US Death Toll from Coronavirus Surpasses 400,000 ›› Virus Outbreak, Page 7
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MILITARY MILITARY NFL Austin commits System to clean Linebacker White to relying on rifles does ‘too good sets tone for Bucs’ civilians at DOD a job’ for the Army rejuvenated defense Page 3 Page 4 Page 24 US death toll from coronavirus surpasses 400,000 ›› Virus outbreak, Page 7 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 197 ©SS 2021 THURSDAY,JANUARY 21, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas 46TH PRESIDENT ‘A day in history and hope’ ANDREW HARNIK/AP Joe Biden is sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. Biden sworn in; Harris Biden plans blizzard of Trump bids farewell to 12 National makes history as first executive orders to Washington, makes Guardsmen removed female vice president reverse Trump policies hint of a comeback from inaugural duty Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 12 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, January 21, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Stores drop MyPillow after CEO pushes conspiracies EXCHANGE RATES Military rates So. Korea (Won) 1,101.93 Associated Press decision to cease carrying the Washington, in which rioters Switzerland (Franc) .8918 Euro costs (Jan. 21) $1.18 Thailand (Baht) 29.98 NEW YORK — The founder and brand Tuesday, but cited flagging stormed the Capitol. Dollar buys (Jan. 21) 0.8047 Turkey (New Lira) 7.4337 British pound (Jan. 21) $1.34 CEO of MyPillow, who amplified sales rather than Lindell’s actions That has led people to flock to Japanese yen (Jan. 21) 101.00 (Military exchange rates are those available President Donald Trump’s claims or his support for Trump. social media and put pressure on South Korean won (Jan. 21) 1,073.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger of election fraud, said a backlash “There has been decreased cus- stores carrying MyPillow to drop many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain (Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur against his company has begun af- tomer demand for MyPillow,” the brand. Lindell said products Britain (Pound) 1.3640 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2693 your local military banking facility. Commercial ter a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Kohl’s said in an email. have also been pulled from online China (Yuan) 6.4672 rates are interbank rates provided for reference this month. Lindell has continued to push furniture store Wayfair and Texas Denmark (Krone) 6.1565 Egypt (Pound) 15.7534 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Mike Lindell, who appears in unfounded claims of election supermarket chain HEB. Euro .8276 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7515 pound, which is represented in dollarsto TV commercials hugging the fraud since Trump’s loss to Presi- “I’m one of their best-selling Hungary (Forint) 295.81 pound, and the euro, which is dollarstoeuro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2693 company’s foam-filled pillows, dent-elect Joe Biden in the presi- products ever,” Lindell said in an Japan (Yen) 103.78 INTEREST RATES said major retailers like Bed Bath dential race. MyPillow’s logo was interview with The Associated Kuwait (Dinar) .3031 Norway (Krone) 8.5276 Prime rate 3.25 & Beyond and Kohl’s have drop- also prominently featured on Press. “They’re going to lose out. Philippines (Peso) 48.05 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.75 Federal funds market rate 0.09 ped his products recently. TrumpMarch.com, a website that It’s their loss if they want to suc- Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7509 3month bill 0.09 Both companies confirmed the promoted the Jan. 6 events in cumb to the pressure.” Singapore (Dollar) 1.3263 30year bond 1.84 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 43/30 Kabul Seoul 59/34 47/35 Baghdad 70/48 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 48/36 57/36 76/42 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 42/37 53/49 57/49 Iwakuni Kuwait City 52/39 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 61/42 73/62 Ramstein 44/39 61/52 48/43 48/42 86/78 Riyadh Lajes, 63/38 Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 61/55 40/35 73/59 Aviano/ 53/45 Vicenza 47/38 Naples 57/50 Okinawa Morón 70/66 60/49 Sigonella Rota 64/47 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 63/57 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 86/73 58/46 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Classified .................... 13 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 18 Opinion ........................ 14 Sports ................... 