♪ ♪
♪ ♪ >> Harris: THE NAVY HAS
REMOVED THE COMMANDER OF A
CORONAVIRUS-STRICKEN AIRCRAFT
CORONAVIRUS-STRICKEN AIRCRAFT CARRIER OVER A LETTER HE WROTE
OBTAINED BY THE MEDIA PLEADING
FOR HELP AFTER MORE THAN 100
SAILORS HAD TESTED POSITIVE TO
COVID-19.
COVID-19. THE ACTING NAVY SECRETARY SAYS
CAPTAIN BRETT CROZIER’S ACTIONS
UNDERMINED THE CHAIN OF COMMAND
AND CAUSED ALARM.
>> TWO MAY COME OF THAT
DEMONSTRATED EXTREMELY POOR
JUDGMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF A
CRISIS.
CRISIS. BECAUSE WHAT IT’S DONE IS
CREATED A FIRESTORM, IT’S
CREATED DOUBTS ABOUT THE SHIP’S
ABILITY TO GO TO SEE IF IT NEEDS
TO.
TO. IT’S CREATED DOUBT AMONG THE
FAMILIES ABOUT THE HEALTH OF
THEIR SAILORS.
THEIR SAILORS. THAT WAS A COMPLETELY
UNNECESSARILY THING TO DO IN THE
MIDST OF A CRISIS.
>> Harris: AND OF COURSE
POLITICS MIXED IN A LITTLE BIT.
TOP DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE AFTER
THE MOVE AS AN OVERREACTION.
SOME SAILORS APPEARED TO RALLY
BEHIND THEIR COMMANDER AS HE
LEFT THE USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
WATCH.
WATCH. >> [CREW CHANTING]
CAPTAIN CROZIER!
CAPTAIN CROZIER! >> Harris: JOINING ME NOW,
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF
STAFF, GENERAL MARK MILLEY.
SARAH, THANK YOU FOR BEING
ON THE PROGRAM, TAKING THE TIME TODAY.
TODAY. I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER YOU THINK
THIS WAS AN EASY OR A TOUGH
DECISION FOR THE ACTING NAVY
SECRETARY, AND WHY.
>> HARRIS, THANKS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
OPPORTUNITY. I’M OVER HERE AT FEMA DOING SOME
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION. SPECIFIC TO THE TEDDY ROOSEVELT
AND THE RELIEF OF THE SHIP’S
CAPTAIN, SECRETARY P16 COMIC WHO
IS A DIFFICULT DECISION.
NONE OF THEM ARE EVER EASY.
IT’S HIS ESTIMATION, HE LOST
TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE
SHIP’S CAPTAIN.
SHIP’S CAPTAIN. SECRETARY MODLY IS A RESPONSIBLE
AND ACCOUNTABLE OFFICIAL TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. HE HAD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT
THE CAPTAIN OPERATED OUTSIDE THE
CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND HE
RELIEVED HIM.
RELIEVED HIM. >> Harris: IS THAT THE TYPE OF
DECISION THAT YOU WOULD MAKE?
>> WELL, I’M NOT IN THE POSITION
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. I DON’T HAVE ALL THE FACTS, BUT
I TRUST SECRETARY MODLY IN HIS
JUDGMENT AND I WILL SUPPORT HIM,
VESELY.
VESELY. HE IS A RESPONSIBLE AND
ACCOUNTABLE OFFICIAL FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE SHIP’S CAPTAIN,
SECRETARY MODLY EXPLAINED IT.
HE OPERATED WITH POOR JUDGMENT
AND ATTEMPT CRISIS AND THE
OPERATED OUTSIDE THE CHAIN OF
COMMAND, SO HE RELIEVED AND
PRAYED TO MOVE ON AND MAKE SURE
THE TAILORS OF THAT SHIP WAS
TAKING CARE OF AND THE READINESS
OF THE SHIP’S BACK UP TO
SPEED.
SPEED. WE WILL RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR COVID-19
COVID-19.
COVID-19. >> Harris: I SHOULD MENTION
THE ACTING SECRETARY WAS ON WITH
ME YESTERDAY AND HE SAID THEY
ALREADY HAD THINGS IN MOTION,
BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN
JUST 24 HOURS AFTER A LETTER
WOULD DROP TO MOVE 3,000 PEOPLE.
REAL QUICKLY, TO THIS ONE MORE
TIME, AND I WANT TO MOVE ON.
