1 00:00:04,570 --> 00:00:05,403 - Good afternoon everybody. 2 00:00:05,403 --> 00:00:06,581 Thanks for your patience today. 3 00:00:06,581 --> 00:00:08,030 (mumbles) 4 00:00:08,030 --> 00:00:09,590 Mr. Secretary, when you're ready 5 00:00:09,590 --> 00:00:10,856 we'll start with opening comments 6 00:00:10,856 --> 00:00:11,689 then go to questions after that. 7 00:00:11,689 --> 00:00:12,770 - Okay, great. 8 00:00:12,770 --> 00:00:14,930 Afternoon everybody, thanks for being here again, 9 00:00:14,930 --> 00:00:17,360 and thanks again for all the hard work you're doing 10 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,230 to keep the nation informed about this crisis. 11 00:00:20,230 --> 00:00:23,040 It's putting strains on you as well. 12 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,930 Just so much of the ones that we're experiencing 13 00:00:24,930 --> 00:00:27,320 here in the Pentagon and across the fleet 14 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,995 in terms of maintaining social separation 15 00:00:29,995 --> 00:00:32,840 and still trying to do our jobs at the same time, 16 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:34,380 so we appreciate you all being here 17 00:00:34,380 --> 00:00:37,229 and helping us get our messages out. 18 00:00:37,229 --> 00:00:40,710 The USNS Mercy and Comfort are now providing 19 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:42,944 a full spectrum of care including general surgery, 20 00:00:42,944 --> 00:00:45,589 critical care, and ward care for adults 21 00:00:45,589 --> 00:00:49,370 so local hospitals can focus on COVID-19. 22 00:00:49,370 --> 00:00:52,490 The Red Crosses and the White Hulls of the USNS Comfort 23 00:00:52,490 --> 00:00:55,670 and the USNS Mercy secured to our two largest cities 24 00:00:55,670 --> 00:00:57,570 is just the most visible example 25 00:00:57,570 --> 00:00:59,270 of what the Navy and Marine Corps team 26 00:00:59,270 --> 00:01:01,940 is doing to combat this pandemic. 27 00:01:01,940 --> 00:01:04,900 Other examples are numerous. 28 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:06,730 I'm gonna give you a few just so you understand 29 00:01:06,730 --> 00:01:08,520 how we're engaged in this. 30 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,430 The U.S. Navy's Expeditionary Medical Facilities, 31 00:01:11,430 --> 00:01:15,150 or EMFs, are being deployed to temporary medical stations 32 00:01:15,150 --> 00:01:17,808 in the convention centers of Dallas and New Orleans. 33 00:01:17,808 --> 00:01:19,550 The Marine Corps Systems Command 34 00:01:19,550 --> 00:01:21,670 and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific 35 00:01:21,670 --> 00:01:24,660 recently assisted the UC San Diego Medical Center 36 00:01:24,660 --> 00:01:27,000 in designing parts using 3D printing 37 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,950 to enable simultaneous ventilation 38 00:01:28,950 --> 00:01:31,600 of multiple patients who need ventilators. 39 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,070 The Navy Medical Research Center has medical professionals 40 00:01:34,070 --> 00:01:35,920 deployed around the globe conducting 41 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,230 COVID-19 diagnostic and surveillance testing. 42 00:01:39,230 --> 00:01:41,520 The Naval Research Laboratory is providing 43 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,150 technical support in several areas 44 00:01:43,150 --> 00:01:45,977 including fluid mechanics and bio-technology, 45 00:01:45,977 --> 00:01:48,920 and there are many, many more of these examples. 46 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:50,990 We've seen every member of our force step forward 47 00:01:50,990 --> 00:01:55,060 to continue our nation's defense and to protect our people, 48 00:01:55,060 --> 00:01:56,860 and that includes our Reserve forces. 49 00:01:56,860 --> 00:02:00,300 It's telling that within 24 hours of the initial call 50 00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:02,300 going out for medical reserve professionals 51 00:02:02,300 --> 00:02:06,990 for Comfort and Mercy, over 200 respondents volunteered 52 00:02:06,990 --> 00:02:09,400 and came forward to serve on those ships. 53 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:10,960 And our Reserve component is coming through 54 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,550 in other areas too, such as air transport and logistics. 55 00:02:14,550 --> 00:02:16,990 We use the phrase, all hands on deck, 56 00:02:16,990 --> 00:02:18,690 pretty much, pretty often around here, 57 00:02:18,690 --> 00:02:21,780 but that is absolute reality when it comes to 58 00:02:21,780 --> 00:02:25,056 our response to COVID-19, and we're seeing that every day. 59 00:02:25,056 --> 00:02:27,460 All this underscores a bedrock truth: 60 00:02:27,460 --> 00:02:29,920 that our greatest strength will always be our people, 61 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:31,760 and our ultimate purpose will always be 62 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:33,630 the defense of the nation. 63 00:02:33,630 --> 00:02:36,490 Our highest obligation as leaders is to ensure the safety 64 00:02:36,490 --> 00:02:39,820 and readiness of every sailor and Marine on the watch 65 00:02:39,820 --> 00:02:41,440 as well as their families back home, 66 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,290 so that they can do their mission. 67 00:02:43,290 --> 00:02:44,720 That's why we're taking every precaution 68 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,450 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the fleet. 69 00:02:47,450 --> 00:02:49,210 I know you've all been following the situation 70 00:02:49,210 --> 00:02:52,610 on the USS Teddy Roosevelt very closely, as have we. 71 00:02:52,610 --> 00:02:56,260 We've been in close contact with PAC Fleet, 72 00:02:56,260 --> 00:02:58,710 7th Fleet, the Carrier Strike Group commander 73 00:02:58,710 --> 00:03:00,890 and the commanding officer of the Teddy Roosevelt, 74 00:03:00,890 --> 00:03:01,970 establishing the facts 75 00:03:01,970 --> 00:03:03,720 and adjusting our operations accordingly 76 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,410 to get the crew what it needs in this time. 77 00:03:07,410 --> 00:03:09,130 As you heard from Admiral Aquilino, 78 00:03:09,130 --> 00:03:10,840 the PAC Fleet Commander yesterday, 79 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,500 the situation is very dynamic 80 00:03:12,500 --> 00:03:14,330 and we are supporting our subordinate commanders 81 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:17,410 to ensure we protect our sailors and our Marines, 82 00:03:17,410 --> 00:03:18,990 so that they can protect the homeland 83 00:03:18,990 --> 00:03:21,970 and maintain their readiness to the best of our ability. 84 00:03:21,970 --> 00:03:23,660 I recognize that there have been a lot of questions 85 00:03:23,660 --> 00:03:24,990 about the Teddy Roosevelt, 86 00:03:24,990 --> 00:03:28,610 particularly over the last 24 hours, 87 00:03:28,610 --> 00:03:31,010 so I gave some updates yesterday 88 00:03:31,010 --> 00:03:32,840 when I was out in California, 89 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,640 but here's the timeline of some of the actions 90 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:35,473 that we've taken with 91 00:03:35,473 --> 00:03:38,040 the Teddy Roosevelt since she deployed. 92 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,200 Prior to deployment, 93 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,135 we embarked a special medical team on the ship 94 00:03:41,135 --> 00:03:44,925 and prior to the post-visit in Vietnam, 95 00:03:44,925 --> 00:03:47,440 the World Health Organization had identified 96 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,930 less than 20 COVID-19 cases in Vietnam at the time, 97 00:03:50,930 --> 00:03:52,600 and all of them were in Hanoi, 98 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,240 pretty far away from where the ship was going in Da Nang, 99 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:57,150 and they had seen no recent new cases 100 00:03:57,150 --> 00:03:58,880 before the ship pulled in. 101 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,550 We conducted screening for sailors returning from liberty, 102 00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:02,914 including temperature readings, 103 00:04:02,914 --> 00:04:06,800 and anyone who we may have suspected of having been exposed 104 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,300 was quarantined immediately 105 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:11,200 and we had no positive tests at that time. 106 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,130 At the end of the 14 day observation period aboard the ship, 107 00:04:14,130 --> 00:04:18,070 there were two sailors with symptoms who had positive tests. 108 00:04:18,070 --> 00:04:20,850 They were properly isolated and flown off the ship to Guam, 109 00:04:20,850 --> 00:04:23,550 to the hospital there, the naval hospital in Guam. 110 00:04:23,550 --> 00:04:25,880 Their symptoms have since resolved. 111 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,130 We identified and quarantined all those who 112 00:04:28,130 --> 00:04:30,070 we suspected of being in close contact 113 00:04:30,070 --> 00:04:32,160 with those that had tested positive. 114 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:33,940 When a TR pulled into port, 115 00:04:33,940 --> 00:04:36,360 all sailors with confirmed positive tests 116 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:38,870 were moved off the ship and isolated immediately. 