Brett Crozier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brett E. Crozier
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| Birth name | Brett Elliott Crozier |
| Born | February 24, 1970 Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1992–2022 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) VFA-94 |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit (3) |
Brett Elliott Crozier (born February 24, 1970) is a retired captain who served in the United States Navy. He went to the United States Naval Academy and became a pilot for the Navy. He first flew helicopters and then switched to fighter jets.
In spring 2020, Captain Crozier was in charge of the huge aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. At that time, a serious illness called COVID-19 spread among the crew. Captain Crozier wrote a letter to Navy leaders. He asked for most of the crew to be taken off the ship and safely quarantined on land. This letter was later shared with the news. Because of this, he was removed from his command by the acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Modly. Captain Crozier himself also got sick with the virus. He was later given a different job on land and retired from the Navy in March 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brett Elliott Crozier grew up in Santa Rosa, California. He finished high school in 1988. After that, he joined the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated from the academy in 1992.
He continued his education later, earning a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 2007. He also completed special training for naval nuclear power in 2014.
Crozier officially became a Navy pilot in 1994. He started by flying helicopters with a squadron called HSL-37 in Hawaii. He served on ships like the USS Crommelin and USS Fletcher. During this time, he took part in operations in the Pacific Ocean and the Persian Gulf.
Flying Fighter Jets
In 1999, Crozier worked in Navy Personnel Command. He then changed to flying F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. In 2002, he joined Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97), known as the "Warhawks." The next year, his squadron went with the USS Nimitz to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2004, Crozier moved to another F/A-18 Hornet unit, Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), called the Mighty Shrikes. He deployed again with the Nimitz in 2005. In 2006, he became an instructor for new pilots. In 2007, he went to the Naval War College for his master's degree.
Later, Crozier became the leader of VFA-94. As the squadron's commanding officer, he went on many missions. These included operations in the Pacific and supporting the Afghan War and Iraq War. His time leading the squadron ended in August 2010.
Crozier then worked with NATO in Italy. He helped plan air operations for missions in Libya.
Leading Big Ships
From 2014 to 2016, Captain Crozier served as the executive officer of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. This ship took part in large naval exercises and moved to Yokosuka, Japan. It became the only U.S. Navy aircraft carrier based in that region.
From 2017 to 2018, he commanded the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge. This ship went through a major repair period and then returned to sea. On November 1, 2019, he was given command of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
COVID-19 Outbreak on the Theodore Roosevelt
Captain Crozier was in charge of the Theodore Roosevelt when COVID-19 started spreading among the crew. On March 24, 2020, three sailors tested positive. The next day, eight sailors were infected, and soon it was dozens. The ship was ordered to Guam on March 27. All 4,865 people on board were tested for the virus.
Captain Crozier believed it was impossible to stop the virus from spreading in the ship's tight spaces. He wanted most of the crew to be taken ashore right away. However, his superior, Rear Admiral Stuart P. Baker, thought this was not practical.
On March 30, Crozier sent a four-page letter to ten Navy officers. He asked for permission to evacuate and quarantine most of the crew on land. He explained that it was impossible to follow health guidelines like social distancing on the ship. On March 31, this letter was shared with a newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle. The Navy then ordered the aircraft carrier to be evacuated on April 1. Only a small crew stayed behind to keep the ship running.
On April 2, 2020, Captain Crozier was removed from his command by the acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Modly. At that time, 114 crew members had tested positive for the virus. As Captain Crozier left the ship, sailors cheered for him and chanted his name. Videos of this were shared widely.
After Being Relieved of Command
Captain Crozier himself started showing symptoms of the coronavirus. He was quarantined in Guam. Captain Carlos A. Sardiello took over as the ship's interim commander.
On April 3, Modly said that Crozier had "raised alarm bells unnecessarily." He also said Crozier showed "extremely poor judgment." Modly later apologized for some of his comments. The next day, he resigned from his position.
Many people, including politicians, spoke about Crozier's dismissal. Some, like President Donald Trump, criticized Crozier's letter. Others, like Joe Biden, said Crozier should have been praised, not fired.
The Navy started an investigation into the situation. On April 13, one crew member, Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker Jr., died from the virus.
By April 17, most of the Theodore Roosevelt's crew had been tested. About 660 sailors tested positive. Many of these sailors did not show any symptoms. This showed how easily the virus could spread without people knowing. The Theodore Roosevelt returned to sea on May 21.
After a review, some Navy leaders suggested that Crozier should be put back in command. However, Defense Secretary Esper wanted a deeper look into the situation. Crozier was then given a different role in San Diego.
A second Navy investigation finished on June 19. It decided that Crozier would not be put back in command of the ship. The investigation said that Crozier and Baker made some poor decisions about the outbreak. Some senators disagreed with this conclusion. They felt the Navy was judging past actions by new rules.
Captain Crozier retired from the Navy in March 2022. He now lives in California and works as the CEO of a company that develops new airships.
Awards and Honors
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Book About His Experiences
In 2023, Captain Crozier wrote a book called Surf When You Can: Lessons in Life, Loyalty, and Leadership from a Maverick Navy Captain. In this book, he talks about how surfing helped him balance his life. He shared that spending time with family and friends, outside of work, helped him focus and perform better at his job.
He also discussed his book and time in the Navy in interviews with various news outlets.
See Also
- Li Wenliang, a Chinese doctor who first warned about early COVID-19 cases and was disciplined by authorities.