YOU MENTIONED FEMA.
I KNOW YOU HAVE THOSE HOSPITAL
SHIPS.
SHIPS. OUR CORRESPONDENT, JAN GRIFFIN,
THROUGH SOURCES, THAT THERE WAS
WARNING AGAINST MAKING THIS KIND
OF QUICK DECISION ABOUT CAPTAIN
CROZIER.
CROZIER. JUST A QUICK THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
>> I’M NOT AWARE OF ANY
WHITE HOUSE OR DOD OFFICIALS WHO
WARNED AGAINST MAKING QUICK
DECISIONS.
DECISIONS. THAT MAY BE, I DON’T KNOW.
I DO KNOW THAT THE SECRETARY OF
THE NAVY IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR THE GOOD
ORDER AND DISCIPLINE OF THE
NAVY, AND WHEN HE LOSES TRUST
AND CONFIDENCE IN THE SHIP’S
CAPTAIN, THAT’S IT.
IT’S TARGET DOWN AND WE ARE
MOVING ONTO THE NEXT TASK.
ANY TIME A SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES, OR
SUPERIOR OFFICER LOSES TRUST IN
A SUBORDINATE, THE SUBORDINATE
GOES.
GOES. >> Harris: I SEE THE JACKETS
OF FEMA STANDING BEHIND YOU.
YOU MENTIONED WHERE YOU ARE.
TELL ME ABOUT THE COMFORT, THE
HOSPITAL SHIPS THE COMFORT AND
THE MERCY, THE COMFORT OBVIOUSLY
HERE ON THE EAST COAST, THE
MERCY IN LOS ANGELES.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW,
BOTH THE COMFORT AND MERCY WERE
DEPLOYED AT THE END OF LAST
MONTH.
MONTH. WITH THE MERCY GOING TO
LOS ANGELES, THE COMFORT GOING
TO NEW YORK CITY.
THEY WENT UP THERE, THEY’VE
ARRIVED, THEY ARE FULLY
OPERATIONAL.
OPERATIONAL. THEY’VE GOT SOME SMALL AMOUNT OF
PATIENTS RIGHT NOW.
THE INTENT ORIGINALLY WAS FOR
THEM TO TAKE THE OVERFLOW OF
TRAUMA PATIENTS OUT OF THE LOCAL
HOSPITAL SO THE LOCAL HOSPITALS
COULD FOCUS ON THE COVID
PATIENTS.
PATIENTS. WE ARE REASSESSING THAT NOW, AND
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE IS
MAKING A RISK ASSESSMENT TO
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE
SHOULD TAKE ON ALL THE COVID
PATIENTS TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE
LOCAL HOSPITALS.
LOCAL HOSPITALS. RIGHT NOW BOTH HOSPITAL SHIPS
EITHER.
EITHER. 1,000 BEDS EACH, AS YOU WELL
KNOW.
KNOW. MULTIPLE CAPABILITIES ON THAT
SHIP.
SHIP. IN ADDITION TO THE HOSPITAL
SHIPS, WE’VE GOT FOUR FIELD
HOSPITALS DEPLOYED IN U.S.
CITIES.
CITIES. SEATTLE, DALLAS, NEW ORLEANS, AS
WELL.
WELL. WE HAVE OTHER CAPABILITIES, THE
NAVY HAS TWO EXPEDITIONARY
MEDICAL FACILITIES.
MEDICAL FACILITIES. WE STOOD UP ADDITIONAL FIELD
HOSPITALS OF THE ARMY LAST
NIGHT.
NIGHT. WE GOT ABOUT 450 DOCTORS AND
WELL OVER 1,000 NURSES COMMITTED
NATIONWIDE OUT OF THE U.S.
MILITARY, IN SUPPORT OF VARIOUS
CIVILIAN COMMUNITIES.
CIVILIAN COMMUNITIES. WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPLIES.
WE’VE ALREADY PROVIDED 5 MILLION
MASKS.
MASKS. WE HAVE 5 MILLION MORE MASKS EN
ROUTE.
ROUTE. WE SET ASIDE 2,000 VENTILATORS
COME WE GOT NATIONAL GUARDSMEN
CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIGHT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PILE ON
UNTIL YOU’VE EXPENDED ALL OF OUR
RESOURCES TO PROTECT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO THE U.S. MILITARY IS HERE AND
WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
>> Harris: AND WE ARE GRATEFUL
AS A NATION.