117 00:04:38,870 --> 00:04:42,289 We continued contact, tracing, quarantine and monitoring 118 00:04:42,289 --> 00:04:45,990 to fulfill the process of understanding 119 00:04:45,990 --> 00:04:47,140 who might have been infected, 120 00:04:47,140 --> 00:04:48,750 and we did that in a very methodical way 121 00:04:48,750 --> 00:04:50,830 based on who we thought may have had contact 122 00:04:50,830 --> 00:04:52,877 with the sailors who tested positive. 123 00:04:52,877 --> 00:04:56,170 On Sunday evening, after being in port for a couple of days, 124 00:04:56,170 --> 00:04:58,250 the commanding officer expressed concern 125 00:04:58,250 --> 00:05:02,990 that the spaces off the ship were not sufficient to isolate 126 00:05:02,990 --> 00:05:05,250 at the pace that he felt was necessary. 127 00:05:05,250 --> 00:05:07,940 We also received some feedback from the medical team 128 00:05:07,940 --> 00:05:10,100 that they were concerned about the same problems 129 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:12,580 in terms of not having enough space off the ship. 130 00:05:12,580 --> 00:05:15,620 Let me emphasize that this is exactly what we want, 131 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:19,070 our commanding officers, our medical teams, to do. 132 00:05:19,070 --> 00:05:21,030 We need a lot of transparency in this process 133 00:05:21,030 --> 00:05:22,580 and we want that information to flow up 134 00:05:22,580 --> 00:05:23,760 through the chain of command, 135 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,360 and that's what they did, 136 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,828 and we appreciate their ability to let us know 137 00:05:28,828 --> 00:05:31,900 at our highest levels where we can apply resources 138 00:05:31,900 --> 00:05:34,020 to help the situation immediately. 139 00:05:34,020 --> 00:05:37,370 We began seeking additional space in Guam 140 00:05:37,370 --> 00:05:38,890 and elsewhere right away. 141 00:05:38,890 --> 00:05:41,200 We're making progress on that process. 142 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,330 We already have nearly 1,000 personnel 143 00:05:43,330 --> 00:05:45,140 off the ship right now, 144 00:05:45,140 --> 00:05:47,260 and in the next couple of days, we expect to have 145 00:05:47,260 --> 00:05:49,991 about 2,700 of them off the ship. 146 00:05:49,991 --> 00:05:51,103 One thing I want to emphasis as well 147 00:05:51,103 --> 00:05:54,050 is that we cannot and will not 148 00:05:54,050 --> 00:05:56,270 remove all the sailors from the ship, 149 00:05:56,270 --> 00:05:58,860 and that's not what the commanding officer requested either, 150 00:05:58,860 --> 00:06:00,120 nor the medical team. 151 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,280 Our plan has always been to remove as much of the crew 152 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:05,090 as we can while maintaining for the ship's safety. 153 00:06:05,090 --> 00:06:06,340 It's important to understand 154 00:06:06,340 --> 00:06:08,660 that just because it's big and it floats 155 00:06:08,660 --> 00:06:10,580 and it has a lot of people on it, 156 00:06:10,580 --> 00:06:12,870 the comparison of the TR to a cruise ship 157 00:06:12,870 --> 00:06:14,320 pretty much ends there. 158 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,110 This ship has weapons on it, it has munitions on it, 159 00:06:17,110 --> 00:06:19,840 it has expensive aircraft, and it has a nuclear power plant. 160 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:22,520 It requires a certain number of people on that ship 161 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,503 to maintain the safety and security of the ship. 162 00:06:26,390 --> 00:06:27,850 There are less than 100 personnel 163 00:06:27,850 --> 00:06:29,980 who have tested positive so far. 164 00:06:29,980 --> 00:06:31,520 None of them are seriously ill 165 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,420 and not one of them has been hospitalized to date. 166 00:06:34,420 --> 00:06:38,410 Currently, the numbers are, we have 93 positive tests, 167 00:06:38,410 --> 00:06:42,540 86 exhibiting symptoms, and seven without symptoms, 168 00:06:42,540 --> 00:06:47,540 593 negative tests, and we've tested about 24% of the crew, 169 00:06:47,620 --> 00:06:51,280 and so we've got 1,273 of the crew that have been tested. 170 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:53,630 Some of those results have not come back yet. 171 00:06:53,630 --> 00:06:55,660 We have accelerated testing and are deep cleaning 172 00:06:55,660 --> 00:06:57,400 all the spaces on the ship. 173 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:58,780 We are providing the commanding officer 174 00:06:58,780 --> 00:07:00,830 what he has requested and we are doing our best 175 00:07:00,830 --> 00:07:03,129 to accelerate the pace wherever we can. 176 00:07:03,129 --> 00:07:04,770 Like the rest of the country and the world, 177 00:07:04,770 --> 00:07:06,190 we are learning more about stopping 178 00:07:06,190 --> 00:07:08,300 the spread of this virus each day. 179 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:10,270 The frontlines are constantly being redrawn 180 00:07:10,270 --> 00:07:11,103 in this process. 181 00:07:11,103 --> 00:07:12,830 Stopping the spread of this virus 182 00:07:12,830 --> 00:07:15,160 is the fight we are in right now. 183 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,490 Right now, the Teddy Roosevelt is a frontline theater 184 00:07:17,490 --> 00:07:19,990 in this new battle, and we have to respond with the skill 185 00:07:19,990 --> 00:07:22,620 and agility and direct communication required 186 00:07:22,620 --> 00:07:25,000 to protect our people and our nation. 187 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,500 I'm confident that the Navy and Marine Corps team 188 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:29,510 will save lives and protect this nation 189 00:07:29,510 --> 00:07:32,210 as it always has and it always will. 190 00:07:32,210 --> 00:07:34,747 So thank you and I look forward to your questions. 191 00:07:35,592 --> 00:07:38,175 - All right, we have Aldor, AP. 192 00:07:39,910 --> 00:07:41,910 - [Aldor] Hi, thank you, good afternoon. 193 00:07:42,833 --> 00:07:45,010 You gave us a good update on the numbers. 194 00:07:45,010 --> 00:07:46,150 I'm wondering if you could talk to us 195 00:07:46,150 --> 00:07:49,100 a little bit about where the sailors are going, 196 00:07:49,100 --> 00:07:52,360 and you mentioned Guam and other places. 197 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:56,181 Are there plans or is there the need to take the sailors 198 00:07:56,181 --> 00:07:59,680 to somewhere other than Guam? 199 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,420 And do you have enough hospital rooms 200 00:08:02,420 --> 00:08:05,223 that you think you'll be able to accommodate everyone? 201 00:08:06,131 --> 00:08:08,157 Second part of the question is, 202 00:08:08,157 --> 00:08:11,600 there's been a lot of discussion from the Admiral 203 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,110 about this rotation of sailors offshore 204 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,280 to make sure that they're okay, and then back onto the ship. 205 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,920 In doing that, about how long do you think 206 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,410 the ship will have to be in port in Guam? 207 00:08:25,410 --> 00:08:26,460 It sounds like that would be 208 00:08:26,460 --> 00:08:29,100 at least several weeks to a month anyway. 209 00:08:29,100 --> 00:08:30,250 Thank you. 210 00:08:30,250 --> 00:08:31,510 - So let me answer the first question. 211 00:08:31,510 --> 00:08:32,380 I may have misspoke. 212 00:08:32,380 --> 00:08:35,630 We're still only looking at locations on Guam 213 00:08:35,630 --> 00:08:38,460 right now for the sailors that we need to take off. 214 00:08:38,460 --> 00:08:41,110 What we are looking at is beyond just the facilities 215 00:08:41,110 --> 00:08:43,400 that the Navy has, or space or real estate 216 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,340 that the Navy has, or the DOD has on Guam. 217 00:08:47,340 --> 00:08:50,740 So we are in conversations with the governor of Guam 218 00:08:50,740 --> 00:08:54,247 to see if there's an ability to free up some hotel space, 219 00:08:54,247 --> 00:08:56,610 and they are working that one pretty diligently right now. 220 00:08:56,610 --> 00:08:58,230 It looks like that is going to be one 221 00:08:58,230 --> 00:09:00,920 of the areas that we can send people to. 222 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:02,550 As far as how long this is gonna take, 223 00:09:02,550 --> 00:09:04,160 I don't have a good estimate on that. 224 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:05,940 I will tell you it won't be resolved 225 00:09:05,940 --> 00:09:07,261 in the next couple days. 226 00:09:07,261 --> 00:09:09,230 It will take some time, 227 00:09:09,230 --> 00:09:11,790 but we're still looking at that and trying to make a, 228 00:09:11,790 --> 00:09:14,360 get a good understanding of what that might impact 229 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,198 with respect to operational readiness. 230 00:09:17,198 --> 00:09:19,700 I would also like to emphasize that if the ship needs to go, 231 00:09:19,700 --> 00:09:21,850 if there's a crisis, the ship can go. 232 00:09:21,850 --> 00:09:23,621 That's part of the reason why we're maintaining 233 00:09:23,621 --> 00:09:26,190 the skills on the ship that we need, 234 00:09:26,190 --> 00:09:29,040 if we have to move it in the case of an emergency. 235 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:30,270 So I don't know if the CNO wants to add 236 00:09:30,270 --> 00:09:31,103 anything more to that, 237 00:09:31,103 --> 00:09:33,590 but with respect to the operational considerations. 