lets see what happens as it works its way out.
Hopefully he gets a minor slap on the wrist, an admin appointment for a few months and then another command.
The claim is that the letter was cc'd to multiple recipients and consequently went viral even before the Navy Secretary had seen it. I could understand that being unacceptable to the chain of command.
Simultaneously, there is no question that this broad distribution compelled immediate action, which may have helped prevent a much larger outbreak,
Social distancing is impossible aboard a carrier, a 100,000 ton ship with 4-5000 sailors and airmen aboard. Hopefully the Navy will recognize that the breach of protocol prevented what could have become a major problem.
Simultaneously, there is no question that this broad distribution compelled immediate action, which may have helped prevent a much larger outbreak,
Social distancing is impossible aboard a carrier, a 100,000 ton ship with 4-5000 sailors and airmen aboard. Hopefully the Navy will recognize that the breach of protocol prevented what could have become a major problem.
None BUT their arguement would be he went outside the chain of command making it look they were doing nothing which appears not to be the case. The arguement of being emotionally compromised probably holds water but then easy to say that when someone sitting in Norfolk rather than in a carrier
Hopefully he gets a minor slap on the wrist, an admin appointment for a few months and then another command.
Hopefully he gets a minor slap on the wrist, an admin appointment for a few months and then another command.
He will never be given another command. That isn’t done when one has been removed. His Navy career is over.
Don’t be naive, he is not new to being an officer and fully knows how to use the chain of command. When the chain of command is deaf and unresponsive, and sailors’ health and well-being are at stake, the courageous commander does whatever it takes, regardless the personal cost. Just as he did.
Now his elected commander-in-chief has defended the SecNav’s move. Interesting how the president supports a Navy SEAL convicted of murder, rather than a commander defending his sailors. No surprise really.
Last edited by GlobalNav; 5th Apr 2020 at 17:54.
But that claim about "it got away from us" may have substance.
I have seen a few ill advised messages/signals sent out with too large of a "info addressee" list over the years which ended up causing quite a bit of trouble.
Esper confirmed he didn't even read the letter so the captain was right to speed things up his way. Otherwise nobody had listened.
So the now seemingly slow and unforgiving apparatus navy at least had picked the right guy for the job before.
He tested corona positive.
So the now seemingly slow and unforgiving apparatus navy at least had picked the right guy for the job before.
He tested corona positive.
Last edited by Less Hair; 5th Apr 2020 at 20:35.
The Captain was Stupid?
Well, SecNav doubled down, disparaging Capt Crozier as stupid for not knowing his letter would be broadly distributed.
I would not disparage this courageous commander. If there was error, it was the false hope that the Navy’s highest leadership truly valued the the true source of its ability to defend our country, it’s sailors.
The truth hurts, and the pain can be temporarily relieved by denial. The American people are not blind. The SecNav and his superiors stand naked before the truth.
If the good Captain had cared more for his career than his subordinates, THAT would have been grounds for dismissal.
I would not disparage this courageous commander. If there was error, it was the false hope that the Navy’s highest leadership truly valued the the true source of its ability to defend our country, it’s sailors.
The truth hurts, and the pain can be temporarily relieved by denial. The American people are not blind. The SecNav and his superiors stand naked before the truth.
If the good Captain had cared more for his career than his subordinates, THAT would have been grounds for dismissal.
