Put on Hold? Insignia

MILITARY MILITARY FACES More charges filed Korean War veterans Pair of new projects against Marine accused get standing ovation highlight Whitaker’s in Tokyo assault case at event in Seoul acting range, passion Page 3 Page 6 Page 18 Clemson’s No. 1 rank in jeopardy after UNC scare » College football, Back page stripes.com Volume 78, No. 118 ©SS 2019 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas Navy says goodbye to ‘blueberry’ uniforms BY JOSHUA KARSTEN Stars and Stripes MANAMA, Bahrain — Sailors’ last day to wear a blue camouflage uniform beloved by some and derided by others is here. The Type I Navy Working Uni- form, dubbed the “blueberry,” will no longer be authorized for wear as of Tuesday, according to a timeline sent out by the Navy three years ago. The eight-point cap is also being updated with the anchor, USS Constitution and eagle em- blem stitched into the front cen- ter panel, where sailors were previously allowed to put rank Put on hold? insignia. Blueberries are being dis- continued after an 11-year run. First introduced in 2008 as part Diversion of Guam funds for US border wall of a uniform modernization pro- gram based on sailor input, the blue camouflage uniform was could disrupt plans for Marines relocation intended to be worn by enlisted and officers to “project a unified image/appearance regardless of BY AUDREY MCAVOY SEE NAVY ON PAGE 2 Associated Press HONOLULU — President Donald Trump is raising a large chunk of the money for his border wall with Mexico by deferring several military construction projects slated for Guam, a strategic hub for U.S. forces in the Pacific. That may disrupt plans to move Marines to Guam from Japan and to modernize mu- nitions storage for the Air Force. About 7% of the funds for the $3.6 billion wall are being diverted from eight projects in the U.S. territory, a key spot in the U.S. military’s efforts to deter North Korea and counter China’s growing military. The administration has vowed it’s only delaying the spending, not canceling it. But Democrats in Congress, outraged over Trump’s use of an emergency order for the wall, have promised they won’t approve money to revive the projects. Facebook “The fact is, by literally taking that money PHOTOS BY RICHARD P. E BENSBERGER, U.S. AIR FORCE (TOP) AND GREG BAKER (ABOVE)/AP after it had been put in place and using it for A sailor poses in both Type I Top: A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer arrives at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Above: something else, you now put those projects CH-46 helicopters take off from the U.S. Marine Corps base in Futenma, in Okinawa, and II Navy uniforms. The Type in jeopardy,” said Carl Baker, executive I uniform, informally dubbed Japan, in 2012. President Donald Trump’s diversion of military funds to help pay for a a blueberry, will no longer be SEE HOLD ON PAGE 7 border wall with Mexico could delay projects slated for Guam. authorized starting Tuesday. PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Monday, September 30, 2019 MILITARY Navy: Service transitions to green-and-black design FROM FRONT PAGE were more professional looking, rank,” a Navy spokesman said via but I believe the [blue cammies] email. were the Navy’s first attempt at a “Type I pioneered the Navy into joint-looking uniform.” the accepted wear of camouflage Based on a digital pattern used style uniforms, something that by the Marine Corps, blueberries were looser fitting than the pre- history reflects has been long de- vious uniforms and the tops did sired by sailors,” said spokesman not have to be tucked in. While Lt. Cmdr. Adam Cole. Mertes said he liked the uniform The blue-hued uniform “served when it first came out, “I never its purpose for its era,” Cole said. understood the color and concept “Now the Navy is transitioning for- of blue camouflage,” he said. ward” to a green-and-black digital The expiring blueberries have camouflage design called Type been given mixed reviews in me- III, which was popular among morials posted on some of the sailors and previously used by ex- Navy’s Facebook pages. peditionary forces, he said. “The color sets the Navy apart Before the naval service adopt- from the rest,” said one com- ed camouflage utility uniforms, menter who lamented the end of sailors wore two-toned blue uni- the uniform. “RIP Blueberries.” forms known as dungarees. After Others were wistful as they re- those, there was a short-lived util- membered bygone styles. ity uniform, a more modernized “What was wrong with the dun- take featuring dark blue pants and garees?” one commenter asked. light blue tops. That uniform, which resembled JENNIFER A. VILLALOVOS/U.S. Navy “Dungarees were iconic,” said blue jeans from the 1970s, was “a Master Chief Petty Officer Phill great work uniform