238 00:09:33,590 --> 00:09:35,080 - So I think in terms of numbers, 239 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,850 so I think you mentioned Mr. Secretary, 240 00:09:36,850 --> 00:09:39,037 have over 1,000 off the ship right now. 241 00:09:39,037 --> 00:09:42,040 We'll have nearly triple that number of beds 242 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,590 and spaces available by Friday, and we'll be expediting. 243 00:09:45,590 --> 00:09:49,260 People are moving off the ship as we're briefing right now. 244 00:09:49,260 --> 00:09:51,270 In terms of the operational schedule, 245 00:09:51,270 --> 00:09:53,659 I'll just tell you that in terms of testing, 246 00:09:53,659 --> 00:09:56,454 we continue to get more efficient, 247 00:09:56,454 --> 00:10:00,290 and so over the past two days we've gone from 300 tests 248 00:10:00,290 --> 00:10:04,270 up to 500 tests, and so the long pole in the tent, 249 00:10:04,270 --> 00:10:06,400 of course, is getting those testing results back 250 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,270 as we get those samples to a DOD facility for processing. 251 00:10:10,270 --> 00:10:11,350 And I don't wanna talk about 252 00:10:11,350 --> 00:10:13,973 the operational schedule of the ship at this moment. 253 00:10:15,125 --> 00:10:17,253 - All right Jennifer, we'll go to you next. 254 00:10:17,253 --> 00:10:18,960 - When we asked about this last week, 255 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,160 you said that you had no evidence 256 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,810 that it was the port visit to Vietnam. 257 00:10:23,810 --> 00:10:25,150 Have you changed your assessment 258 00:10:25,150 --> 00:10:28,480 in light of the exponentially rising numbers? 259 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,580 And, was it the letter from the captain 260 00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:33,330 that caused you to start to take, 261 00:10:33,330 --> 00:10:36,760 move faster to remove people from the ship? 262 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,090 And is the captain going to be punished 263 00:10:39,090 --> 00:10:43,030 for having raised this in very stark terms? 264 00:10:43,030 --> 00:10:45,360 - I'll take a shot at the first several questions 265 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,240 and I'll turn it over to the CNO. 266 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,705 With respect to your first question about, 267 00:10:50,705 --> 00:10:52,390 remind me again, I'm sorry, the-- 268 00:10:52,390 --> 00:10:53,864 - [Jennifer] The port call in Vietnam. 269 00:10:53,864 --> 00:10:54,697 - The port call. 270 00:10:54,697 --> 00:10:56,670 We don't have any forensics that would indicate 271 00:10:56,670 --> 00:10:58,500 that that was what caused or brought the virus 272 00:10:58,500 --> 00:10:59,333 onto the ship. 273 00:10:59,333 --> 00:11:01,340 As I mentioned, when the crew came back on the ship, 274 00:11:01,340 --> 00:11:03,950 we tested certain members 275 00:11:03,950 --> 00:11:05,210 that we thought might have an issue, 276 00:11:05,210 --> 00:11:06,780 none of those tests came back positive. 277 00:11:06,780 --> 00:11:09,670 So as I said before, we also had crew members 278 00:11:09,670 --> 00:11:11,877 flying on and off the ship from the air wing, 279 00:11:11,877 --> 00:11:13,740 so we're not really sure where it could of come, 280 00:11:13,740 --> 00:11:16,960 someone could have brought it with them from San Diego 281 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,790 when the ship actually deployed, we just don't know. 282 00:11:19,790 --> 00:11:22,160 Once the virus gets on a ship like that, 283 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:23,380 it's gonna spread and it's hard 284 00:11:23,380 --> 00:11:25,729 to tell where it actually started. 285 00:11:25,729 --> 00:11:28,250 With respect to the prompting of the CO, 286 00:11:28,250 --> 00:11:31,872 we've been in constant communication with that team. 287 00:11:31,872 --> 00:11:34,760 My chief of staff has had conversations with him. 288 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:36,460 I think there was some timing issues 289 00:11:36,460 --> 00:11:38,260 related to when that letter was sent, 290 00:11:38,260 --> 00:11:41,443 when it finally made its way out into the media, 291 00:11:41,443 --> 00:11:43,500 but we've been reacting, 292 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:45,330 obviously because we want them to tell us 293 00:11:45,330 --> 00:11:47,410 what their issues are so that we can react to them. 294 00:11:47,410 --> 00:11:48,922 CNO, I don't know it you have anymore. 295 00:11:48,922 --> 00:11:50,610 - Yeah, it was a risk-informed decision to go into Vietnam, 296 00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:55,180 so at the time, there were about 15 or 16 cases. 297 00:11:55,180 --> 00:11:56,340 They were up north in Hanoi 298 00:11:56,340 --> 00:11:58,279 and the ship pulled into Da Nang. 299 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:02,574 Today, there are 203 cases in Vietnam and no deaths, 300 00:12:02,574 --> 00:12:04,560 so just to put that into perspective, 301 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:08,400 and the WHO has graded Vietnam very highly across 302 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,610 12 or 13 different categories in terms of their reaction 303 00:12:11,610 --> 00:12:14,170 pretty early on and their ability to sustain that. 304 00:12:14,170 --> 00:12:15,230 As the Secretary mentioned, 305 00:12:15,230 --> 00:12:17,420 the ship deployed in mid-January 306 00:12:17,420 --> 00:12:20,440 so prior to that period, most of the crew in the air wing 307 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,755 were off on pre-movement leave. 308 00:12:22,755 --> 00:12:24,960 So that would have been over the holiday period. 309 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:26,940 So there could have been asymptomatic 310 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:28,980 cases on board at some point. 311 00:12:28,980 --> 00:12:32,130 There was also a port visit to Guam in February 312 00:12:32,130 --> 00:12:34,720 when she had been at sea for a about a month. 313 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,820 So there are other vectors of course 314 00:12:36,820 --> 00:12:40,060 in which COVID could have been introduced to the ship. 315 00:12:40,060 --> 00:12:43,243 Understanding exactly who patient zero is 316 00:12:43,243 --> 00:12:46,280 is probably gonna be an impossible task. 317 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,420 So we are doing our very best to prioritize those 318 00:12:49,420 --> 00:12:51,870 that are first tested, those that are symptomatic. 319 00:12:51,870 --> 00:12:53,930 And as the Secretary mentioned in his numbers, 320 00:12:53,930 --> 00:12:56,560 of the 98 cases, you have 86 that are symptomatic, 321 00:12:56,560 --> 00:12:58,077 which is indicative of the fact 322 00:12:58,077 --> 00:12:59,900 that those that are symptomatic 323 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:03,420 are going to the head of the line in terms of testing. 324 00:13:03,420 --> 00:13:05,753 - All right, we'll go to Nancy Youssef on the phone. 325 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:09,333 - [Nancy] Thank you. 326 00:13:09,333 --> 00:13:11,240 I wanted to just clarify a couple points. 327 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:12,627 You mentioned that you're doing testing. 328 00:13:12,627 --> 00:13:14,900 Is the testing all for COVID-19 329 00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:16,780 or is it for influenza-like symptoms, 330 00:13:16,780 --> 00:13:19,920 and if so, what is the breakdown? 331 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,500 And also, you mentioned that you had visited Guam two weeks, 332 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:26,800 or excuse me, that the Roosevelt had, 333 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:31,440 so was the plan for the Roosevelt to return to Guam, 334 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,690 and if so, what was their plan at that point? 335 00:13:35,140 --> 00:13:37,280 - So the return back to Guam was 336 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,690 a regularly scheduled port visit. 337 00:13:39,690 --> 00:13:42,310 It just happened to coincide with, I think, 338 00:13:42,310 --> 00:13:44,930 four days after we had that initial case, 339 00:13:44,930 --> 00:13:49,123 that initial positive on the 22nd of March. 340 00:13:51,060 --> 00:13:54,353 - And if you could please repeat your first question. 341 00:13:55,590 --> 00:13:56,423 - [Nancy] Sure. 342 00:13:56,423 --> 00:13:57,730 You talked about doing testing 343 00:13:57,730 --> 00:14:00,530 of all the sailors and how you've accelerated it. 344 00:14:00,530 --> 00:14:02,940 I'd like to know if those are all COVID-19 tests 345 00:14:02,940 --> 00:14:04,600 or were they tests for influenza 346 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,400 and then in their subsequent tests, 347 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:11,200 if someone comes back positive for COVID-19. 348 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:12,033 - Thank you. 349 00:14:12,033 --> 00:14:14,620 Let me just kind of give you an overview 350 00:14:14,620 --> 00:14:17,100 of the testing plan, or the algorithm. 351 00:14:17,100 --> 00:14:20,640 So our ships have the ability to test 352 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:25,200 for upwards of 20 influenza-like illnesses. 353 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:29,002 COVID-19 only recently has been added to that array 354 00:14:29,002 --> 00:14:32,160 as an FDA-approved diagnostic test. 355 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:37,090 As the Secretary said, we had four deployed preventative 356 00:14:37,090 --> 00:14:42,090 medical units aboard on all three ships of the Strike Group. 