Top Navy admiral to decide fate of ousted Captain Crozier
Vice Adm. Michael Gilday arrives for a Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, for his confirmation hearing to be an admiral and Chief of Naval Operations. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) — Military.com
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UPDATED 4:25 PM PT — Sunday, April 19, 2020
The fate of the former commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt now lies in the hands of the Navy’s top admiral. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday will review Captain Brett Crozier’s dismissal after the captain sent an email raising concerns over coronavirus and the safety of his sailors.
Gilday’s review will additionally look at the command climate onboard the war ship and higher up within the pacific based fleet. The admiral will also determine if there are broader leadership problems in such a critical region.
According to Gilday, all options are on the table. He added he is not ruling out reinstating Crozier.
In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, Capt. Brett Crozier, then-commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), addresses the crew on Jan. 17, 2020, in San Diego, Calif. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Williams/U.S. Navy via AP)
Top military officials have made similar remarks concerning the situation. Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated he is also open to the captain’s return to service.
Shocking new details have emerged since his firing, revealing the now famous memo was actually sent to fewer people than the Navy previously stated. The email from Captain Crozier was reportedly sent only to three admirals and copied to seven other captains.
This contradicted former acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly’s assertion that it had been sent to 20 or 30 people, which justified his decision to relieve Crozier of his command.
“On Sunday night, he sent that email and that email went out to a broad audience of people,” stated Modly. “I mentioned that it was over 20, we believe it was 40 to even far more than that.”
He has since stepped down after coming under fire for criticizing Crozier’s actions as “too stupid or too naive.”
FILE – In this Dec. 3, 2019, file photo, acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly testifies during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee about about ongoing reports of substandard housing conditions in Washington, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
The president has also considered looking into the matter. He called Crozier an outstanding military official who may have had a bad day.
“He knows it better than anybody in this room what he should have done, and I’m sure he feels he made a mistake. But I’m going to look into it and I’m going to see, maybe we can do something. I’m not looking to destroy a person’s life, who has had an otherwise stellar career, as I understand it.” –Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States
However, Admiral Gilday will have the final say as the nation looks on.
MORE NEWS: Navy Not Ruling Out Reinstating Ousted Aircraft Carrier Captain Crozier