Letter to the Hon. Mark Esper, Secretary of the Dept. of Defense - Huffman, Thompson request immediate dismissal of Acting Navy Secretary

Letter

Dear Secretary Esper:

We request the immediate dismissal of Thomas Modly from his position as Acting Secretary of the Navy. In the midst an unprecedented health crisis, the Acting Secretary recklessly attacked the character of Captain Brett Crozier in his remarks to the entire crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt on Monday, 6 April. His decision to dismiss Captain Crozier before the completion of a thorough and transparent investigation followed by his remarks that Captain Crozier was "either too naïve, or too stupid to be a commanding officer" show an alarming lack of judgment and leadership by the head of the Department of Navy.

Captain Crozier acted with only the best interest of his crew in mind and showed an unwavering commitment to the health and safety of the sailors of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Secretary of the Navy and the entire Department of Defense should be focused on the health of our men and women in uniform, not closing ranks and slandering a good man who has served his nation honorably. We are deeply concerned that the recent actions of Acting Secretary of Navy Modly risks losing the confidence of men and women in uniform. Thomas Modly is unfit to lead the Department of Navy.

We ask for your direct attention to this matter.

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