357 00:14:42,350 --> 00:14:44,210 They have the ability to do what 358 00:14:44,210 --> 00:14:49,140 is known as surveillance testing for COVID-19, 359 00:14:49,140 --> 00:14:52,300 and so that was used in that expedient, 360 00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:56,390 emergent manor to identify those who were presumed positive. 361 00:14:56,390 --> 00:15:00,370 As diagnostic capability became more available, 362 00:15:00,370 --> 00:15:04,987 we have been confirming those in DOD laboratories. 363 00:15:05,965 --> 00:15:08,890 And I'm happy to report that now Naval Hospital Guam, 364 00:15:08,890 --> 00:15:11,290 due to a lot of hard work by many people, 365 00:15:11,290 --> 00:15:13,499 we were able to accelerate the establishment 366 00:15:13,499 --> 00:15:16,910 of diagnostic testing at Naval Hospital Guam, 367 00:15:16,910 --> 00:15:20,650 and that actually is live now as I speak. 368 00:15:20,650 --> 00:15:23,300 So it's important to understand the difference between 369 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:25,918 surveillance testing and diagnostic testing. 370 00:15:25,918 --> 00:15:30,730 The team on the ship, in an overabundance of caution, 371 00:15:30,730 --> 00:15:35,730 wanted to identify those who had, potentially had the virus 372 00:15:37,835 --> 00:15:41,710 and tested them, confirmed that individually, 373 00:15:41,710 --> 00:15:46,710 and then got final confirmation with an FDA-approved test. 374 00:15:47,930 --> 00:15:49,450 Over. 375 00:15:49,450 --> 00:15:50,810 - Right, Ryan Browne, I'll come to you next. 376 00:15:50,810 --> 00:15:51,643 - Thank you. 377 00:15:51,643 --> 00:15:53,249 I just had two quick follow ups. 378 00:15:53,249 --> 00:15:55,047 The first, you said that the goal 379 00:15:55,047 --> 00:15:57,060 was to get about 2,700 sailors 380 00:15:57,060 --> 00:15:59,980 off the ship in the next few days or so. 381 00:15:59,980 --> 00:16:01,460 And then you also said there was about three, 382 00:16:01,460 --> 00:16:04,150 capacity to house about 3,000 in Guam. 383 00:16:04,150 --> 00:16:07,590 Is the limiting factor the housing capacity, 384 00:16:07,590 --> 00:16:10,090 or is it the number of sailors that are required 385 00:16:10,090 --> 00:16:11,867 to run things like the nuclear reactor 386 00:16:11,867 --> 00:16:13,380 that you need to keep up? 387 00:16:13,380 --> 00:16:15,735 Or what is that 3,000 number? 388 00:16:15,735 --> 00:16:18,320 Is that the capacity or is that what you need 389 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,500 to keep, the delta is what you need on the ship? 390 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:23,480 - So don't take 3,000 as a limit, right. 391 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,667 We continue to work with the government of Guam 392 00:16:26,667 --> 00:16:29,010 and the local community to find additional spaces 393 00:16:29,010 --> 00:16:32,221 for these sailors to stay, particularly in hotel rooms. 394 00:16:32,221 --> 00:16:35,320 So our goal is to get a clean ship, right. 395 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,580 We need about 1,000 people or so on that ship 396 00:16:37,580 --> 00:16:39,330 to keep those critical functions running, 397 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:43,520 as the Secretary mentioned, and so we have people ashore 398 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:45,450 that are isolated that have tested positive. 399 00:16:45,450 --> 00:16:48,420 We have others that are quarantined or isolated 400 00:16:48,420 --> 00:16:50,010 because they are considered to have been 401 00:16:50,010 --> 00:16:51,350 in close contact, right. 402 00:16:51,350 --> 00:16:54,920 And so over that 14 day restricted in movement period, 403 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,292 as they become clean, they get, 404 00:16:56,292 --> 00:16:58,160 they haven't shown any symptoms, 405 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,040 they get tested and then they're brought back on the ship. 406 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,440 On board the ship, we again are trying very methodically 407 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,070 to ensure that those sections of people 408 00:17:07,070 --> 00:17:09,910 particularly watch, think in terms of watch teams, 409 00:17:09,910 --> 00:17:13,230 that they are judiciously separated as well 410 00:17:13,230 --> 00:17:15,530 so we don't have any, so we limit the risk 411 00:17:15,530 --> 00:17:17,437 of any cross contamination. 412 00:17:17,437 --> 00:17:19,243 - And then just on the follow up on a different topic, 413 00:17:19,243 --> 00:17:21,910 you said that the Comfort was there in New York. 414 00:17:21,910 --> 00:17:23,710 Have they seen a single patient yet? 415 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:26,290 - I'm not sure. 416 00:17:26,290 --> 00:17:29,750 I know the Mercy's had, as of yesterday when I was there, 417 00:17:29,750 --> 00:17:32,310 they've had nine, they've had 11 patients already. 418 00:17:32,310 --> 00:17:34,060 Nine are still on the ship as of yesterday, 419 00:17:34,060 --> 00:17:37,210 two have already been discharged from the Mercy. 420 00:17:37,210 --> 00:17:38,930 I was under the impression that the Comfort 421 00:17:38,930 --> 00:17:40,590 was starting to see patients yesterday, 422 00:17:40,590 --> 00:17:41,480 but I don't know the numbers. 423 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:42,580 Bruce, do you know? 424 00:17:42,580 --> 00:17:44,720 - [Bruce] None right now, but ready to go. 425 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:45,553 - Yes sir. 426 00:17:45,553 --> 00:17:49,020 No, they've been making the arrangements 427 00:17:49,020 --> 00:17:51,720 with the local health officials to identify those patients 428 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:53,900 that are appropriate to be transferred to Comfort, 429 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:55,670 and that process is in place, 430 00:17:55,670 --> 00:17:58,020 and I believe that patient arrival is imminent. 431 00:17:58,990 --> 00:18:02,090 - All right, we'll go to Dan Lamothe from The Post. 432 00:18:02,090 --> 00:18:03,700 - [Woman] Identify themselves before they speak, 433 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:05,440 for those of us who don't recognize voices. 434 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:06,273 Thank you. 435 00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:09,838 - The last was Surgeon General. 436 00:18:09,838 --> 00:18:11,763 All right, Dan Lamothe, The Post. 437 00:18:14,670 --> 00:18:16,110 - Yes, thank you. 438 00:18:16,110 --> 00:18:18,370 Captain Crozier in his letter said that the Navy 439 00:18:18,370 --> 00:18:20,170 was failing to properly take care 440 00:18:20,170 --> 00:18:22,900 of its most trusted asset, our sailors. 441 00:18:22,900 --> 00:18:24,040 Family members have expressed 442 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,280 similar sentiments in interviews. 443 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:27,630 How do you respond to that? 444 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,950 - Well, I, my response to that, 445 00:18:32,950 --> 00:18:35,231 it's disappointing to have him say that. 446 00:18:35,231 --> 00:18:40,100 However, at the same time, I know that that's not the truth. 447 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:42,780 We have been working very, very hard with the ship, 448 00:18:42,780 --> 00:18:45,070 with the command structure to ensure 449 00:18:45,070 --> 00:18:46,760 that that's exactly what we're doing. 450 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:47,932 It's our priority. 451 00:18:47,932 --> 00:18:51,239 We need those sailors to be safe, we need them to be healthy 452 00:18:51,239 --> 00:18:53,500 and we need that ship to be operational 453 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:55,130 and so we're doing everything we can. 454 00:18:55,130 --> 00:18:56,960 As I mentioned yesterday, a lot of this 455 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,740 is we're adjusting on the fly and we need the feedback 456 00:18:59,740 --> 00:19:01,980 from the people on the ground to tell us what we need to do 457 00:19:01,980 --> 00:19:04,713 to bring more assistance as it's necessary. 458 00:19:05,582 --> 00:19:06,538 CO. 459 00:19:06,538 --> 00:19:10,510 - Just a couple of comments on that question, Mr. Lamothe. 460 00:19:10,510 --> 00:19:13,940 So in terms of creating, you know, 461 00:19:13,940 --> 00:19:17,010 an environment where we have flack communications and, 462 00:19:17,010 --> 00:19:19,190 you know, across the entire Navy enterprise, 463 00:19:19,190 --> 00:19:22,320 that we get, both lessons learned in terms of 464 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,580 things we should sustain and things that we need to change, 465 00:19:25,580 --> 00:19:28,930 twice a day we have synchronization sessions 466 00:19:28,930 --> 00:19:30,386 that go down to all of our three, 467 00:19:30,386 --> 00:19:33,500 our four, three and two star commanders and their staffs. 468 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:36,580 And so across that enterprise, 469 00:19:36,580 --> 00:19:39,220 we are getting those inputs on a daily basis, 470 00:19:39,220 --> 00:19:41,440 we're getting requirements, we're trying to act 471 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,720 as quickly as we can on those requirements 472 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,760 and we're trying to improve. 473 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,710 Last night, we put out another message in a series 474 00:19:48,710 --> 00:19:50,550 of messages that we've been sending, 475 00:19:50,550 --> 00:19:52,060 this time directly to commanders. 