WORLD SERIES FACES MILITARY Strasburg delivers Lady Gaga’s mother Navy secretary defends in his long-awaited details daughter’s USS Ford in wake of Fall Classic debut struggles as youth lawmaker’s criticism Back page Page 19 Page 3 North Korea urges US to act ‘wisely’ to revive nuclear talks » Page 6 Volume 78, No. 137 ©SS 2019 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas Gun control group pushes ‘red flag’ laws to help curb veteran suicides BY NIKKI WENTLING Stars and Stripes WASHINGTON — If retired Marine Corps Master Sgt. Mike Washington had access to a fire- arm on some of his darkest days, he would’ve used it on himself. Washington, 57, is a Gulf War veteran who remained in the Re- serves long enough to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His son, Michael Toussaint Washington, also became a Marine. He was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 14, 2008, at age 20. After his son’s death, Washing- Getting ton reached a breaking point that was exacerbated by what he had experienced during his career as a firefighter for the Seattle Fire Department. He relied on alco- hol and struggled with suicidal thoughts before eventually seek- ing help. tough on “If I had a weapon handy at that time, I certainly would’ve used it,” Washington said. Now, Washington is part of a veterans advisory council for Ev- erytown for Gun Safety, the coun- try’s largest gun control advocacy organization. The group released Turkey a report Thursday that includes a set of recommendations for pre- venting veteran suicide. The problem of veteran suicide by firearm drew Everytown’s at- Esper has sharp words for NATO ally over invasion of Syria tention because of the statistics; the Department of Veterans Af- BY LOLITA C. BALDOR fairs reported last month that RELATED start a war with a NATO ally.” firearms were used in 69% of all Associated Press He said Turkey is heading in the wrong direction, veteran suicides in 2017, the lat- Syria says spinning closer to Russia, adding, “I think that is un- BRUSSELS — After spending four tumultuous fortunate and I think we all need to work together to est year for which data is avail- days engulfed in the chaotic ramifications of the strengthen our partnership with Turkey and make able. That’s a nearly 33% increase Turkish-led withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, U.S. Defense sure they trend back to being the strong, reliable from 2005. Secretary Mark Esper lashed out Thursday at Tur- forces attacked ally, responsible ally that they’ve been in the past.” Everytown’s first recommenda- key for its military assault across the border on Syr- His comments come on the heels of President Don- tion is for more states to enact ex- ian Kurdish fighters. its troops ald Trump’s announcement Wednesday that the U.S. treme risk protection orders, also Speaking at the German Marshall Fund, Esper is lifting sanctions on Turkey after the NATO ally known as “red flag” laws, which said Turkey’s “unwarranted” invasion into Syria Page 4 agreed to permanently stop fighting Kurdish forces allow police or family members jeopardizes gains made there in recent years as the in Syria. And he spoke just a day after he was in Iraq to temporarily remove someone’s U.S.-led coalition and allied Syrian Kurdish forces to discuss the withdrawal and the ISIS threat with firearms if a state court agrees battled Islamic State. Defense Secretary Iraqi leaders and his military commanders. the person presents a danger to “Turkey put us all in a very terrible situation. I Mark Esper speaks Trump is defending his decision to withdraw about themselves or others. The idea is think the incursion was unwarranted,” he said. “I at the German 1,000 American troops from Syria, largely abandon- to place barriers between veter- think President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan was fixated Marshall Fund in ing the Syrian Kurdish fighters who battled ISIS alongside the U.S. for the last several years. ans in crisis and their firearms. on making this incursion for one reason or another Brussels on Thursday. SEE SUICIDES ON PAGE 15 and there was not a possibility that we were going to FRANCISCO SECO, POOL/AP SEE ESPER ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, October 25, 2019 MILITARY Russia deploys missiles for exercise in Serbia BY SLOBODAN LEKIC Russian-Serbian anti-aircraft ex- ber Turkey purchased Russian Stars and Stripes ercise known as Slavic Shield, the missiles rather than opting for the ministry said. This was the first U.S.