Navy Rejects Captain's Plea to Evacuate Virus-Ravaged Carrier

[babylonsister]

Navy Rejects Captain’s Plea to Evacuate Virus-Ravaged Carrier
By Roxana Tiron
, Travis J Tritten
, and Glen Carey
March 31, 2020, 11:52 AM EDT Updated on March 31, 2020, 7:52 PM EDT


A U.S. Navy captain’s dramatic plea to evacuate most sailors from an aircraft carrier struck by the coronavirus was tamped down by an admiral who called for a more gradual rotation of crew members off the ship that’s sidelined in Guam.

Citing an “ongoing and accelerating” danger on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Captain Brett Crozier sent his Navy superiors a memo pleading, “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die.” He called for removing all but a skeleton crew off the carrier, where sailors are in close quarters, so that they can be isolated and tested.

Admiral J.C. Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, told reporters Tuesday evening that it’s not possible to move as quickly as Crozier wanted. “There are some constraints that we’re operating around,” he said. He added that he’s in touch with the governor of Guam about finding hotel rooms where sailors can stay until they are cleared to return.

Asked whether the carrier should be evacuated, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday evening that “I don’t think we are at that point.”

“At this point in time, we are trying to make sure that we contain the virus, that we deploy testing kits, and we get a good assessment of how much of the crew is infected,” Esper said in an interview on the “CBS Evening News.”

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he’d leave the decision up to the Pentagon.

more...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-31/carrier-s-captain-pleads-for-coronavirus-action-to-save-sailors?fbclid=IwAR0fnC9iVoAsCYgUMCrglGJXeTQFbQsi4l_cC5WScIOCY9AaJB2kFIljGeM

[Sherman A1]

1. One suspects that Captain Crozier's career is over

assuming he survives the virus outbreak on his ship. He seems to be a good man that cares for his crew, but probably made too many waves to keep his job.

[Phoenix61]

5. I think he'll be fine

It’s the guy above him who refused to evacuate the ship who has toasted his own career.

[Sherman A1]

6. I believe it will be the other way around

but time will tell.

[jberryhill]

7. Evacuate the ship to where?

My understanding is limited, but the average age aboard an aircraft carrier is something like 24 years old.

85% of covid-19 cases resolve with no more than mild to moderate symptoms, and that number is improved at the young end.

They have better medical facilities than any town of their population, and are out in the middle of the Pacific.

Again, maybe I'm unbelievably stupid, but what place is better off to receive them than they are to care for themselves?

[Phoenix61]

8. While the average age may be 24 there are

a lot of people who are going to be in their late 30’s-40’s, basically all the high ranking personnel. I seriously doubt they are supplied to deal with a respiratory epidemic on board. Due to the tight quarters there is no way to keep the disease from spreading. We saw how rapidly it spread on cruise ships and they have private rooms for everyone. What do you think happens in open dorms, shared shower spaces, and cafeterias?

[jberryhill]

10. That doesn't address the question of how and to where to evacuate an aircraft carrier

They can't just abandon the ship at Guam. One would suspect that every military installation is dealing with the identical problem right now, it is simply that most military facilities don't make public reports of their strength and combat readiness for reasons that should be obvious.

What is the alternative plan other than to find a way to isolate and treat as best as possible and then recycle recovered crew back into service?

Who would you like to remove, where would you like them to go, and how would you like to get them there?

Click their heels three times and turn up in San Diego?

Or have daily flights for people who, by and large, are going to have a fever and cough for a couple of days and then be fine - thus infecting the air crews?

[Phoenix61]

11. Again, you can't isolate on a carrier.

The captain didn’t request to abandon the ship. He requested to take it down to a skeleton crew which means it would still be battle ready but with fewer people on board. Reach out to the Air Force base there and enlist their help.

Added: I don’t think they have ruby slippers on board so clicking their heels probably wouldn’t work. While young people are less likely to die from covid they make up the same percentage of hospital admissions as older people. How many ventilators do you think they have on board?

[jberryhill]

12. "He requested to take it down to a skeleton crew"

There is no guarantee the members of the skeleton crew would not also be infected, thus losing redudancy.

But I'm still not clear on where the others are proposed to go, how they are to get there, nor what the condition of that destination might be. I am certain that this aircraft carrier is not the only vessel, base or other military installation that has its hands full with this right now.

"How many ventilators do you think they have on board?"

How many are any place else? We are going to hit a point real soon where there are more people who need them than anyone has them, and that is not a unique condition to a military vessel which, again, has better medical facilities than any town its size.

[bobbieinok]

2. Aren't military leaders supposed to care for the well-being of those in their commad?

His comments sound pretty cold-blooded! !

[Demonaut]

3. there will be a mutiny unless the get it under control

[spanone]

4. Unfuckingbelievable

[Ilsa]

9. Esper wants to wait and see how many are infected?

Likely all of them. It's irresponsible to play with their lives like this.