USS Theodore Roosevelt Commanding Officer Followed the Example of Colonel Roosevelt

As reported by USNI News, Captain Brett Crozier was recently relieved of command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) by Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly for showing “extremely poor judgement” while attempting to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among the 4,800 members of his crew. According to Modly, Crozier allowed a letter he wrote to his chain of command, which outlines his view of the problem the ship faces and the immediate support he requires to deal with it, to reach informal channels by sending an email out “pretty broadly.” While not sent directly from Crozier, a copy of the letter ultimately fell into the hands of a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle where it was published to wide national interest.