476 00:19:52,060 --> 00:19:54,338 And their job is to identify, 477 00:19:54,338 --> 00:19:56,610 our number one priority of course, 478 00:19:56,610 --> 00:19:59,960 is the safety and welfare of sailors and their families. 479 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:02,840 And we can't thank families enough for all the support 480 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,785 that they've given our sailors thus far. 481 00:20:04,785 --> 00:20:09,670 And the second priority is to maintain our mission readiness 482 00:20:09,670 --> 00:20:11,530 and to execute the missions as directed 483 00:20:11,530 --> 00:20:13,240 by the Secretary of Defense. 484 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,430 You can't execute those missions operationally 485 00:20:15,430 --> 00:20:16,860 unless you have healthy crews. 486 00:20:16,860 --> 00:20:19,940 And so the input that we get back up the chain of command, 487 00:20:19,940 --> 00:20:21,410 like the Secretary of the Navy says, 488 00:20:21,410 --> 00:20:26,100 is incredibly important at speed so that we can act on it. 489 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:28,110 We think that there was a communications breakdown 490 00:20:28,110 --> 00:20:30,900 potentially with the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt, 491 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:33,800 but when we became aware yesterday morning 492 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,010 of these concerns, we made sure that we were 493 00:20:37,010 --> 00:20:39,647 meeting expectations so that he could do thing one, 494 00:20:39,647 --> 00:20:42,150 which is to keep his crew healthy and safe. 495 00:20:42,150 --> 00:20:44,710 So I think that we've laid that flat, so to speak 496 00:20:44,710 --> 00:20:48,440 in terms of ensuring those communication lines are open 497 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,760 and they're positive and there's an environment here 498 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,050 that it's understood that we're here to break down barriers. 499 00:20:53,050 --> 00:20:57,550 And so we haven't seen that, we haven't had 500 00:20:57,550 --> 00:20:59,780 those kinds of complaints or if we have received them, 501 00:20:59,780 --> 00:21:01,560 we've tried to act on them quickly. 502 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:02,880 - And I'd like to say just further, 503 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,470 that my chief of staff has had conversations 504 00:21:05,470 --> 00:21:07,338 with the commanding officer of the ship 505 00:21:07,338 --> 00:21:10,580 prior to this letter coming out and making it very clear 506 00:21:10,580 --> 00:21:13,530 that if he felt that he was not getting the proper response 507 00:21:13,530 --> 00:21:14,410 from his chain of command, 508 00:21:14,410 --> 00:21:16,180 that he had a direct line into my office, 509 00:21:16,180 --> 00:21:19,330 so we're just making sure that they understand this. 510 00:21:19,330 --> 00:21:21,920 We understand this is a very unusual circumstance. 511 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,570 We're all learning, but we all, we care about, obviously, 512 00:21:25,570 --> 00:21:28,590 we care about the health and wellbeing of our sailors first 513 00:21:28,590 --> 00:21:31,100 and so that's what we're trying to adjust to. 514 00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:32,067 - Tom Bowman, NPR. 515 00:21:32,067 --> 00:21:34,300 - You keep saying number one priority 516 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:36,320 is the safety of the sailors. 517 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,790 If that's the case, why wouldn't you take all of the sailors 518 00:21:38,790 --> 00:21:43,000 off the ship as the captain suggests and disinfect the ship? 519 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,410 He says you have to find lodging for 4,000. 520 00:21:45,410 --> 00:21:47,920 It sounds like you still haven't found that lodging. 521 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,210 And frankly, it seems like there's a tug of war 522 00:21:50,210 --> 00:21:52,560 between the safety of the soldiers 523 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:54,270 which you say is the number one priority, 524 00:21:54,270 --> 00:21:56,893 and the ability to complete the mission. 525 00:21:57,730 --> 00:21:59,830 And we had this conversation last night 526 00:21:59,830 --> 00:22:01,990 with the head of the Pacific Fleet. 527 00:22:01,990 --> 00:22:04,360 He keeps saying, we have, if there's a crisis, 528 00:22:04,360 --> 00:22:05,830 we have to respond. 529 00:22:05,830 --> 00:22:08,660 So again, frankly, isn't the mission 530 00:22:08,660 --> 00:22:09,860 the number one priority? 531 00:22:10,890 --> 00:22:13,460 - Well, I, you know, that's the delicate balance 532 00:22:13,460 --> 00:22:14,500 that we have to play here. 533 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:17,590 You know, taking all the crew off the ship 534 00:22:17,590 --> 00:22:18,820 does not leave them safer. 535 00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:20,730 You can't leave a nuclear reactor there, 536 00:22:20,730 --> 00:22:22,200 running without anybody on the ship-- 537 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,946 - 10% on board to maintain the reactor and so forth. 538 00:22:25,946 --> 00:22:26,779 - Right. 539 00:22:26,779 --> 00:22:28,180 It's not just the reactor, it's more than just the reactor. 540 00:22:28,180 --> 00:22:29,370 You have weapon systems, 541 00:22:29,370 --> 00:22:30,807 you have a variety of other things-- 542 00:22:30,807 --> 00:22:32,300 - [Tom] Again, (mumbles) in his letter. 543 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:33,133 - I understand. 544 00:22:33,133 --> 00:22:34,650 I understand what he's saying. 545 00:22:34,650 --> 00:22:35,880 We're doing, we're basically-- 546 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:37,041 - Wasn't he right, though? 547 00:22:37,041 --> 00:22:39,390 I mean, you could do it with 10%? 548 00:22:39,390 --> 00:22:41,330 - I don't believe we can do it with 10%. 549 00:22:41,330 --> 00:22:42,643 I don't know, CNO, what's your position on that? 550 00:22:42,643 --> 00:22:44,299 - I think the major difference, 551 00:22:44,299 --> 00:22:47,310 kind of the eye opener for us was the fact 552 00:22:47,310 --> 00:22:49,330 that he wanted to move at a greater speed 553 00:22:49,330 --> 00:22:50,850 to get people off the ship, right. 554 00:22:50,850 --> 00:22:53,930 And as he says in the opening paragraph of his letter, 555 00:22:53,930 --> 00:22:55,900 hey, look, if we have to fight today, 556 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,870 we're ready to take in all lines, get the ship underway 557 00:22:58,870 --> 00:23:03,070 and we're ready to get on mission. 558 00:23:03,070 --> 00:23:07,100 And so I think that the misunderstanding perhaps 559 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,740 was the requiring at speed to get people off the ship. 560 00:23:09,740 --> 00:23:12,680 And so we had been identifying spaces 561 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,040 and getting people off the ship. 562 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,800 We are now moving people at speed to get them off the ship. 563 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,040 And so in order to act on the requirement, 564 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,660 we have to clearly understand the requirement, 565 00:23:22,660 --> 00:23:24,546 and that's why I spoke, Tom, 566 00:23:24,546 --> 00:23:27,660 to a potential comms breakdown, wherever it occurred. 567 00:23:27,660 --> 00:23:29,810 And we're not looking to shoot the messenger here, 568 00:23:29,810 --> 00:23:31,800 we want to get this right. 569 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:32,750 - All right, we'll go back to the phones. 570 00:23:32,750 --> 00:23:33,583 Courtney Kibi. 571 00:23:35,830 --> 00:23:36,828 - [Courtney] Hi, thank you. 572 00:23:36,828 --> 00:23:39,640 Admiral Gilday, I think this was you who said 573 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:40,800 you think there was a communications breakdown 574 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:41,633 with the PR crew. 575 00:23:41,633 --> 00:23:42,817 Is that correct? 576 00:23:43,810 --> 00:23:45,072 - We haven't diagnosed that yet. 577 00:23:45,072 --> 00:23:47,744 I'm just supposing if they had a requirement 578 00:23:47,744 --> 00:23:52,260 and if we didn't know, if it wasn't acted upon, you know, 579 00:23:52,260 --> 00:23:55,760 in the manner that the CO, that the CO wanted, you know, 580 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:56,880 there was a potentially a breakdown 581 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:58,780 in communications there at some point. 582 00:23:59,950 --> 00:24:00,783 - [Courtney] Okay. 583 00:24:00,783 --> 00:24:02,538 So I guess my question is really, you know, 584 00:24:02,538 --> 00:24:06,933 have you identified that, because I have to, you know, 585 00:24:06,933 --> 00:24:10,340 sort of following on Tom Bowman's question, like, 586 00:24:10,340 --> 00:24:12,760 we, after you guys first came out late last week 587 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,580 and announced that they were a couple of cases 588 00:24:14,580 --> 00:24:16,590 and they were being flown off, the ship was out at sea 589 00:24:16,590 --> 00:24:18,210 and then we hear soon after, a day or two later, 590 00:24:18,210 --> 00:24:20,110 whatever it was, that it pulls into Guam. 591 00:24:20,110 --> 00:24:21,180 We keep hearing over and over, 592 00:24:21,180 --> 00:24:22,650 well, that was a scheduled port visit. 