-made Patriot system, which Russia has deployed its S-400 time the S-400 unit will take part allied countries had deployed to Russian Ministry of Defense surface-to-air missile system in a military exercise in a foreign southern Turkey to defend from to Serbia for exercises with the country, the statement said. a spillover of the war in Syria. In Russian air defense units transfer the S-400 anti-aircraft missile Balkan nation’s military, bring- “We have ordered the Pantsir- response, Washington bumped system and the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun system to ing the advanced system that S,” Serbian President Aleksandar Turkey from participation in the Serbia to participate in the air defense exercise Slavic Shield 2019. caused friction between the U.S. Vucic said during a ceremony F-35 stealth fighter project, say- and Turkey closer to bordering Thursday. “I will see it on Sat- ing the S-400 could be used by wide use in Syria, where it has These have raised concerns NATO allies. urday, while I will see the S-400 Russia to collect information on been deployed to protect Russian in Western capitals that Moscow Russian air force transports tomorrow at the Slavic Shield how to defeat the jet. Turkey had forces. Serbian air defense troops is trying to turn Serbia — which flew the S-400 Triumf missiles exercise.” ordered 100 F-35s. were sent to Russia last month to borders five NATO nations — into to a military air base near Bel- Serbia’s Defense Ministry said The S-400’s Triumf missiles train on both systems ahead of its bridgehead in the Balkans, grade early Thursday, along with the aim of the drills, which began have a reported range of up to the exercises, officials said. a region that has been relative- a battery of Pantsir-S medium Wednesday, was to train to jointly about 250 miles. The Pantsir S-1 Although Serbia aspires to join ly tranquil since the wars that range anti-aircraft missiles, the defend ground forces from enemy — dubbed SA-22 Greyhound by the European Union, Belgrade marked the collapse of the former Russian Defense Ministry said air attacks. NATO — is a short-to-medium, has fostered increasingly close in a statement. Both systems are The S-400 gained notoriety ear- self-propelled anti-aircraft gun political, economic and military Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. scheduled to take part in a joint lier this year when NATO mem- and missile system that has seen ties with Moscow. [email protected] GIs safe after hitting bomb in Afghanistan, military says BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN cles and killed eight U.S. troops, said, adding that no civilians were Stars and Stripes about the inci- 18 years ago this month. Stars and Stripes but the group often exaggerates killed or injured by the blast. dent and declined to discuss the President Donald Trump its battlefield actions. Meanwhile, The New York injuries with the Times. abruptly ended the talks in Sep- KABUL, Afghanistan — No “A U.S. vehicle struck an [im- Times on Wednesday, citing un- Leggett on Tuesday tweeted tember after a Taliban attack American or coalition troops provised explosive device] in Par- named defense officials, reported “no U.S. or coalition casualties” in Kabul killed an American were injured when a U.S. military wan province last night; however, that at least five Marines were resulted from the Taliban’s “in- soldier. vehicle struck a roadside bomb in no U.S. or Coalition were killed wounded the day before by a Tal- discriminate and inaccurate This year, 17 American troops central Afghanistan on Wednes- or injured,” Col. Sonny Leggett, a iban rocket attack in southern rockets” in Helmand. have been killed in combat in Af- day night, the U.S. military said spokesman for U.S. forces in Af- Helmand province. The provincial governor’s of- ghanistan, a number that already Thursday. ghanistan, said on Twitter. The attack happened in the fice said the rockets killed three surpasses the highest annual tally The incident happened in Par- The vehicle had come from provincial capital Lashkar Gar, civilians. since NATO replaced its combat wan province, home to Bagram Bagram Airfield, according to where the Marines have a small Violence in Afghanistan has mission with a training and ad- vising mission five years ago. Airfield, the U.S.’ largest base in Abdul Salim Noori, a spokesman base at the local airfield, the continued at high levels in recent the country. for Parwan police. Times said. months despite talks between Zubair Babakarkhail contributed to this report. The Taliban claimed the attack, “Coalition forces routinely do The U.S. military did not im- U.S. and Taliban officials aimed [email protected] saying they destroyed two vehi- patrols to secure the base,” Noori mediately reply to questions by at ending the war, which began Twitter: @pwwellman T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............18 Business .........................