Catching COVID-19: True Crime Stories (Private Santiago's Death, While Tragic. . .)

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

Captain Brett Crozier was what one might describe as a rising star, career tracked to admiral, until as series of claims that he was willing to sacrifice his career to save the lives of sailors who were not at war and facing an outbreak that, even according to the science report upon which he had relied, described those at greatest risk as being elderly and with comorbidities, which does not conform to the profile of anyone on the crew of a nuclear powered, Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

Rising stars are not hard to spot in the military, and those with ambitions may often try to catch a rising star to be in the entourage, enjoying the spoils of victory, but at least “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide” Jiminy Cricket appeared to pin his hopes upon wishing upon falling stars, and if Captain Crozier didn’t care what happened to his career, after doing everything he could to get to be on deck for elevation to that threshold that only less than one percent of commissioned officers pass, already at that mark that only 12% attain, he certainly achieved that goal, quietly retiring after having his command, with no specific name references, reprimanded in an inspector general’s report for partial responsibility in the over 1,400 infections aboard the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt early in the current public health crisis, a big news story for a while, during an election, that just faded away.

And, totally forgotten was the fact that within that outbreak of infections, early in the pandemic, one sailor died, the very first uniformed service member on active duty, which is significant in itself, in addition to his age, just 41, and in sufficient fitness to serve in the military, and a commander is responsible for the health and welfare of his crew.

The infection, quarantine, hospitalization and death of Chief Thacker is not a clean nor pretty story, and suggests significant, felonious conduct attributed to senior level officials, for which there is little political will to pursue, or even just ask questions that need to be answered.