593 00:24:22,650 --> 00:24:26,090 So it seems as if there hasn't been an urgency to respond 594 00:24:26,090 --> 00:24:28,580 to this and get the sailors off 595 00:24:28,580 --> 00:24:30,805 when we all know there's absolutely no way to quarantine 596 00:24:30,805 --> 00:24:33,520 or isolate people when you're on a ship. 597 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,270 So I mean, I guess is, did the, 598 00:24:36,270 --> 00:24:39,100 this communication breakdown, did it occur at the beginning 599 00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:41,497 with the PR crew not telling you how significant 600 00:24:41,497 --> 00:24:45,080 the potential curve was here or. 601 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,340 I'm just trying to (mumbles) a little bit more about that. 602 00:24:48,340 --> 00:24:50,360 - We understood on a day-to-day basis, right, 603 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,780 how many cases they had and so it began at two 604 00:24:52,780 --> 00:24:55,750 and then we saw a precipitous rise. 605 00:24:55,750 --> 00:24:58,760 And so a question, right, in terms of the framework 606 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,270 under which we were, they were operating on the ship 607 00:25:01,270 --> 00:25:03,970 is do you test first, as I mentioned before, 608 00:25:03,970 --> 00:25:06,940 based on those, based on symptomatic cases 609 00:25:06,940 --> 00:25:09,900 and then isolate, and then move to isolate and quarantine, 610 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:14,100 or do you flip that approach and do you quarantine 611 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:15,690 and isolate and then test? 612 00:25:15,690 --> 00:25:17,985 And so that's where we made some adjustments 613 00:25:17,985 --> 00:25:20,810 to get people off the ship faster. 614 00:25:20,810 --> 00:25:22,935 It's a different of approaches, right. 615 00:25:22,935 --> 00:25:27,935 It's a difference of approaches and perhaps, you know, 616 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:32,600 our understanding now of what his point was. 617 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:34,130 If I could just say something about 618 00:25:34,130 --> 00:25:35,420 the commanding officer of ship, 619 00:25:35,420 --> 00:25:39,340 and so that's an extraordinary responsibility of command. 620 00:25:39,340 --> 00:25:42,790 And so he has authorities and he has responsibilities. 621 00:25:42,790 --> 00:25:47,756 And so he also is held account for the health and wellbeing 622 00:25:47,756 --> 00:25:51,120 of those 4,865 sailors on that ship. 623 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:52,900 He takes it very seriously. 624 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,270 And so if he has a difference of approach 625 00:25:55,270 --> 00:25:57,220 and he thinks he has a better way to do it, 626 00:25:57,220 --> 00:25:58,780 and if he doesn't feel that, you know, 627 00:25:58,780 --> 00:26:01,050 we're acting at the speed of urgency, 628 00:26:01,050 --> 00:26:03,070 then absolutely we need to know about that 629 00:26:03,070 --> 00:26:05,050 and we need to adjust. 630 00:26:05,050 --> 00:26:10,050 So I wouldn't, I think that we have quickly responded 631 00:26:11,290 --> 00:26:14,400 and deliberately responded to the feedback received. 632 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:15,233 - Right. 633 00:26:15,233 --> 00:26:16,066 David Larder on the phones. 634 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:20,033 - [David] Yes, sir. 635 00:26:20,033 --> 00:26:21,700 Thank you for doing this. 636 00:26:21,700 --> 00:26:22,780 David Larder, (mumbles) News. 637 00:26:22,780 --> 00:26:23,740 Real quick. 638 00:26:23,740 --> 00:26:28,670 So the, you know, there's a number of cases out there 639 00:26:28,670 --> 00:26:30,100 that we've heard about, 640 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:34,842 small unit level outbreaks here and there. 641 00:26:34,842 --> 00:26:38,100 You know, I don't know of any sort of widespread, 642 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:39,800 every unit has it sort of thing, 643 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,140 but I'm wondering how you're going to, going forward, 644 00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:46,183 balance, you know, risk, 645 00:26:46,183 --> 00:26:50,210 the risk that you take by continuing to operate these ships 646 00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:53,360 and going forward, the risk that you take that the virus 647 00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:56,470 will impose a readiness problem on those ships 648 00:26:56,470 --> 00:26:58,700 even if, you know, even if you don't have one 649 00:26:58,700 --> 00:26:59,900 when you leave. 650 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:02,440 I guess, how are you balancing that risk with, 651 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:07,000 of expanded outbreaks to more ships operating forward with, 652 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,590 you know, your clear desire to maintain presence, 653 00:27:10,590 --> 00:27:13,010 and is there any validity to the suggestion 654 00:27:13,010 --> 00:27:15,810 that maybe you should reduce your forward presence 655 00:27:15,810 --> 00:27:19,210 or reduce your operating tempo temporarily 656 00:27:19,210 --> 00:27:21,033 until this virus gets under control? 657 00:27:22,180 --> 00:27:24,520 - So those are discussions that are being held right now. 658 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,100 We have made adjustments already 659 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:29,160 to some of the operations that we intended to do. 660 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,830 Some of the port visits that we intended to do 661 00:27:31,830 --> 00:27:34,310 have been canceled for that very reason. 662 00:27:34,310 --> 00:27:36,780 I'd also just like to emphasize, we have about 94 ships 663 00:27:36,780 --> 00:27:39,230 that are deployed right now, the Teddy Roosevelt 664 00:27:39,230 --> 00:27:43,426 is the only one that has active cases onboard right now. 665 00:27:43,426 --> 00:27:45,850 Some of the other ships that we have that have 666 00:27:45,850 --> 00:27:50,170 some active cases on it are in port, not deployed ships, 667 00:27:50,170 --> 00:27:53,150 and those numbers are all in the single digits. 668 00:27:53,150 --> 00:27:55,520 We don't have any large outbreaks 669 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,050 on any of the other ships that we have right now. 670 00:27:58,050 --> 00:27:59,490 So David, it's a good question. 671 00:27:59,490 --> 00:28:02,010 We're obviously constantly thinking about that. 672 00:28:02,010 --> 00:28:04,510 This also has implications for as we start thinking about 673 00:28:04,510 --> 00:28:07,362 our training cycles and what we need to do there. 674 00:28:07,362 --> 00:28:10,340 It has implications for everything that we do 675 00:28:10,340 --> 00:28:13,500 and we're thinking about that, we're planning for it 676 00:28:13,500 --> 00:28:15,900 and trying to figure out the best way to adjust. 677 00:28:17,190 --> 00:28:18,023 - All right. 678 00:28:18,023 --> 00:28:18,970 Mike Lynn, I'll come to you. 679 00:28:18,970 --> 00:28:20,080 - Yes, sir. 680 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:22,690 There was some concern with some of the family members 681 00:28:22,690 --> 00:28:27,380 aboard the TR, or the relatives of the sailors 682 00:28:28,550 --> 00:28:32,080 that the very public nature of this letter, 683 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,560 how it got out, is gonna somehow impact 684 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:35,670 on the captain's career. 685 00:28:35,670 --> 00:28:38,750 Because as you know, carrier captains are the best 686 00:28:38,750 --> 00:28:40,900 and the brightest and often pick up flag rank. 687 00:28:40,900 --> 00:28:45,113 Is there, can you assure the family that he didn't, 688 00:28:45,113 --> 00:28:48,693 you know, shoot himself in the leg with this letter? 689 00:28:49,750 --> 00:28:52,172 - Well, as I mentioned at the beginning of my statement, 690 00:28:52,172 --> 00:28:55,200 he submitted this letter through his chain of command, 691 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:56,686 to his chain of command. 692 00:28:56,686 --> 00:28:59,630 How it got out into the media, I don't know. 693 00:28:59,630 --> 00:29:01,370 I don't think anyone will ever know. 694 00:29:01,370 --> 00:29:03,479 We certainly would prefer that it wouldn't. 695 00:29:03,479 --> 00:29:06,160 But when we, when the chain of command receives letters 696 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,940 like that, they're responsible and accountable 697 00:29:07,940 --> 00:29:10,220 for taking action on it, and that's what they did. 698 00:29:10,220 --> 00:29:14,040 So we ask our, particularly in light of 699 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:16,430 some of the adjustments we've made in the fleet 700 00:29:16,430 --> 00:29:20,240 after the the acts, the horrible accidents we had in 2017, 701 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,140 we are, we really want people to tell us 702 00:29:23,140 --> 00:29:24,080 if they see problems. 703 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,890 They should not be inhibited from telling us 704 00:29:25,890 --> 00:29:28,260 and being transparent about the issues that they see, 705 00:29:28,260 --> 00:29:31,060 but they need to do it through their chains of command. 706 00:29:31,060 --> 00:29:33,310 And if they're not getting the proper responses 707 00:29:33,310 --> 00:29:34,490 from their chains of command, 708 00:29:34,490 --> 00:29:37,640 then they need to maybe go outside of it. 709 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:39,660 We prefer that they don't, and hopefully our chains 710 00:29:39,660 --> 00:29:41,421 of command will respond appropriately. 