Update: Navy Upholds Ouster of Carrier Captain After Furor Over Outbreak
After a full investigation the Navy decided to retain Captain Crozier at his current rank, but will not return him to the Roosevelt or offer him any command in the future- i.e. time to retire. Also the Navy is holding the promotion of the Roosevelt carrier strike group, Admiral Baker's promotion. He is likely going to be encouraged to retire.
The Navy won’t return the ousted captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the aircraft carrier that was hit hard by the coronavirus, after an investigation that brought sharp criticism to top officials for not acting fast enough to get ahead of the outbreak.
Captain Brett Crozier will retain his rank but won’t return to the carrier or another command, Navy Admiral Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations, told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday. In addition, the commander of the Roosevelt strike group, Rear Admiral Stuart Baker, is having his promotion put on hold for now.
“I will not reassign Captain Brett Crozier as the commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, nor will he be eligible for future command,” Gilday said. “It is my belief that both Admiral Baker and Captain Crozier fell well short of what we expect of those in command.”