By now, a recent White House Supreme Court ceremony has been well-documented. The ceremony is now widely thought to have been a superspreader event of the novel Coronavirus.
The list of political figures that have developed COVID-19 after attending the ceremony has kept growing. But when following the chain of events and contact tracing, the list gets even bigger. And it might include the highest echelons of the United States military.
Admiral Ray, General Thomas have become sick with COVID-19
The second-highest ranking officers in two of the United States' military branches have become ill.
Both of them have also tested positive for COVID-19. One is Admiral Charles Ray, the vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. The other is General Gary L. Thomas, the assistant commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Many military leadership members have gone into quarantine, including most of the joint chiefs of staff. According to Politico, Admiral Ray visited the White House for a different ceremony on September 27. One day after the Supreme Court event, that's believed to have caused so much danger.
A few days later, Ray participated in a meeting at The Pentagon. Senior military officials, including him, had gathered in a secure conference room. Within a couple of days of the Pentagon meeting, he began showing symptoms of COVID-19.
Ray was subsequently tested for the disease, and the result was positive.
ABC reports that General Thomas was at that meeting in the secure conference room. Thomas had already been self-isolating after receiving the news of Ray's diagnosis. The general also began showing signs of the novel coronavirus and tested positive.
Speculation quickly began about Ray and Thomas' immediate superiors.
Coast Guard Commandant Karl Schultz was apparently not at the White House event or the Pentagon meeting. Marine Corps Commandant David H. Berger was not at the Pentagon meeting. However, he reportedly was present at the White House ceremony with Ray.
Ray and Thomas are both decorated aviators
The admiral and general both received their commissions during the 1980s.
Both also became aviators. Ray would become a helicopter pilot. Thomas has served in a number of F/A-18 squadrons.
Charles Ray has been stationed aboard the USCGC Acushnet. He later commanded Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen and served in the Iraq War. Other roles he's had include advising the U.S. Homeland Security secretary.
Gary L. Thomas has served in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. During the Iraq War, he commanded Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 aboard the USS Constellation. His other commands included the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