711 00:29:41,421 --> 00:29:45,514 As I mentioned, this letter was written on Sunday evening 712 00:29:45,514 --> 00:29:48,298 and it made its way up to Admiral Aquilino, 713 00:29:48,298 --> 00:29:52,260 already, things were in motion to respond to those, 714 00:29:52,260 --> 00:29:55,123 to the letters by the time it made it out into the media. 715 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,850 - All right, Dre Sunly on the phones. 716 00:30:00,790 --> 00:30:02,597 - [Dre] Sure, thanks for giving me the time. 717 00:30:02,597 --> 00:30:04,850 I just wanted to follow up on Jen's question. 718 00:30:04,850 --> 00:30:07,240 Firstly, do you, would there be any retaliation 719 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:08,720 against the captain of the ship? 720 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,070 And do you believe that the morale aboard the ship 721 00:30:11,070 --> 00:30:13,610 has been damaged, as people on the ship 722 00:30:13,610 --> 00:30:15,860 and families are suggesting that it has been? 723 00:30:17,110 --> 00:30:18,950 - Well I, like I said, I don't know who 724 00:30:18,950 --> 00:30:20,900 leaked the letter to the media. 725 00:30:20,900 --> 00:30:22,990 That would be something that would violate the principles 726 00:30:22,990 --> 00:30:24,198 of good order and discipline 727 00:30:24,198 --> 00:30:28,009 if he were responsible for that, but I don't know that. 728 00:30:28,009 --> 00:30:30,270 The fact that he wrote the letter up his, 729 00:30:30,270 --> 00:30:32,690 to his chain of command to express his concerns 730 00:30:32,690 --> 00:30:36,980 would absolutely not result in any type of retaliation. 731 00:30:36,980 --> 00:30:38,440 This is what we want our commanding officers 732 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:39,610 to be able to do. 733 00:30:39,610 --> 00:30:41,700 I'd also say that I received an email yesterday 734 00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:43,790 from an enlisted person on the ship directly to me 735 00:30:43,790 --> 00:30:45,660 telling me that things are actually okay, 736 00:30:45,660 --> 00:30:47,530 that he felt comfortable that the ship 737 00:30:47,530 --> 00:30:48,920 was handling things appropriately. 738 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,230 So we're watching this thing very closely 739 00:30:52,230 --> 00:30:53,840 and I think people feel comfortable 740 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,640 being able to raise these issues up. 741 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,350 - Sir, could I have the response to that as well 742 00:30:59,350 --> 00:31:02,970 in terms our communication with families. 743 00:31:02,970 --> 00:31:05,890 And so I'd like the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, 744 00:31:05,890 --> 00:31:08,590 Master Chief Petty Officer Smith to step up to the mic 745 00:31:08,590 --> 00:31:10,240 and talk about that a little bit. 746 00:31:11,890 --> 00:31:12,723 - Good afternoon. 747 00:31:12,723 --> 00:31:14,940 So, you know, the, one of the principle vehicles 748 00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:18,280 that we have to communicate with families is the ombudsman. 749 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,510 Not having that letter addressed in a way 750 00:31:21,510 --> 00:31:23,960 where we could have used the things like the ombudsman 751 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:25,980 and such, the CMC could have communicated 752 00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:28,250 in a very different way, the CO could have communicated 753 00:31:28,250 --> 00:31:31,510 in a very different way to avoid family members panicking 754 00:31:31,510 --> 00:31:33,510 when the first thing they see or read 755 00:31:33,510 --> 00:31:37,210 is not just the letter itself, but the spin and the hype 756 00:31:37,210 --> 00:31:38,690 and all the things that surround it. 757 00:31:38,690 --> 00:31:43,050 So that letter getting outside of our Navy lifelines 758 00:31:43,050 --> 00:31:45,110 really reduced and diminished the ability 759 00:31:45,110 --> 00:31:47,800 of the ombudsman network to communicate to families 760 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,090 in a way that probably would have been a lot more settling. 761 00:31:50,090 --> 00:31:52,220 So imagine when you wake up and you read this thing 762 00:31:52,220 --> 00:31:54,310 first in the press before you get to hear about it 763 00:31:54,310 --> 00:31:55,874 from any Navy leader. 764 00:31:55,874 --> 00:31:57,980 Now you're on your heels explaining, 765 00:31:57,980 --> 00:31:59,741 which is never a good place to be. 766 00:31:59,741 --> 00:32:02,513 But in speaking with people that are on the ship, 767 00:32:02,513 --> 00:32:05,860 morale does seem high and it, 768 00:32:05,860 --> 00:32:07,530 I think they know they're gonna get through this. 769 00:32:07,530 --> 00:32:08,880 We've been talking a lot about this 770 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:10,373 long before any of this happened 771 00:32:10,373 --> 00:32:13,120 and how we are gonna have some tough times ahead 772 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:15,180 because of the nature of the virus 773 00:32:15,180 --> 00:32:16,970 and what our families have to go through. 774 00:32:16,970 --> 00:32:19,750 Most of it, of our communication has honestly been focused 775 00:32:19,750 --> 00:32:21,840 on those crews that are at sea who are worried 776 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:23,730 about their families back home because frankly, 777 00:32:23,730 --> 00:32:27,200 that's where the greater need is right now as far as, 778 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:28,780 you know, what are they facing, 779 00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:31,210 what's the stress on the crew. 780 00:32:31,210 --> 00:32:33,140 In this instance, it's just the opposite 781 00:32:33,140 --> 00:32:35,480 where now I've got family members who are at home 782 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,580 often sheltered in place who are asking about 783 00:32:37,580 --> 00:32:39,070 their loved ones at sea. 784 00:32:39,070 --> 00:32:41,840 So we're doing everything we can, 785 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:43,920 and one of the nice things about the chiefs network 786 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:45,200 and me being a chief, and by the way, 787 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,177 today is the chief petty officer birthday, 788 00:32:47,177 --> 00:32:50,170 it, we have that informal network 789 00:32:50,170 --> 00:32:52,324 and the ability to communicate with the fleet 790 00:32:52,324 --> 00:32:56,110 that does not necessarily follow the natural flow 791 00:32:56,110 --> 00:32:58,940 of the chain of command because we work together 792 00:32:58,940 --> 00:33:01,970 to help the whole and cut across that bureaucracy 793 00:33:01,970 --> 00:33:04,750 by communicating horizontally where most can't. 794 00:33:04,750 --> 00:33:07,060 So there's a pretty good bead. 795 00:33:07,060 --> 00:33:08,810 I'm glad that Sec may have also had the opportunity 796 00:33:08,810 --> 00:33:10,460 to hear directly. 797 00:33:10,460 --> 00:33:11,900 But what we're getting from the ship 798 00:33:11,900 --> 00:33:14,620 is not that things are in a terrible state. 799 00:33:14,620 --> 00:33:16,030 Quite the opposite. 800 00:33:16,030 --> 00:33:18,308 - Megan Myers will come to you next. 801 00:33:18,308 --> 00:33:19,890 - All right, this question is for either of you. 802 00:33:19,890 --> 00:33:22,442 Have you guys been able to speak to Secretary Esper 803 00:33:22,442 --> 00:33:25,130 directly about the plan here? 804 00:33:25,130 --> 00:33:27,060 Because yesterday, he was saying he didn't think 805 00:33:27,060 --> 00:33:28,629 that the carrier needed to be evacuated, 806 00:33:28,629 --> 00:33:31,300 that if it were sidelined 807 00:33:31,300 --> 00:33:33,186 there are other carriers to do missions, 808 00:33:33,186 --> 00:33:35,140 but that ultimately, he was gonna lean on 809 00:33:35,140 --> 00:33:38,710 the chain of command to take accountability for all of it. 810 00:33:38,710 --> 00:33:39,723 Is that the same conversation that you guys had-- 811 00:33:39,723 --> 00:33:41,850 - Yes, I spoke to Secretary Esper yesterday 812 00:33:41,850 --> 00:33:44,810 about the situation and maybe there's a terminology issue 813 00:33:44,810 --> 00:33:47,330 in terms of evacuation and what he thinks evacuation is 814 00:33:47,330 --> 00:33:48,163 and what we're doing. 815 00:33:48,163 --> 00:33:52,310 I mean, we are evacuating or removing a large number 816 00:33:52,310 --> 00:33:54,150 of the members of the ship off the ship to make sure 817 00:33:54,150 --> 00:33:58,020 that they're not positive and that we can repopulate 818 00:33:58,020 --> 00:33:59,790 the ship in an orderly manner. 819 00:33:59,790 --> 00:34:01,867 So we, yeah, we talked about it yesterday 820 00:34:01,867 --> 00:34:03,960 and he understands the plan that we're on. 821 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,300 - In terms of taking accountability for emerging outbreaks 822 00:34:06,300 --> 00:34:08,371 or containing ones that you already know about, 823 00:34:08,371 --> 00:34:10,810 are you reaching down to commands to make sure 824 00:34:10,810 --> 00:34:12,010 that they are doing everything, 825 00:34:12,010 --> 00:34:14,960 and is there anything that you need from the Pentagon level 826 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:16,580 to, you know, have more policy 827 00:34:16,580 --> 00:34:18,860 to make sure that those things get done? 828 00:34:18,860 --> 00:34:20,160 - I don't think we need anything more from the, 829 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:22,320 at the DOD level. 