20-24 Thursday, January 21, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Pentagon pick commits to civilian control BY COREY DICKSTEIN have be sure to check their power.” Stars and Stripes He committed to a whole-of-government Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, Presi- approach to China, telling senators that the dent Joseph Biden’s nominee for defense military’s role is to provide “a credible de- secretary, committed Tuesday to rebalanc- terrent to China, so that it will think twice ing decision-making power in the Pentagon before it decides to take actions against the from military officials to career civilians United States of America.” and named addressing China and the ongo- During the more than three-hour hearing, ing coronavirus pandemic as his top prior- Austin also committed to ending the Trump- ities, if he is confirmed. ordered ban on transgender men and wom- Austin, who spent 41 years in the Army en serving in the military, which Biden has and retired in 2016 after leading the Defense said is among his top priorities for the Penta- Department’s U.S. Central Command, told gon. the Senate Armed Service Committee that “I support the president-elect’s plan to he understood the “enormous difference” overturn the ban,” he said. “I truly believe … between leading in uniform and serving as that if you are fit and you are qualified to the civilian leader of the Pentagon. Like for- serve, and you can maintain the standards, mer Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, President Do- you should be allowed to serve.” nald Trump’s first defense secretary, Austin He said he would also revisit a number of requires a waiver of the law that mandates a other issues facing the Pentagon, including seven-year “cooling-off period” for retired Trump’s plans to remove thousands of military officers before they can serve as the troops from Germany, and the U.S. plans to Pentagon’s top civilian. GREG NASH / AP scale down forces in Afghanistan. “I was a general and a soldier, and I am Sen. Angus King, IMaine, questions Secretary of Defense nominee Lloyd Austin His hearing Tuesday came after civil-mil- proud of that,” Austin said. “But, today I ap- virtually during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on itary relations experts last week testified to pear before you as a citizen, the son of a post- Capitol Hill on Tuesday. the same Senate committee about the issues al worker and a homemaker from Thomas- in confirming a second recently retired gen- ville, Ga. I am proud of that, too. And if you eral in just four years. confirm me, I am prepared to serve now — “I was a general and a soldier ... But, today I The experts did not provide their advice as a civilian — fully acknowledging the im- to the senators. They said confirming Austin portance of this distinction.” appear before you as a citizen. And if you would not destroy the principle of civilian If confirmed, Austin would be the first control of the military, but it could begin to Black defense secretary. In the Army, he confirm me, I am prepared to serve now — as set a bad precedent so closely after the Mat- broke multiple barriers, as the first Black of- a civilian — fully acknowledging the tis waiver. ficer to command a division and a corps in “Choosing a recently retired general offi- combat, the first Black Army vice chief of importance of this distinction.” cer and arguing that he is uniquely qualified staff and the first Black CENTCOM leader. to meet the current challenges furthers the Pressed by lawmakers about efforts that Ret. Army Gen. Lloyd Austin narrative that military officers are better at he would take to ensure the American tenet defense secretary nominee things and more reliable or trustworthy of civilian control of the military, Austin said than civil servants or other civilians,” said he would surround himself with career ci- should no longer grant such waivers at all.” the Middle East and Afghanistan to focus Lindsay Cohn, an associate professor at the vilian policymakers and work to ensure the Austin’s confirmation will not be consid- primarily on the threat of rising nation-state U.S. Naval War College whose research has Pentagon’s ranks were filled with “experi- ered by the full Senate immediately after Bi- powers, namely China and Russia. But it’s a focused on civil-military relations issues. enced and competent, qualified civilians.” den is sworn into office Wednesday as the Pentagon that has also struggled in recent “This is hugely problematic at a time when Civilian roles, during Trump’s years as 46th president, as has been the case for years with major internal issues such as ris- one of the biggest challenges facing the president, went largely unfilled at the Pen- many past Pentagon leaders at the begin- ing reports of sexual assault and harassment country is the need to restore trust and faith tagon.