MILITARY FACES NHL Gen. Milley faces Director promises Blues proved adversity challenges as next thrills in film about in regular season could Joint Chiefs chairman Thai cave rescue pay dividends in playoffs Page 3 Page 18 Back page Special operations task force earns nearly 50 combat medals » Page 6 stripes.com Volume 78, No. 120 ©SS 2019 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas North Korea: Clashes Talks with US to resume escalate this weekend BY KIM GAMEL Stars and Stripes SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea and the U.S. agreed to re- sume nuclear negotiations this weekend, Pyongyang said Tues- day, a move that would break a seven-month-long diplomatic deadlock. The sides have been teasing plans to restart working-level talks since President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met at the Korean border on June 30. Efforts remained stalled after the leaders failed to reach an agreement during their Febru- ary summit in Vietnam, which exposed sharp disagreements over the pace of sanctions re- lief in exchange for steps toward denuclearization. North Korea’s first vice min- ister of foreign affairs, Choe Son Hui, said the countries agreed to have preliminary contact Friday and to hold working-level talks Saturday. FELIPE DANA/AP North Korean delegates “are Police detain an anti-government protester in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Thousands of black-clad protesters marched in central Hong Kong ready to enter into the [North as part of multiple pro-democracy rallies Tuesday urging China’s Communist Party to “return power to the people.” Korean]-U.S. working-level nego- tiations,” Choe announced via the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Hong Kong protester shot as China “It is my expectation that the working-level negotiations would marks 70 years of Communist rule accelerate the positive develop- ment of DPRK-U.S. relations,” BY EILEEN NG years in power. she added, using the initials for AND JOHN LEICESTER The pistol shot fired by the of- the North’s official name, the Associated Press ficer as protesters swarmed to- Democratic People’s Republic of ward him hit the 18-year-old on Korea. HONG KONG — In a fearsome the left side of his chest, police She did not say where the meet- escalation of violence, Hong spokeswoman Yolanda Yu said. ing would take place or give more Kong police shot a protester in She described the protesters as details. the chest at close range Tuesday, “rioters” and said the officer The State Department con- leaving the teenager bleeding feared for his life. firmed that “U.S. and DPRK offi- and howling on the ground. Tens The wounded youth was taken cials plan to meet within the next of thousands joined anti-govern- to a hospital for treatment, Yu week.” ment demonstrations that spread added, without giving details “I do not have further details across the semi-autonomous about his condition. to share on the meeting,” spokes- GEMUNU AMARASINGHE/AP Chinese territory as Communist woman Morgan Ortagus said. leaders in Beijing celebrated 70 SEE CHINA ON PAGE 15 Protesters set a fire to block traffic in Hong Kong on Tuesday. SEE TALKS ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Wednesday, October 2, 2019 MILITARY Navy brings back Torpedoman rating BY JOSHUA KARSTEN storage and systems maintenance Stars and Stripes on all classes of submarines, ac- cording to a Navy statement. MANAMA, Bahrain — The “Although there are similari- Navy has reinstated its Torpe- ties between a Machinist’s Mate doman’s Mate rating nearly a and a Torpedoman’s Mate, the quarter of a century after it was TM’s main focus at sea is weap- consigned to Davy Jones’ locker, ons handling, force protection the service said in a message and maintaining an incredible MICHAEL LEE/U.S. Navy Tuesday. level of proficiency in ordnance, The change is a direct response small arms and the upkeep of Petty Officer 3rd Class Raul Bonilla, a Machinist’s Mate (Weapons) on the USS Olympia in this July to fleet feedback and supports those systems,” Senior Chief 2018 photo, would transition to a Torpedoman’s Mate under the Navy’s announcement on the return of “rating modernization initiatives Heath Mangrum, a Machinist’s the Torpedoman’s Mate rating starting Tuesday. to continue to empower sailors Mate (Weapons) who will transi- and expand professional devel- tion to a Torpedoman, said in the ing to bring back our identity,” then Chief of Naval Operations changes to advancement exams, opment opportunities,” said the Navy statement. one commenter, who signed his Adm. John Richardson proposed selection boards or sea/shore ro- message from Chief of Naval Per- Mangrum, who serves as the name as retired TM Master Chief the idea to the crowd, the Navy tations, Tuesday’s message said. sonnel Vice Adm. John Nowell. lead torpedoman at the Navy’s Eddie Smith, posted. “Great job message said. “I