We request that the President of the United States, Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, Donald J. Trump relieve Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly of his post and replace him with an experienced individual that has the full confidence of the American people.  We the people require civilian leaders of our Armed Forces with the judgment, maturity, and leadership composure under pressure to understand the ramifications of their actions within that larger dynamic strategic context. Military command and civilian leadership is a sacred trust that must be continually earned, both from the Sailors and Marines one leads, and from the institution which grants that special, honored privilege.  Based on Acting Secretary Modly’s actions, we can reach no other conclusion than that Acting SECNAV Modly has allowed the complexity of his challenge with COVID outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to overwhelm his ability to act professionally, when acting professionally was what was needed most.  We do, and we should, expect more from the Acting Secretary of our Navy.

For these reasons, we have lost confidence in his ability to lead the United States Navy as it continues to fight through this virus, keep our Sailors and Marines healthy, so that they can continue to meet its national security requirements.  In our collective judgement relieving him of his post is in the best interests of the United States Navy and the nation in this time when the nation needs the Navy to be strong and confident in the face of adversity.

Captain Brett Crozier had the respect and admiration of his crew and brother and sister officers, including a large number of retired and inactive reserve officers, allowing Acting Secretary Modly to scape goat a highly capable and respected officer to protect a political position is shameful.  Captain Crozier put his Sailors interests above his own and did everything he could to ensure that the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) was capable of proudly carrying the Stars and Stripes across the oceans as a symbol of American strength, values, and ideals.  His commitment to his crew and and mission should be venerated, and we the people will not allow image politics to tarnish the honor of committed Naval Officers around the world who are daily making sacrifices on behalf of the United States.