President Taken to Walter Reed in 2004, Originally Focused on Countering the Improvised Explosive Device Threat in Iraq and Grew to More Than 300 Members
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Volume 79, No. 120B ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK President Donald Trump arrives at Walter Reed Army shutters National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., Friday, after he tested positive for COVID-19. units created JACQUELYN MARTIN / AP to wage war on terrorism BY J.P. LAWRENCE Stars and Stripes The Army intends to close two units de- veloped to fix problems faced by troops fighting America’s wars in Iraq and Af- ghanistan, the service said in a statement Friday. The Asymmetric Warfare Group and the Rapid Equipping Force will be deacti- vated by Sept. 30, 2021, the statement said. Personnel and resources from both orga- nizations will be absorbed into the Inside: larger force, the Army said. At least The closures 13 dead after are due to a shift in focus away suicide attack from counterin- in Afghanistan, surgency opera- Page 4 tions, the Army said, toward large- scale combat and “great power competition,” a term that often refers to countries such as Russia and China. The decision comes as the U.S. looks to end its war in Afghanistan as part of a deal with the Taliban, with troop levels ex- pected to drop to between 4,000 and 5,000 by the end of November, according to con- gressional testimony last month. The Asymmetric Warfare Group, or AWG, sends military and civilian consul- tants to units in training and on the battle- field. The group, which began its missions President taken to Walter Reed in 2004, originally focused on countering the improvised explosive device threat in Iraq and grew to more than 300 members. Over the years, the group’s projects in- Doctor insists Trump well despite concerning signs at military hospital cluded a fast-acting smoke grenade to ob- scure snipers, a system to remotely shoot Associated Press dirt off suspicious mounds to check for has ever required supplemental on condition of anonymity. buried bombs, and a portable tunnel train- ‘ Going oxygen. Conley said Trump has been BETHESDA, Md. ing facility to train soldiers in subterra- fever-free for 24 hours as he up- resident Donald Trump’s welI, I Conley’s assessment was con- nean warfare. dated the nation on the president’s doctor insisted Saturday tradicted by an account provided Advisers, often deployed to Iraq and Af- think! condition from Walter Reed Medi- that he is doing “very by a person familiar with Trump’s ghanistan in pairs, also teach combat units cal Center Saturday afternoon. well” as he is treated Thank condition, who said some of his how to counter specific enemy tactics. P Trump was admitted Friday after for COVID-19 at a military hos- vital signs over the past 24 hours The Rapid Equipping Force, headquar- you to all. testing positive for the corona- pital. But Navy Commander Dr. were “very concerning” and that tered in Fort Belvoir, Va., invented new LOVE!!! virus and has been undergoing Sean Conley and other doctors ’ the next 48 hours will be critical in equipment in response to what soldiers de- treatment. raised more questions than they President terms of his care. The person was ployed to Afghanistan said they needed. While Conley said the president answered at a briefing, leaving Donald Trump not authorized to speak publicly The organization debuted in 2002 and unclear whether the president in a tweet Friday and spoke to The Associated Press SEE HOSPITAL ON PAGE 5 has a team based in Bagram Air Field. SEE TERRORISM ON PAGE 4 MILITARY MILITARY MUSIC USMC general under House Democrats to 20 albums worth investigation for use of look into DOD use looking forward derogatory racial term of Cares Act funds to this fall Page 3 Page 4 Page 12 Dominating Cardinals Hall of Fame pitcher Gibson dies at 84 » Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, October 4, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Indexes fall after Trump’s COVID test Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9206 Euro costs (October 5) ........................ $1.14 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.55 Dollar buys (October 5) ....................€0.8317 Turkey (Lira) .........................................7.7764 British pound (October 5) ................... $1.26 (Military exchange rates are those Japanese yen (October 5) ................103.00 available to customers at military banking Associated Press 32.38 points at 3,348.42. Despite is imminent. She said a wider South Korean won (October 5) ....1,141.00 facilities in the country of issuance the drop, most of the stocks in the rescue package for the economy Commercial rates for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the NEW YORK — Wall Street’s Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3771 Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For index were higher, and the S&P could also perhaps be on the way. British pound .....................................