think the Navy bringing The Torpedoman moniker was Atlantic Submarine Force com- N1 staff!!!!” The change is strictly admin- back the TM rating is going to first used in 1921 and changed mand, added that excitement “Glad to have our Torpedo istrative and will only require pay incredible dividends,” said to Torpedoman’s Mate in 1942. among his sailors about the re- brothers and sisters back,” an- affected sailors to change the Mangrum. “It’s the right time for It retained that name until 1995, instatement of the rating was other commenter said. rating badge on their uniforms, a change like this to light the fire when the Navy merged the job “through the roof.” The decision to bring the Tor- going back to the same one that under our sailors and embrace with machinist submariners. Their glee was also evident on pedoman rating back stemmed was used prior to the 1995 name the heritage in the rating.” Torpedo mates are responsible the CNP Facebook page. from an April “All Hands Call ” at change. Current Machinist’s [email protected] for weapons loading, unloading, “I’m so glad we continued fight- Naval Base Kitsap, Wash., where Mates (Weapons) will not see any Twitter: @joshua_karsten Navy to drop instructor-led college at sea program, saving $2M annually BY JOSHUA KARSTEN the program and the steady decline in en- higher education institutions when the sup- courses provided by NCPACE IL. Stars and Stripes rollment over the years, officials said. porting contract came up for renewal this “We recognize that sailors are interested “NCPACE IL was resource-intensive year,” Ernest D’Antonio, director of Navy in pursuing advanced degrees, and we sup- MANAMA, Bahrain — A Navy program with administrative costs exceeding one- Voluntary Education, said in a statement. port their ability to further their personal that allowed sailors to take college courses third of the overall program expenses ($1.3 The roughly $2 million that will be educational goals,” D’Antonio said. “This while at sea is being shuttered, and the million annually), regardless of enrollment saved annually by closing instructor-led change ensures funding remains available funds saved by the move are being trans- numbers,” Lt. Cmdr. James Stockman, NCPACE will be redirected to tuition as- to the greatest number of sailors.” ferred to a tuition assistance program that spokesman for Naval Education and Train- sistance, where the funds will benefit more The NCPACE program is not going away will benefit more sailors, Navy officials ing Command, said in an email. sailors, both men said. completely, Stockman said. The program said Monday. In addition to the instructor-led program Enrollment has declined from 5,587 will be transitioned to a virtual model to The decision to ax the Navy College requiring “intensive administrative over- sailors in 2010 to only 1,491 in 2018, Stock- accommodate demand among sailors for Program for Afloat College Education-In- sight,” having high program costs and at- man said. In just the past year, 80% of sail- online and distance-learning courses, he structor Led program, or NCPACE IL, was tracting only a relatively small number of ors chose online and distance education said. made because of the high cost of running sailors, it had generated “no interest from programs over the traditional classroom [email protected] T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 17 Business .......................... 21 Classified ................... 19, 23 Comics ............................. 22 Crossword ........................ 22 Faces ............................... 18 Opinion ............................ 20 Sports .........................24-32 Weather ........................... 21 Wednesday, October 2, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY Milley faces challenges as new Joint Chiefs chairman BY LOLITA C. BALDOR In a brief speech Monday, Mil- investigate Democratic foe Joe Associated Press ley told Trump, “You can rest as- Biden’s family. sured that I will always provide But the issue casts broad ques- WASHINGTON — Army Gen. informed, candid, impartial mili- tions over whether allies must Mark Milley is taking over as tary advice to you.” worry that any U.S. military aid the nation’s top military officer He vowed to maintain the high could come with political strings against a backdrop of controver- quality of the world’s preeminent attached. Milley will be at the sy over defense aid to Ukraine fighting force. forefront of military delibera- that has triggered a presidential “With the complex challenges tions with U.S. allies and partners impeachment inquiry at a time of the international environment, around the world. of persistent threats from China, the United States Armed Forces The matter did not come up MANUEL BALCE CENETA/AP Russia and Iran. stand ready. We stand ready to during the Fort Myer ceremony. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.