830 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:24,430 I think we're putting out more guidance today. 831 00:34:24,430 --> 00:34:26,246 I believe the VCNO sent something out this morning 832 00:34:26,246 --> 00:34:28,091 to the fleet as well-- 833 00:34:28,091 --> 00:34:28,924 (man speaking unintelligibly) 834 00:34:28,924 --> 00:34:30,130 CNO, I don't know what else you're doing. 835 00:34:30,130 --> 00:34:32,370 - So I mentioned earlier, we're doing those twice a days, 836 00:34:32,370 --> 00:34:35,639 right, to lay things flat across the Navy. 837 00:34:35,639 --> 00:34:39,130 Last night, we reiterated a message 838 00:34:39,130 --> 00:34:40,370 to all commanding officers. 839 00:34:40,370 --> 00:34:43,470 This is what, these are the facts about COVID-19, 840 00:34:43,470 --> 00:34:46,290 to inform the measures that you're taking 841 00:34:46,290 --> 00:34:48,287 in accordance to the CDC guidelines. 842 00:34:48,287 --> 00:34:50,310 And we encouraged them to be a bit creative 843 00:34:50,310 --> 00:34:53,810 because, you know, whether it's a submarine or a destroyer 844 00:34:53,810 --> 00:34:56,610 or an aircraft carrier, sometimes people work 845 00:34:56,610 --> 00:34:58,460 in enclosed spaces and so you have to do the best you can 846 00:34:58,460 --> 00:35:02,050 to maintain those standards and to rotate watch teams. 847 00:35:02,050 --> 00:35:04,490 And the feedback that we're getting from the fleet 848 00:35:04,490 --> 00:35:05,930 is that they appreciate the guidance, 849 00:35:05,930 --> 00:35:07,740 it's getting down to the deck plates, 850 00:35:07,740 --> 00:35:09,250 that people are executing. 851 00:35:09,250 --> 00:35:11,210 To follow up on something that the Secretary said 852 00:35:11,210 --> 00:35:12,950 a few minutes ago about what we're doing to mitigate, 853 00:35:12,950 --> 00:35:15,070 so of course we've canceled a number of exercises 854 00:35:15,070 --> 00:35:18,810 and training evolutions, but we're also putting sailors 855 00:35:18,810 --> 00:35:22,740 in 14-day restricted movement quarantine environments 856 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,483 before ships get underway for training and deployment. 857 00:35:29,460 --> 00:35:30,306 - We'll go back to phones. 858 00:35:30,306 --> 00:35:31,793 (mumbles), Ben Warner. 859 00:35:37,465 --> 00:35:38,298 - [Ben] Oh, sorry. 860 00:35:38,298 --> 00:35:39,510 I have a quick question. 861 00:35:39,510 --> 00:35:41,240 So about that point. 862 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,960 You've got, you know, roughly given what's happened 863 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,830 with the Teddy Roosevelt, you've got now roughly like 864 00:35:50,830 --> 00:35:55,830 1,900 sailors on board the ships of the Makin Island ARC. 865 00:35:55,894 --> 00:35:59,300 Can you kind of explain the rationale behind, you know, 866 00:35:59,300 --> 00:36:02,041 loading everyone up and kind of sitting there for, 867 00:36:02,041 --> 00:36:04,493 you know, basically an exercise? 868 00:36:06,273 --> 00:36:08,750 - So we've gone through a 14-day round period 869 00:36:08,750 --> 00:36:10,430 before these ships are getting underway, 870 00:36:10,430 --> 00:36:12,051 and so that is standard now. 871 00:36:12,051 --> 00:36:16,600 In fact, guidance came out from the Pacific Fleet commander 872 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:20,120 and from our other fleet commanders as early as January, 873 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,300 and so we've continued to update that guidance, 874 00:36:22,300 --> 00:36:25,848 but we've been following it down to every single ship 875 00:36:25,848 --> 00:36:29,230 before they get underway for any significant amount of time. 876 00:36:29,230 --> 00:36:31,730 - All right, last question for Luis Martinez, ABC. 877 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:35,713 - [Luis] I want to thank you so much 878 00:36:35,713 --> 00:36:36,870 for doing this briefing. 879 00:36:36,870 --> 00:36:37,910 Before I ask my real question, 880 00:36:37,910 --> 00:36:39,400 can you clarify for me, please? 881 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,740 I've seen crew listings of 4,000 and 5,000. 882 00:36:42,740 --> 00:36:44,140 Which is the accurate count? 883 00:36:45,240 --> 00:36:48,393 - Just north of 4,800 on the TR. 884 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:51,880 - [Luis] Thank you for that. 885 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:53,930 My other question is the captain, in his letter, 886 00:36:53,930 --> 00:36:56,951 what he really had concerns about was the proximity 887 00:36:56,951 --> 00:37:01,750 of the inability to carry out safe quarantine 888 00:37:01,750 --> 00:37:05,660 according to CDC guidelines in the facilities that, 889 00:37:05,660 --> 00:37:07,890 where his crew was being housed. 890 00:37:07,890 --> 00:37:09,300 When will that be addressed? 891 00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:10,950 I know you've talked about hotels, 892 00:37:10,950 --> 00:37:13,230 but if you're gonna follow the guideline 893 00:37:13,230 --> 00:37:16,270 of one individual per room with an individual head, 894 00:37:16,270 --> 00:37:17,820 when can you get to that or is that 895 00:37:17,820 --> 00:37:19,220 not even possible right now? 896 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,330 - Well, we're asking them, this is part of the reason 897 00:37:23,330 --> 00:37:25,780 why we're looking for more space off the ship, 898 00:37:25,780 --> 00:37:27,870 is to be able to spread the crew out 899 00:37:27,870 --> 00:37:30,750 and give them space where they can be isolated. 900 00:37:30,750 --> 00:37:33,023 That's why hotels are actually a pretty good 901 00:37:33,023 --> 00:37:36,830 place to put people, particularly if they stay 902 00:37:36,830 --> 00:37:39,720 where they're supposed to be for the quarantine period 903 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:41,869 and for, or for the isolation period. 904 00:37:41,869 --> 00:37:44,620 As far as on the ship, the more people you get off the ship, 905 00:37:44,620 --> 00:37:47,830 the more you can spread out the ones that are left on board, 906 00:37:47,830 --> 00:37:50,330 to include spreading them out when they're dining 907 00:37:50,330 --> 00:37:53,750 and using the bathroom facilities, 908 00:37:53,750 --> 00:37:55,410 the head facilities and so on and so forth. 909 00:37:55,410 --> 00:37:59,040 So, and we're in agreement with the CO 910 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:02,120 that we need to do all we can to get as many people 911 00:38:02,120 --> 00:38:04,980 off the ship while still maintaining the safe operation 912 00:38:04,980 --> 00:38:07,309 of the ship, and so that they can actually be, 913 00:38:07,309 --> 00:38:10,110 demonstrate a little bit more social separation 914 00:38:10,110 --> 00:38:11,453 on the ship itself. 915 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:14,129 CNO, do you have any? 916 00:38:14,129 --> 00:38:16,520 - No unless, Bruce, you had anything to add. 917 00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:18,570 - Just perhaps the medical response, sir. 918 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:22,790 And I'd like to reassure everyone as the Surgeon General, 919 00:38:22,790 --> 00:38:25,960 that I have been in contact with the senior medical officer 920 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:29,740 aboard the ship and the entire medical chain of command, 921 00:38:29,740 --> 00:38:32,371 the 7th Fleet surgeon, the Pacific Fleet surgeon, 922 00:38:32,371 --> 00:38:37,371 and I'm aware, he expressed some of his concerns to us. 923 00:38:37,570 --> 00:38:39,270 I communicated those to the chain of, 924 00:38:39,270 --> 00:38:40,670 medical chain of command. 925 00:38:40,670 --> 00:38:43,430 I will tell you that even prior to the letter 926 00:38:43,430 --> 00:38:44,900 that we anticipated they would need 927 00:38:44,900 --> 00:38:46,280 additional medical support. 928 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,920 So in conjunction with Naval Hospital Guam, 929 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:53,920 which is a full service hospital, as well as 55 members 930 00:38:53,930 --> 00:38:56,660 of the 3rd Medical Battalion from Okinawa, 931 00:38:56,660 --> 00:38:58,480 we have created a medical task force, 932 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,721 so they are there to support the observation 933 00:39:01,721 --> 00:39:05,260 and treatment as necessary of those crew members 934 00:39:05,260 --> 00:39:07,000 who are positive. 935 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,596 As the Secretary of the Navy emphasized, 936 00:39:09,596 --> 00:39:13,170 none of those sailors have required hospitalization 937 00:39:13,170 --> 00:39:16,600 either aboard the ship or at Naval Hospital Guam. 938 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:18,970 We will continue to monitor their condition. 939 00:39:18,970 --> 00:39:21,542 We believe that their relative health and youth 940 00:39:21,542 --> 00:39:23,910 is in their favor. 941 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:26,870 We're not assuming that they won't become more ill, 942 00:39:26,870 --> 00:39:30,270 but so far, indications are that they will continue 943 00:39:30,270 --> 00:39:35,110 to be mildly symptomatic and recover without sequela. 944 00:39:36,770 --> 00:39:37,773 - All right, ladies and gentleman. 945 00:39:37,773 --> 00:39:38,606 Thanks very much to those in the room. 946 00:39:38,606 --> 00:39:39,800 Thank you for dialing in, folks. 947 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,319 We'll talk later. 948 00:39:41,319 --> 00:39:42,152 Out here.