WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Even as he is hailed as a hero by his team, the fired commander of a coronavirus-stricken U.S. aircraft carrier is being reassigned while detectives think about whether he must deal with disciplinary action, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly informed Reuters on Friday.
FILE PHOTO: Captain Brett Crozier addresses the team for the very first time as commanding officer of the attack aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt throughout a modification of command ceremony on the ship’s flight deck in San Diego, California, U.S. November 1,2019 U.S. Navy/Mass Interaction Professional 3rd Class Sean Lynch/Handout via REUTERS
Captain Brett Crozier was relieved of his command of the Theodore Roosevelt on Thursday after a scathing letter in which he called on the Navy for stronger action to halt the spread of the virus aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was dripped to the media.
Modly said in an interview that the letter was shared too extensively and dripped before even he could see it.
However the backlash to Modly’s choice to fire Crozier has been extreme. In videos published online, sailors on the Theodore Roosevelt praised Crozier and hailed him as a hero, out to defend his team – even at fantastic personal expense to his profession.
” Which’s how you send out among the greatest captains you ever had,” exclaimed one sailor in a video post, in the middle of thunderous applause and cheering for Crozier as he left the provider and its 5,000 crew members in Guam.
Modly did not suggest that Crozier’s profession was over, stating he believed everybody deserved a possibility at “redemption.”
” He’ll get reassigned, he’s not thrown out of the Navy,” Modly stated.
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