COVID-19 Outbreak Leaves US Navy Warship Sidelined in Guantanamo Bay

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

A U.S. Navy warship has paused its deployment to South America because of a coronavirus outbreak, the Navy said Friday.

The USS Milwaukee, a littoral combat ship, is staying in port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, where it had stopped for a scheduled port visit. It began its deployment from Mayport, Fla., on December 14 and was heading into the U.S. Southern Command region.

The Navy said in a statement that the ship's crew is “100% immunized” and that all of those who tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolated on the ship away from other crew members. The number of crew testing positive was not disclosed. The ship has a crew of a little more than 100.

The Navy said that “a portion” of those infected are having mild symptoms, and that the specific variant is not yet known. COVID-19 cases have surged across the country as a result of the highly contagious omicron variant.

Read more: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/covid-19-outbreak-leaves-us-navy-warship-sidelined-in-guantanamo-bay/2846166/

[NickB79]

1. Exhibit #1 for why we need to vax the military

Without their vaccines, a lot more troops would be sick a lot longer.
And why the GOP pushing back against mandates is weakening our nation

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. If America is weakened what will happen to American homeland tho? Nothing.

American military could be weaker by half, easily, and still no one will invade,

[NickB79]

5. No one is worried about mainland invasion

That's literally a straw man.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

7. Then what's the worry, literally? Why spend such vast treasure?

[EX500rider]

16. Because we rely on over seas trade and the world economy, we are not self sufficient in everything

[Alexander Of Assyria]

19. So if America did not spend 800 billion a year world trade to America would end? I don't

really see the connection.

[EX500rider]

21. Without the ability to project force anywhere on the planet bad actors and rogue nations..

...could certainty choke trade to the US. N Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, etc

[NickB79]

24. A few examples of the US military protecting our interests overseas

North Korea attacks South Korea, we lose access to all their tech trade.

China invades Taiwan, we lose access to their semiconductor supplies

Iran attacks Saudi Arabia, global oil production is wrecked and oil prices skyrocket

Russia decides to do anything in Europe, well, you get the idea

[TexasTowelie]

26. OMG, not the baklavas! nt

[Alexander Of Assyria]

2. Deployment to South America? Some country there gonna invade America?... Ever?

Come to think of it ….who is EVER going to invade America that the nation is so terrified into spending $800 Billion a year to prevent such a thing ever happening…y’all pay up now, y’a hear?

Such obvious questions few in media dare to ask, the common folks are asking all the time.

[bearsfootball516]

6. Yup. A few countries, the US, China, Russia, are largely uninvadable.

Their sheer size and populations of those countries prevent an opposing force from ever being able to invade. Any sort of collapse would have to be from policies that cause the country to fall apart from the inside.

Wait a second...

[Alexander Of Assyria]

9. Indeed sir, if only America would spend a bit of the $800B/year making America the finest most

democratic, fair and free country in the world, who would want what anyone else has to offer? An actual shining light on the hill, not just some campaign slogan.

Any economic or military rival would be left in the dust, everyone would want to be America and follow its example in every way.

[hack89]

11. Drug interdiction

And friendship building exercises with allied nations.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

14. Building excercises to build what to do what is my question, at what cost?

Drug interdiction requires US warships? They gonna shoot up some drug boats?

[hack89]

17. The US Navy has been doing anti-drug operations for over 30 years

I did a bunch in the 1990s. Carried a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment. We busted a mother ship off the coast of Panama with 2 tons of cocaine.

[McKim]

18. Well, there's Chile

Well there's Chile, too much democracy down there and time for a military patrol off the coast.
Have they called Henry Kissinger yet?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

20. Yes sir, you have hit the nail on the head, the true major mission. Intimidation and control.

[EX500rider]

22. I really doubt Chile cares if US Navy vessels transit international waters off their coast. nt

[George II]

4. Right wingers are losing their minds over this - "see, we told you so about the vaccine!"

Last edited Sun Dec 26, 2021, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

Thankfully it appears there aren't any serious cases.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

8. Sailors are packed onto warships like sardines in a tin can. Always have been.

Right winger psychos who do all their scientific research on the internet over a PhD….are just packed into tin cans.

Irrelevant.

[Irish_Dem]

10. The vaccines have always been a national security issue.

The GOP doesn't care at all if they weaken the US.

[Rebl2]

12. Seems to

be the case as I see it.

[haele]

13. If the crew is less than 100, even 10 down with COVID can drop the ship status into unready

Depending, of course, who got sick.
Lucky thing they're all vaccinated, but that ship is going to have to sit it out until the virus burns itself out.
Florida and other red States don't understand why the military is so freaked out about COVID; that's an entire ship that has to drop out of mission readiness for nearly a month while in quarantine. And all those sailors are stuck there, waiting for their turn to be sick or test positive until the medical department determine the virus is no longer on the ship. Would you want your life dependent on half your co-workers being too sick to be able to pay much attention around high voltage and finicky heavy machinery. "It's just the flu" can get really dangerous around high power distribution switchboards or large marine gas turbine engines - or on deck watch at night during heavy seas.
Someone or several someones probably brought it onboard the night before deployment from family members, and were asymptomatic long enough to spread it through their division before it was under control.

Haele

[Alexander Of Assyria]

15. Recall an aircraft carrier Captain being fired cause he valued the lives of his Covid stricken

crew more than his career. Disobeyed orders not to dock for medical treatment and seperstjon of the infected.

Happily 2 years later this is not an issue. Why it was then is beyond me.

[70sEraVet]

23. What they did to Captain Crozier still chaps my gizzard.

[Initech]

25. The sooner this damn virus goes away the better!