A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND I AM
SURE YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE
FACT THAT THERE’S BEEN SOME
CRITICISM AFTER LEARNING THAT
THE PENTAGON HAD SO MANY MASKS
BUT DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO SEND
THEM.
THEM. FIRST, I’M CURIOUS TO KNOW, AS
YOU TICK DOWN ALL OF THOSE
THINGS YOU ARE BRINGING TO THE
TABLE, HOW YOU KNOW WHERE THE
NEED IS COMING AND HOW YOU QUELL
THAT CRITICISM, THAT HEADWIND OF
"STUFF SITTING, WERE TO BE SAID
IT?"
IT?" BECAUSE THE WAY THE
SYSTEM WORKS, THE NEED IS FIRST IDENTIFIED AT THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY MINNIS APPELLATE ERECT
STATE LEVEL.
STATE LEVEL. THEY BRING IT INTO THE FEDERAL
LEVEL THROUGH FEMA.
INITIALLY IT WAS HHS, AND IT
SHIFTED OVER TO FEMA.
FEMA IS THE FOCAL POINT.
WHERE I’M AT RIGHT NOW IS THE
COMPANION DOME AT COMMAND POST
FOR FEMA.
FOR FEMA. IT’S THE FOCAL POINT FOR ALL
LOCAL REQUESTS AND DEMANDS AND
REQUIREMENTS.
REQUIREMENTS. THEY COME IN AND THOSE REQUESTS
ARE DETERMINED, WHICH
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY CAN BEST
SATISFY THE NEED.
IN MANY CASES IT’S THE PART OF
THE DEFENSE, SO THEY SENT THE
REQUEST
OVER.
OVER. WE DEPLOY THE ASSETS NECESSARY
TO HELP OUT.
THAT’S HOW THE REQUESTS WORK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE IS AN
INFORMAL METHOD WHERE A MAYOR OR
GOVERNOR WHO MIGHT TALK TO THE
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OR MYSELF
OR PERHAPS SOMEONE IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, WE WILL GET THAT
FROM AN INFORMAL METHODOLOGY.
BUT THE FORMAL REQUEST COMES
THROUGH FEMA OVER TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DOWN
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
>> Harris: THAT SEEMS TO BE A
STREAMLINED THAT YOU GUYS HAVE
ANSWERED BACK WITH.
AS YOU MENTION, IT DIDN’T ALWAYS
WORK THAT WAY.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, SOME
CRITICISM HERE ON THE EAST COAST
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PATIENTS
NOW THAT ARE PRESENTING AT
HOSPITALS -- AND I KNOW YOU SO
YOU CAN SKIP THAT NOW AND GO
STRAIGHT TO THE SHIP’S -- THEY
HAVE COVID-19.
HAVE COVID-19. WE SAW OUR LARGEST NUMBER OF
DEATHS IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY.
HOW WELL-EQUIPPED ARE THESE
HOSPITAL SHIPS AND THESE FIELD
HOSPITALS TO HANDLE WHEN A
COVID-19, MAYBE ASYMPTOMATIC,
SOMEBODY DIDN’T KNOW A SICK AS
THEY WERE UNTIL THEY GOT TO THE
SHIP, HOW ARE YOU READY FOR
THAT?
THAT? >> THESE ARE HOSPITAL SHIPS.
THERE ARE FULL-FLEDGED DOCTORS
AND NURSES ON THEM.
THE THOUSAND-BED HOSPITAL SHIP
COMFORT, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT 400
OR 500 OF THOSE BEDS ARE LITTERS
STACKED UP TO EACH OTHER.
YOU HAVE 500 OR SO MEDSURG TYPE,
ICU BEDS, AND SO ON.
40 OR 50 THAT CAN GO INTO
ISOLATION.
ISOLATION. >> Harris: CAN YOU HANDLE
COVID-19 AND ITS CONTAGION?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> ABSOLUTELY
IN THE FIELD HOSPITALS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT’S GETTING SET UP IN
JAVITS CENTER.
JAVITS CENTER. THEY CAN AND WILL, IF REQUIRED,
HANDLE THE COVID-19 PATIENTS,
FOR SURE.
FOR SURE. >> Harris: A PLEASURE AND AN
HONOR TO HAVE THE JOINT CHIEFS
OF STAFF CHAIRMAN ON