Corruption Allegations Mar US Company's Quest for Afghan Gold
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Volume 78, No. 122B ©SS 2019 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2019 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas IRAQ Death toll rises after 5th day of protests Page 5 Iraqi security forces fire tear gas while anti-government demonstrators set fires and close a street during protests in Baghdad on Saturday. Hadi Mizban/AP Corruption allegations mar US company’s quest for Afghan gold BY J.P. LAWRENCE and doing some bulk sampling,” said Cen- rank among Afghanistan’s largest private- Stars and Stripes ‘ We would love to be tar Ltd. CEO Bradley Barnett. “But there sector employers and taxpayers, with pro- is a lot of risk.” jected economic benefits of more than $1 FAIZABAD, Afghanistan — A year after drilling out there and When it signed the contracts on Oct. 5, billion and nearly 13,000 jobs at peak op- a U.S.-based company signed contracts to doing some bulk sampling. erations, it said. mine for gold and copper in Afghanistan, 2018, Centar said its projects to mine for The company would prospect for gold in work still hasn’t begun amid fears about But there is a lot of risk.’ precious metals in two Afghan provinces would mark “some of the largest foreign nearly 250,000 acres of Badakhshan prov- insecurity and with allegations of corrup- Bradley Barnett ince, once a relatively peaceful area that tion still dogging the company. Centar Ltd. CEO direct investment” into the country. With- “We would love to be drilling out there in the first year of operations, Centar could SEE QUEST ON PAGE 3 MILITARY WAR ON TERRORISM MUSIC Iranian hackers target Taliban meet with U.S. Lukas Nelson not content troops through fake peace envoy for first to just coast on father veterans-hiring website time since ‘dead’ deal Willie’s iconic pigtails Page 3 Page 6 Pages 18-19 Nats turn to big arms Strasburg, Scherzer to even NLDS » MLB, Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, October 6, 2019 MILITARY Coast Guard Woman speaks announces changes to out after veteran tattoo policy BY JUSTINE LOFTON brother’s suicide mlive.com The U.S. Coast Guard is keep- ing up with the times with its lat- BY NIKKI WENTLING at the Minneapolis Department est policy update that addresses Stars and Stripes of Veterans Affairs in February 2018, struggling with suicidal tattoos. WASHINGTON — In the 18 thoughts. After spending four The update allows some tattoos months since her younger brother days at an inpatient mental health to show while in uniform that was killed himself in the parking lot of unit, Miller, 33, was discharged, previously not allowed. a Department of Veterans Affairs “The Coast Guard increases went to his Chris Harrington hospital, Alissa Harrington has car and shot the aperture to ensure we are joined a support network, passed Justin Miller with his older sister, Alissa Harrington, at her wedding ‘ There is himself. Po- able to recruit and retain the next the bar exam, become an advo- lice found his Jan. 27, 2007. Following Miller’s suicide in February, Harrington generation of Coast Guardsman,” cate for veteran suicide preven- hope and body the fol- is speaking out, trying to spur improvements to veteran suicide the policy update says. tion and continued to share his lowing day, prevention. It “strikes a balance” between story. meaning his phone the military branch’s sharp ap- On Saturday, she shared that moving rington said last year, after the that’s really what the idea is. full of voice- pearance standards and individ- story again at an event recog- release of the report. “Because There is hope and meaning mov- forward mails and ual expression, the policy says. nizing the first Veterans Suicide it’s not just the loss of my brother ing forward for those who are texts from his Body art and tattoos that are Prevention & Awareness Day in for those — the tragic, out-of-place loss suffering and survivors who are father, Greg consistent with the Coast Guards Minnesota — an annual state- who are of my brother — it’s now about grieving.” Miller, with values will now be allowed on the wide observation. Harrington, one message whether or not his loss could’ve Veterans Suicide Prevention & by appealing to the Minnesota suffering chest, but not visible above the sent over and been prevented.” Awareness Day is meant to me- legislature and testifying about and Now, when Harrington talks uniform crew neck shirt. Hand over again: morialize veterans who died by her brother, helped create Veter- about Miller, she shares stories and finger tattoos — in addition survivors “I love you. suicide and recognize their lives, ans Suicide Prevention & Aware- about his life, including his mu- to one ring tattoo per hand — are We love you. military service and families, she ness Day with a bill that passed in who are sical abilities. Miller, a trumpet Come home.” said. She also wants to see it as a also now allowed. March. Harrington, her husband player, was initially assigned to grieving. ’ His treat- sign of hope and help for veter- Here are the additional guide- and father were on the floor of the the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Alissa ans suffering from mental health lines for hand and finger tattoos: legislature when representatives ment was the Band out of Cherry Point, N.C. Harrington issues . One 1-inch tattoo on each hand voted unanimously in favor of it. subject of an Later, he played taps and the na- sister investigative Minnesota was planning to shall not exceed past the first “It was very emotional for me,” tional anthem at military funer- knuckle closest to the wrist she said of testifying. “To be there report by the als and events. mark the day with a ceremony One finger tattoo per hand as a witness to my brother’s story VA Office of Inspector General. Harrington also tells how his at North St. Paul Veterans Park . within the length of the fin- and to so many veterans’ stories The office found VA staff made death has inspired her to reach Along with Harrington, Minne- was very powerful. I felt like I several mistakes in his case, in- out to other veterans who may be sota Lt. Gov . Peggy Flanagan was ger from the first to the second had a lot of responsibility to get cluding not providing him with suffering. scheduled to speak, as well as the knuckle my point across.” an adequate plan when he was “I’ve had veterans who have commissioner of the state VA and Tattoos that represent racism, Harrington’s brother, Justin discharged. come to me and said, ‘I sought a suicide prevention specialist discrimination, extremist or su- Miller, was a Marine Corps veter- “It’s absolutely maddening help because I heard your story.’ from the federal VA. premacist ideals, lawlessness, in- to see on paper the exact places an who deployed to Iraq in 2005. That makes me cry out of happi- [email protected] decency, or are sexually explicit He went to the emergency room where the system failed,” Har- ness every time I hear it because Twitter: @nikkiwentling are not allowed. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 14 Books .............................. 20 Business .......................... 13 Gadgets ............................ 21 Music .......................... 18-19 Opinion ............................ 23 Sports .........................24-32 Television ......................... 15 Weather ........................... 13 Sunday, October 6, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY Iranian hackers’ fake job site targets troops BY COREY DICKSTEIN of the website’s existence last week. The on the system, the patch level, the number Stars and Stripes ‘ They’re targeting active group noted the website’s name was “strik- of processors, the network configuration, ingly close” to that of a legitimate site run the hardware, firmware versions, the do- WASHINGTON — U.S. military offi- servicemembers looking by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce aimed main controller, the name of the admin, cials warned troops that Iranian hackers for jobs with the promise at assisting veterans find employment, the list of the account, etc. This is a signifi- have set up a fake jobs website for veterans www.hiringourheroes.org. cant amount of information relating to a that targets servicemembers considering a of offering assistance for “Americans are quick to give back and machine and makes the attacker well-pre- transition back to civilian life. civilian employment once support the veteran population, therefore, pared to carry out additional attacks,” the A National Guard Bureau memorandum this website has a high chance of gaining company’s researchers wrote in a report. dated Wednesday warned servicemembers their service ends. traction on social media where users could Also Friday, Microsoft announced hack- to stay away from the website called “Hire ’ share the link in the hopes of supporting ers linked to the Iranian government at- Military Heroes,” which appears to offer National Guard Bureau memo veterans,” Cisco Talos researchers wrote tempted to hack into 241 email accounts them assistance finding a job outside the in the analysis of the fake website. including of U.S. government officials, Defense Department via a web application The Cicso Talos researchers character- media members, prominent Iranian expa- that visitors are encouraged to download. ized the use of the fake website as a “mas- offering assistance for civilian employ- triates and one U.S. presidential campaign. However, the app actually drops malicious sive shift” in behavior for the Tortoiseshell ment once their service ends,” the memo In a blog post on the Microsoft website, malware and spyware into the users’ com- group, which has been accused of hacking states. “The hackers are hoping one of Tom Burt, the company’s vice president puter system, according to the document their targets would use a DOD system to several Saudi Arabian IT providers during issued by the guard’s Defensive Cyber Op- for customer security and trust, wrote four download and run the malware.” the summer.