$1.2933 nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., major stock indexes fell on Friday 500 still managed to close out The Dow Jones Industrial Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3306 purchasing British pounds in Germany), after President Donald Trump China (Yuan) ....................................... 6.7909 check with your local military banking its first winning week in the last Average swung from a loss of Denmark (Krone) ................................6.3536 facility. Commercial rates are interbank tested positive for the coronavi- five. 433 points to a gain of 44 points Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.7498 rates provided for reference when buying Euro ........................................ $1.1712/0.8538 currency. All figures are foreign currencies rus, but the losses ended up mild- to one dollar, except for the British pound, The paring of losses came as through the day. It ended at Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7505 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, er than investors braced for early optimism rose that Washington 27,682.81, down 134.09 points, Hungary (Forint) .................................306.37 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) in the morning. Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.4301 may be able to get past its parti- or 0.5%. Big technology stocks Japan (Yen) ...........................................105.40 The S&P 500 slumped 1.7% as sanship to deliver more support remained weak, and the Nasdaq Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3062 INTEREST RATES soon as trading began, only to Norway (Krone) .................................. 9.3278 for the economy. House Speaker composite fell 251.49, or 2.2%, at Philippines (Peso)................................ 48.49 Prime rate ................................................3.25 churn through another turbulent Nancy Pelosi told airlines in the 11,075.02. The tech slump was Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.84 Discount rate ..........................................0.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7509 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 session. By the end of the day, it afternoon to stop furloughing also the main reason for the S&P Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3636 3-month bill .............................................0.09 had trimmed its loss to 1%, down workers because aid for them 500’s drop. South Korea (Won) ...........................1166.34 30-year bond ...........................................1.48 WEATHER OUTLOOK SUNDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN EUROPE MONDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 64/61 Kabul 77/46 Seoul 61/45 Baghdad 99/72 Kandahar 86/55 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 62/48 74/62 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 55/50 62/59 65/53 Iwakuni 71/66 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 91/87 Brussels 65/59 Guam 99/76 55/50 Ramstein 67/64 85/82 Lajes, 55/48 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 97/70 97/77 69/66 61/48 69/58 Aviano/ Vicenza 61/52 Naples 70/62 Okinawa Morón 81/78 73/49 Sigonella Rota 84/64 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 91/78 68/57 81/73 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 .................. 18-24 Sunday, October 4, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY USMC general accused of using racial slur BY JOHN VANDIVER information available at this time and unfair treatment of minority “Current events are a stark re- Stars and Stripes pending the conclusion of the troops in the military criminal minder that it is not enough for investigation.” justice system. us to remove symbols that cause STUTTGART, Germany — Multiple Marines in the Stutt- The Marines specifically came division — rather, we also must The two-star general in charge gart area, where MAFOREUR under scrutiny in August when strive to eliminate division itself. of U.S. Marines in Europe and is based, brought the matter to The New York Times spotlighted The trust Marines place in one Africa is under investigation for the attention of Stars and Stripes the Corps’ lack of diversity in top another on a daily basis demands allegations that he used a racial after talk of the incident swirled leadership positions with a story this,” Berger said. slur during a recent training throughout the headquarters dur- called “The Few, the Proud, the Neary, who assumed command event with his troops, the Corps ing the past week. White.” Of the Marines’ 82 gener- of Marine Corps Forces Europe said Friday. The Marine Corps did not go als, there are six Black one-star and Africa in July, previously “We are aware of the allega- into detail about the nature of the generals and one two-star gen- served as deputy commander tions,” said Capt. Joseph Butter- incident but did not deny the ac- eral, The Times reported. of the II Marine Expeditionary field, a Marine Corps spokesman. cusation against Neary is he used In an effort to deal with racial Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C. “The Marine Corps takes all al- a racial slur.