COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATION FACES New rule on player No quick relief for Mike Richards transfers ushers in Louisiana in wake out as producer era of free agency of Hurricane Ida of ‘Jeopardy!’ Page 24 Page 10 Page 17 New haircuts approved in Navy’s latest grooming standards ›› Page 3 stripes.com Volume 80 Edition 99 ©SS 2021 THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas AFGHANISTAN Biden defends US exit BY NIKKI WENTLING Stars and Stripes WASHINGTON — A defiant President Joe Biden on Tuesday defended his decision to leave Af- ghanistan and bring a nearly 20- year war to an end. Biden pushed back against crit- ics who have scrutinized his judg- ment and argued he took missteps that created the chaotic situation in Afghanistan during the past few weeks. Aiming to silence those critics, Biden contended his choices re- garding Afghanistan had been limited by former President Do- nald Trump’s agreement with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops. He said he faced two choices: fol- low the agreement of the previous administration or send in more U.S. Army U.S. troops to escalate the war. Victory Wellness launched one year ago at Fort Riley, Kan., to provide soldiers time every other week to work on team building, mental and “That was the choice, the real emotional strength and forming relationships. Training can include team sports and physical activity, difficult discussions or volunteer work. choice, between leaving or esca- lating,” Biden said. “I was not go- ing to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever ex- it.” ‘We owe it to our soldiers’ SEE BIDEN ON PAGE 7 Fort Riley mandates counseling sessions to help battle suicide, stigma of seeking help BY ROSE L. THAYER from a deployment to Afghanistan But the ques- Sims, now a major general, can Stars and Stripes where he commanded the 1st tion stayed with draw a line from his wife’s ques- he way that Douglas Squadron, of the 2nd Cavalry Re- him and over the tion to the mental fitness policies Sims spoke to his wife giment. He had just two days be- remaining time that he enforced later during his was unusual. tween leaving command in Ger- in his fellowship, brigade command, and through to T It was 2011 and the two many and arriving in a “complete- reshaped his the current policies that he enact- were sitting at a table as their ly different world” for his fellow- own understand- ed last year after taking command daughter practiced with her swim ship. ing of post-trau- of the 1st Infantry Division and Sims team. They had a rare year “off” “Are you OK?” his wife, Fay matic stress dis- Fort Riley, Kan. from Army life for Sims, then a asked. The way that he spoke order, behavioral health and the Soon after hearing his wife’s EVAN VUCCI/AP lieutenant colonel, to participate sounded off, she told him. importance of taking time to build concern, Sims said he took his President Joe Biden speaks in a fellowship at Massachusetts “Of course, I’m OK. Why mental strength, just as he has tak- post-deployment health assess- about the end of the war in Institute of Technology. wouldn’t I be OK?” Sims said he en time each morning of his Army Afghanistan at the White House He was six months removed shot back to her. career to build physical strength. SEE COUNSELING ON PAGE 5 on Tuesday in Washington. PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, September 2, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Owners frustrated when linking phones to cars EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1,156.74 Associated Press Hyundai, Jeep and Chevrolet works fine by itself, but when they Switzerland (Franc) .9149 Euro costs (Sept. 2) $1.16 Thailand (Baht) 32.29 DETROIT — Automobile quality rounded out the top 10 brands. come to connect it to the vehicle, go Dollar buys (Sept. 2) 0.8235 Turkey (New Lira) 8.2906 British pound (Sept. 2) $1.34 rose last year, but glitches in pairing Smartphone connections, mainly through the Wi-Fi system, that’s Japanese yen (Sept. 2) 107.00 (Military exchange rates are those available smartphones with infotainment linking Android Auto and Apple where the problems exist,” Sargent South Korean won (Sept. 2) 1,130.