RAPID FIRE with a Similar Lawsuit

NBA PLAYOFFS WORLD FACES Atlanta’s Trae Iran’s largest Dylan album Young shines in warship catches is returned first postseason fire, sinks 48 years late Page 24 Page 12 Page 13 Army probes how troops accidentally stormed civilian factory ›› Page 3 stripes.com Volume 80 Edition 34 ©SS 2021 THURSDAY,JUNE 3, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas 3M wins earplug lawsuit BY ROSE L. THAYER Stars and Stripes A federal jury in Florida sided with earplug manufacturer 3M that the company’s product did not cause hearing loss for a veteran who used them while serving in the military. The trial was the second of three scheduled this year that could impact the outcome of a lawsuit involving nearly 236,000 veterans who were issued the earplugs while in the service. 3M, a Minnesota-based company, lost the first trial April in which a jury awarded $7.1 million to three Army veterans who said they suffered from hearing loss and tinnitus because of the earplugs. The second trial involved one veteran, Dustin McCombs, RAPID FIRE with a similar lawsuit. The jury on Friday determined 3M was not liable, negligent or PHOTOS BY ZACHARY STAHLBERG/U.S. Army fraudulent when selling earplugs U.S. soldiers assigned to 41st Field Artillery Brigade fire a rocket during an exercise at Novo Selo, Bulgaria, on Tuesday. to the military, according to court documents. “We are pleased with today’s US flies Army artillery into Bulgaria in demonstration of mobility and firepower verdict and will continue to vigor- ously defend ourselves in upcom- BY JENNIFER H. SVAN a support Humvee were gone soon ing trials. The Combat Arms Ear- Stars and Stripes after the smoke cleared. They plug Version 2 product is and has NOVO SELO TRAINING AR- were back at Ramstein Air Base in EA, Bulgaria — The only U.S. Germany before sunset, courtesy SEE LAWSUIT ON PAGE 4 rocket artillery brigade in Europe of the Tennessee Air National moved rapidly across borders and Guard. launched its mobile weapons in The battalion practiced a rapid Bulgaria, a display of speed aimed insertion with the intent to “get in, at reassuring NATO allies con- execute and then get right back fronted by an increasingly assert- out to minimize our signature and ive Russia. risk to the force,” said Lt. Col. An- About eight hours after depart- thony Brunner, commander of the ing Germany early Tuesday with 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery its artillery systems, the contin- Regiment. gent from the 41st Field Artillery The operation led by U.S. Army Brigade fired six rockets at targets Europe and Africa was part of the DEBRAH SANDERS/U.S. Army more than five miles away on a “Fires Shock” series of rocket ex- Spc. Coca Temoananui, assigned sprawling military range in the ercises that began last month in to the 311th Signal Command, Bulgarian countryside. Estonia. The command’s artillery puts in ear protection prior to a The soldiers and their two 12- A soldier looks at the C-17 aircraft that brought him home after Saber helicopter flight in 2012. ton wheeled rocket launchers and SEE RAPID ON PAGE 3 Guardian at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Tuesday. PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, June 3, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Justices reject J&J appeal of $2B talc verdict EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1,111.11 Associated Press A Missouri jury initially elsewhere. But the company Switzerland (Franc) 0.8989 Euro costs (June 3) $1.19 Thailand (Baht) 31.14 WASHINGTON — The Su- awarded the women $4.7 billion, faces thousands of lawsuits from Dollar buys (June 3) 0.7986 Turkey (New Lira) 8.5908 British pound (June 3) $1.38 preme Court is leaving in place a but a state appeals court dropped women who claim asbestos in the Japanese yen (June 3) 107.00 (Military exchange rates are those available $2 billion verdict in favor of two women from the suit and re- powder caused their cancer. South Korean won (June 3) 1,081.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger women who claim they devel- duced the award to $2 billion. The lead attorney for the wom- many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain (Dinar) 0.3767 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur oped ovarian cancer from using The jury found that the compa- en during the trial, Mark Lanier, Britain (Pound) 1.4169 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2062 your local military banking facility. Commercial Johnson & Johnson talc products. ny’s talc products contain asbe- praised the court’s refusal to China (Yuan) 6.3837 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.0932 The justices did not comment stos and asbestos-laced talc can hear Johnson & Johnson’s ap- Egypt (Pound) 15.6756 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Tuesday in rejecting Johnson & cause ovarian cancer. The com- peal. Euro 0.8194 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7595 pound, which is represented in dollarsto Johnson’s appeal. The company pany disputes both points. “This decision sends a clear Hungary (Forint) 283.49 pound, and the euro, which is dollarstoeuro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2501 argued that it was not treated Johnson & Johnson has stop- message to the rich and power- Japan (Yen) 109.67 INTEREST RATES fairly in facing one trial involving ped selling its iconic talc-based ful: You will be held to account Kuwait (Dinar) 0.3008 Norway (Krone) 8.3184 Prime rate 3.25 22 cancer sufferers who came Johnson’s Baby Powder in the when you cause grievous harm Philippines (Peso) 47.78 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.66 Federal funds market rate 0.09 from 12 states and different back- United States and Canada, under our system of equal justice Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7506 3month bill 0.02 grounds. though it remains on the market under law,” Lanier said. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3229 30year bond 2.29 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 62/59 Kabul Seoul 87/59 72/61 Baghdad 101/76 Drawsko Osan Tokyo Kandahar Mildenhall/ 72/61 68/62 Pomorskie Busan 102/62 Lakenheath 68/50 75/57 70/65 Iwakuni Kuwait City 69/66 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 110/89 92/90 Ramstein 70/51 70/68 72/64 71/42 84/82 Riyadh Lajes, Stuttgart 111/81 Doha Azores Pápa 62/60 74/55 109/84 Aviano/ 71/54 Vicenza 74/52 Naples 79/59 Okinawa Morón 80/78 86/56 Sigonella Rota 79/57 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 70/57 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 95/84 70/63 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Classified .................... 10 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 13 Opinion ........................ 15 Sports .................... 19-24 Thursday, June 3, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Army probes storming of civilian factory 173rd Airborne Brigade accidentally rushed the building during a training exercise in Bulgaria BY JOHN VANDIVER ry of Bulgaria should contribute to building Stars and Stripes “We sincerely apologize to the business and its security and trust in collective defense, not The U.S. Army is investigating how 173rd employees. We always learn from these exercises breed tension.” Airborne Brigade soldiers ended up storm- USAREUR-AF said a video posted to so- ing a civilian factory building during a re- and are fully investigating the cause of this cial media by Bulgarian journalist Dilyana cent training drill in Bulgaria, which Gaytandzhieva that showed soldiers enter- sparked a minor diplomatic stir after the mistake.” ing a building and identified the building as embarrassing mishap came to light. a factory where olive oil machinery is pro- “We sincerely apologize to the business U.S. Army Europe and Africa statement duced appeared to be authentic. and its employees. We always learn from USAREUR-AF said it takes training seri- these exercises and are fully investigating decommissioned airfield, which also in- ing this interaction,” USAREUR-AF said. ously and prioritizes the safety of “soldiers, the cause of this mistake,” U.S. Army Eu- volved clearing buildings at a training area Still, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev our allies, and civilians.” rope and Africa said in a statement Tues- in the town of Cheshnegirovo, the Army said the soldiers put lives in danger. “We will implement rigorous procedures day. said. “It is inadmissible to have the lives of Bul- to clearly define our training areas and pre- The incident happened May 11 during the Among the nearby buildings was a pri- garian citizens disturbed and put at risk by vent this type of incident in the future,” Army’s Swift Response 21 exercise, which vate business operated by civilians, which military formations, whether Bulgarian or USAREUR-AF said. took place across numerous countries, in- the soldiers thought was part of the training belonging to a foreign arm,” Radev said, as cluding Bulgaria. area, the Army said. quoted by Bulgaria’s Novinite news agency. [email protected] Soldiers simulated seizing and securing a “No weapons were fired at any time dur- “The exercises with our allies on the territo- Twitter: @john_vandiver Rapid: Brigade’s show of speed aimed at reassuring NATO allies FROM PAGE 1 units are showcasing their long- “I’m so pleased range precision rocket systems because I across two continents.

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