and easy to Then-Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West holds an all-hands call at Naval Station Norfolk, Mertes, a 26-year active-duty yeo- store aboard ship.” Va. West is wearing the Navy working uniform Type III during a test phase, while the sailors behind man currently serving in San An- [email protected] him wear the Type I uniform, known as a blueberry, that will no longer be authorized for wear starting tonio, Texas. “Utilities came and Twitter: @joshua_karsten Tuesday . Sailor, 21, dies after falling from elevator of USS Nimitz BY DAHLIA BAZZAZ information about the sailor until later public affairs officer for the USS Nimitz. “That’s one of the things that’s so stun- The Seattle Times Sunday . Department of Defense policy is Around 9 p.m. Friday, the sailor fell sev- ning about it,” Petkovski said. “Our to withhold release of names until 24 hours eral stories onto the pier from the ship’s prayers are with the sailor’s family. It’s a A young, junior-ranking sailor died early after next-of-kin has been notified. Sailors aircraft elevator, which had been lowered tough situation for the command, and for Saturday morning from a fall as he was from all over the country are assigned to and connected to a walkway used to board his family.” boarding the USS Nimitz, which is cur- the aircraft carrier. and exit the ship. Paramedics took him It’s possible that the sailor may have rently in port at Naval Air Station North The aircraft carrier’s home port is in to a nearby hospital, but he died from his fallen off one of the elevator’s edges as Island near San Diego. The sailor was 21 Bremerton. Sailors were at the Naval Air injuries. he stepped down from the walkway. The years old. Station North Island for routine training This type of accident is not common for Navy is still investigating the cause of the The Navy was not releasing any more operations, said Bill Petkovski, deputy the ship, Petkovski said. accident. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 17 Business .......................... 21 Classified ................... 19, 23 Comics/Crossword ............ 22 Faces ............................... 18 Opinion ............................ 20 Sports .........................24-32 Weather ........................... 21 Monday, September 30, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY Marines rotate in Norway BY JOHN VANDIVER Stars and Stripes STUTTGART, Germany — About 700 Marines took over the Corps’ mission in Norway on Friday, marking the latest troop U.S. Navy photos rotation into a country where American forces have for the past several years been focused on cold weather warfare tactics. Marines from the 2nd Battal- ion, 6th Marine Regiment are operating out of the towns of Se- termoen and Vaernes, where they will be training with NATO allies and other partners in the Nordic region. The unit replaced the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, which was deployed to Norway for six months. Lt. Col. Anthony Johnston, 1- 8’s commander, said his Marines were involved in five major exer- cises with allies and numerous other training events during the deployment. “Our personnel and equipment are capable of not only U.S. Army photos operating but thriving in any cli- mate,” Johnston said in a state- ment. “We will ensure these skill sets are passed along appropri- Making reenlistment memorable ately to our replacements, and we will share our experiences with Many Marines, airmen, sailors and soldiers have sought memorable locations and company for reenlistments this past year. Clockwise from the operating forces at large.” top left: Petty Officer 2nd Class Gabriel Kastner and Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Schlueter take the reenlistment oath while scuba diving 2 The arrival of the Marines miles off the coast of Bahrain on May 25; Naval Support Activity Panama City commanding officer Cmdr. Jay Sego reenlists Boatswain’s from 2-6 marks the sixth rotation Mate 1st Class Taylor Baxley atop a mooring buoy in Saint Andrew Bay off Panama City, Fla., on Feb. 25; Sgt. Damian Childress, assigned of Marines to Norway. The head- to the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division, reenlists inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as it flies over the island of Oahu, Hawaii, on Aug. 13; quarters for the unit, k nown as and Army Spc. Sierra Hill, of 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, takes the oath of enlistment on a zip line at Chaubattia Military Station, Marine Rotational Force-Europe, India, in September 2018 during Exercise Yudh Abhyas . are inside Norway’s arctic, moun- tainous Setermoen Army Base. The rotations began in early 2017 with just 300 Marines but the mission has gradually expanded.

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