Volume 79, No. 130B ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas Election AFGHANISTAN challenges Pentagon Christmas leadership BY MISSY RYAN The Washington Post WASHINGTON — Pentagon Trump adviser says leaders faced renewed challeng- es in their attempt to steer clear tweet was expression of divisive election politics this week, as events during the final wish? of hope, not of reality sprint toward the Nov. 3 polls underscore the potential for the military to be thrust once more into the partisan fray. The issues ANALYSIS included a new online cam- paign ad featur- ing President Donald Trump in the White House Situation Room flanked by Army Gen. Mark Mil- ley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — in defiance of norms excluding uniformed leaders from campaign material — and criticism from Democratic law- makers highlighting Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s handling of concerns about possible mili- tary involvement in a disputed election. In the run-up to the vote, Trump has appealed to would- be military voters and cited his record as commander in chief as a reelection credential, as sup- porters of his opponent, former BY DEB RIECHMANN AND vice president Joe Biden, seek to LOLITA C. BALDOR ‘ Whenever we’re at war, whether it was the Revolution- brand the president as a callous Associated Press leader who has blamed his top ary War, the Civil War, World War I or World War II, all brass for problems on his watch. WASHINGTON — President Donald presidents ... want the troops home by Christmas. At the same time, Trump has Trump’s national security adviser on Fri- ’ declined to commit to conceding day doubled down on his assertion that the Robert O’Brien power if he loses, fueling specu- number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will President Trump’s national security adviser lation about a disputed outcome shrink to 2,500 early next year, while sug- and the potential for him to reach gesting that Trump’s tweet that all forces for the military as part of an at- should be home by Christmas was more a of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley in recent America’s longest war — an emotional topic tempt to clinch another term. wish than a reality. days said that the U.S. is executing a plan for the troops and their families — began Esper, an Army veteran, and Seeking to clarify a series of confusing to reduce the number of troops to 4,500 in Oct. 7, when Trump tweeted that “we should Milley, a lifelong soldier, appear statements about the American footprint in November, but talk of any further reduction have the small remaining number of our intent on shielding the military Afghanistan, Robert O’Brien appeared to would be “speculation.” from the nation’s charged political take a shot at Gen. Mark Milley, chairman Confusion about troop withdrawals from SEE WISH ON PAGE 4 moment, but the goal has proven challenging given Trump’s pen- Above: Afghan and U.S. Army soldiers move to a security location in Southeastern Afghanistan last year. National security adviser chant for flouting civil-military Robert O’Brien said President Donald Trump was simply expressing a hope, rather than any explicit promise, when he tweeted on norms. Oct. 7 that “we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas.” From his first days in office, ALEJANDRO LECIA/U.S. Army SEE PENTAGON ON PAGE 4 MUSIC MILITARY MILITARY Counting down Hernia repair procedures Army to invest $2.8 Eddie Van Halen’s may be causing chronic billion into base housing top 20 performances pain in military patients over the next five years Pages 12-13 Page 5 Page 3 Astros win third straight, force decisive Game 7 with Rays » ALCS, Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, October 18, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9152 Retail sales rise for 5th month Euro costs (October 19) ...................... $1.15 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.16 Dollar buys (October 19) ................. €0.8302 Turkey (Lira) .........................................7.9230 British pound (October 19) ................. $1.26 (Military exchange rates are those Japanese yen (October 19)...............103.00 available to customers at military banking Associated Press 11%, accounting for much of Sep- activity, and is watched closely South Korean won (October 19)...1,115.00 Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the tember’s overall growth. Even to gauge the country’s economic Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3770 NEW YORK — Retail sales Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For sales at department stores, which health. British pound .....................................$1.2931 nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., rose strongly in September, the Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3182 have been falling out of fashion Retail sales have been recover- purchasing British pounds in Germany), fifth straight month of growth, as China (Yuan) ........................................6.6976 with shoppers for years, rose 9.7% ing since plunging in the spring Denmark (Krone) ................................6.3501 check with your local military banking Americans spent more on cloth- Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.6997 facility. Commercial rates are interbank last month. as stores and malls were ordered rates provided for reference when buying ing, cars and sporting goods. Euro ........................................ $1.1719/0.8533 At auto dealerships and auto closed to help prevent the spread Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7501 currency. All figures are foreign currencies U.S. retail sales jumped 1.9% part shops, sales were up 3.6%. of the coronavirus. Hungary (Forint) .................................311.04 to one dollar, except for the British pound, Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.3786 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, last month, the U.S. Commerce And those looking to go camping And spending has continued Japan (Yen) ...........................................105.40 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) Department said Friday. That’s or buy exercise equipment for even after more than 20 million Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3061 INTEREST RATES more than double what econo- their homes sent sales at sporting unemployed Americans lost a Norway (Krone) .................................. 9.3555 Philippines (Peso).................................48.67 Prime rate ................................................3.25 mists expected. And it’s up from goods stores 5.7% higher. $600 boost in their weekly un- Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.88 Discount rate ..........................................0.25 the 0.6% increase in August. Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7512 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 Consumer spending makes up employment checks at the end of Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3580 3-month bill ............................................. 0.11 Sales at clothing stores rose two-thirds of all U.S. economic July. South Korea (Won) ...........................1142.86 30-year bond ...........................................1.52 WEATHER OUTLOOK SUNDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN EUROPE MONDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 61/49 Kabul 75/48 Seoul 64/42 Baghdad 92/65 Kandahar 73/38 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 64/41 59/51 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 52/43 48/44 66/52 Iwakuni 68/61 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 87/84 Brussels 45/42 Guam 93/70 49/43 Ramstein 69/60 85/82 Lajes, 52/39 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 89/61 92/73 66/63 47/43 49/43 Aviano/ Vicenza 56/42 Naples 64/54 Okinawa Morón 79/76 73/48 Sigonella Rota 68/53 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 92/76 69/59 77/73 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 11 Books ....................... 14 Comics/Crossword ...... 15 Gadgets ....................16 Music ....................12-13 Opinion ..................... 17 Sports .................. 19-24 Sunday, October 18, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY Army approves $2.8B for family housing BY ROSE L. THAYER Three senators wrote to De- Stars and Stripes fense Secretary Mark Esper in early October, asking for an AUSTIN, Texas — The Army update. plans to invest $2.8 billion into “Finally, as negotiations con- base housing over the next five tinue with the private companies years to build thousands of new over the implementation of these homes and renovate existing remaining rights, we urge you to units, the service said Thursday. consider convening a temporary The money will be used for housing advisory group of inde- 3,800 new homes and renovations pendent experts to offer you sound for nearly 18,000 homes at Army counsel,” wrote Sens. Mark R. bases. No details were released Warner, D-Va., Tim Kaine, D-Va., about which bases would benefit, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. or the scope of the repairs. McCarthy said Thursday that The announcement follows two they are working toward imple- years of reporting that exposed mentation of each right. A pilot the dangerous conditions that program for the maintenance his- some military families face in tory is underway and he believes base housing, such as exposure “we are done” with the common to lead paint, mold and asbestos;