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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| 'Sailors Do Not Need to Die': Carrier Captain Pleads for Help as Virus Cases Surge |
| 2020-04-01 |
| [Mil.com] The commanding officer of an aircraft carrier sidelined in Guam says there are more than 100 positive cases of the illness caused by the coronavirus among its crew and is calling on Navy leadership to do more to protect the lives of his sailors. Navy Capt. Brett Crozier, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, wrote a four-page letter to his superiors, pleading with them to take action to help stem the spread of COVID-19 cases on his ship. The San Francisco Chronicle obtained a copy of Crozier's letter and broke the story of his stunningly candid request that Navy leaders fix what he says is an ineffective strategy that will only slow the spread on the carrier -- not stop it. "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die," the captain wrote. "If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset -- our Sailors." Between 150 and 200 crew members on the carrier have tested positive for COVID-19, the Chronicle reported. The ship is pierside in Guam, but much of the crew remains on the ship. Related: 'We Are Putting Lives in Danger': Recruiters Urge Boot Camp Closures Amid Pandemic The number of COVID-19 cases has spiked in just seven days since the Navy announced the first three positive cases aboard the warship. Crozier described the spread of the disease as ongoing and accelerating. It's impossible to practice social distancing measures on the ship, he added. The Navy must offload the entire crew so the sailors can be properly quarantined, which the captain acknowledges is an extraordinary measure. But the ship must be cleaned, he said. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #12 Once the visit was scheduled by higher authorities the "shore leave" was inevitable for political reasons. A key point. Thank you. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2020-04-01 23:26 |
| #11 /\ The Captain did not wake up one morning and schedule the port visit. Once the visit was scheduled by higher authorities the "shore leave" was inevitable for political reasons. |
| Posted by: magpie 2020-04-01 21:24 |
| #10 in Viet Nam? Authorized at the highest levels, including DOS |
| Posted by: Frank G 2020-04-01 21:05 |
| #9 “You’re relieved.” |
| Posted by: KBK 2020-04-01 21:05 |
| #8 Hell what was he thinking? Shoreleave?! Sack him. Yesterday. |
| Posted by: Woodrow 2020-04-01 20:19 |
| #7 Shore leave during an epidemic. What could go wrong? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2020-04-01 20:06 |
| #6 ...And sadly, this is the end of the skipper's career. His guys will remember him for the rest of their lives - but the admirals were embarrassed. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2020-04-01 17:57 |
| #5 surprised carriers aren't better prepared for an outbreak. I would have thought such a thing would have been a major risk during the cold war, and even more so now that we have jumping jihadi's. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2020-04-01 13:00 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2020-04-01 10:41 |
| #3 Recruiters Urge Boot Camp Closures Amid Pandemic tough going to make quota this and some subsequent months |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2020-04-01 09:18 |
| #2 So "throw the military at the problem" does not appear to be the answer in this case. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-04-01 09:18 |
| #1 Anyone seen any COVID-19 reporting on the Chinese navy, ships at sea, etc? No, me neither. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2020-04-01 09:17 |