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ systems frustrated owners more CarPlay to automobiles, was this said. many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain (Dinar) .3736 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ than anything, according to a large year’s top problem. It beat voice rec- Consumers quickly blame their Britain (Pound) 1.3794 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2602 your local military banking facility. Commercial U.S. survey of auto owners. ognition as the survey’s No. 1 grem- vehicle, but tech companies are part China (Yuan) 6.4611 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.2784 For the first time, a brand from lin for the first time since 2011. of the problem and should share Egypt (Pound) 15.7004 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Fiat Chrysler, now Stellantis, Automakers have been trying to some of the burden in solving it, he Euro .8443 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7758 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ ranked No. 1 for having the fewest link phones to cars for more than a said. About one-third of vehicles on Hungary (Forint) 294.03 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2038 problems. Ram trucks finished first, decade, yet the problem persists, the market in the United Stateshave Japan (Yen) 109.94 INTEREST RATES followed by another company said Dave Sargent, J.D. Power’s the ability to link to Apple CarPlay Kuwait (Dinar) .3006 Norway (Krone) 8.6731 Prime rate 3.25 brand, Dodge, according to the an- vice president of automotive quali- and Android Auto, and the problem Philippines (Peso) 49.96 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.81 Federal funds market rate 0.09 nual survey by J.D. Power. Lexus, ty. is pervasive with all manufacturers, Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7504 3­month bill 0.04 Mitsubishi, Nissan, Kia, Genesis, “People see that their phone Sargent said. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3447 30­year bond 1.93 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 71/64 Kabul Seoul 86/65 78/66 Baghdad 112/78 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar 81/66 67/64 Mildenhall/ Pomorskie Busan 100/68 Lakenheath 68/57 66/55 75/71 Iwakuni 76/73 Kuwait City Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo 106/85 95/91 Ramstein 65/52 Guam 67/57 70/55 79/76 82/78 Lajes, Riyadh Stuttgart 107/78 Doha Azores Pápa 73/70 70/48 103/89 Aviano/ 71/55 Vicenza 74/58 Naples 84/66 Morón Okinawa 83/80 88/66 Sigonella Rota 86/69 Souda Bay The weather is provided by the Djibouti 76/62 American Forces Network Weather Center, 94/84 79/74 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Classified .................... 13 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 17 Opinion ........................ 14 Sports .................... 18-24 Thursday, September 2, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Navy announces latest grooming standards BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS cepted to “eliminate inconsisten- from 2 and 5/8 inches. Stars and Stripes cy” and “provide clearer guidance Smartwatches and fitness WASHINGTON — Sailors can that will facilitate compliance and trackers are also now allowed to now sport several new hairstyles enforcement,” Carroll said. be worn as watches, but they “are based on new grooming standards The uniform policy updates subject to applicable security reg- that the Navy announced Tues- come after Navy leaders listened ulations” as some contain GPS day. to “fleet feedback, uniform group and other tracking technology, ac- The service has officially sanc- discussions and command-spon- cording to the updated uniform tioned flat-tops, faded and bald sored requests,” Vice Adm. John policy. hairstyles in addition to the tradi- Nowell, the chief of naval person- The new standards also laid out tional “high and tight” look for nel, said Tuesday in a message to acceptable colors for eyeglasses male sailors, the Navy said in a the force. and sunglasses frames. Sailors statement. Sideburns are also au- “Navy uniform policy updates may now wear silver, gray, black, thorized, but not for bald sailors. directly support Sailor 2025 objec- navy blue, brown, gold or translu- Women are now allowed to have tives to attract and retain the very cent glasses frames. However, “very short hair styles” that show best sailors by finding greater straps to secure the glasses can the scalp, but “razor-cut bald flexibility in our policies and prac- only be used “for foreign object styles are not authorized except tices, including uniforms,” Nowell debris prevention and safety,” ac- when prescribed for treating med- said, referencing the Navy’s per- cording to the service. ical conditions.” sonnel management moderniza- “There are just so many options “This gives women more op- tion program. available today for glasses and we tions for greater ease on hair care, In addition to hairstyles, the needed to get some standardiza- especially while on deployment new standards allow punctuation tion of appearance in uniform,” when longer styles can be tougher marks in name tags and tape for Carroll said.