Bitter Defeat for the Men of 1St Platoon, President Donald Trump’S Pardon of an Officer They Helped Convict of Murder Is a Crushing Betrayal

NBA FACES MILITARY Players, coaches say Broken ankle complicated House committee version no asterisk needed for Scott Eastwood’s participation of defense bill includes champ in trying season in war film ‘The Outpost’ Stars and Stripes funding Back page Page 16 Page 4

DOD says Taliban still working with al-Qaida despite US deal » Page 7

Volume 79, No. 55 ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas

VIRUS OUTBREAK US job market improves, but its gains could be short-lived

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press WASHINGTON — U.S. unemployment fell to 11.1% in June as the economy added a solid 4.8 million jobs, the government reported Thursday. But the job-market recovery might already be fal- tering because of a new round of closings and layoffs triggered by a resurgence of the coronavirus. The jobless rate was down from 13.3% in May, but it is still at a De- pression-era level. The data was gathered during the second week of June, before a number of states began to reverse or suspend the reopenings of their economies to try to beat back the virus. “This is a bit of a dated snap- shot at this point,” said Jesse Edgerton, an economist at J.P. Morgan Chase. The news came as the number of confirmed infections per day in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 50,700, more than doubling in the past month, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University. SEE GAINS ON PAGE 14 Bitter defeat For the men of 1st Platoon, President Donald Trump’s pardon of an officer they helped convict of murder is a crushing betrayal

BY GREG JAFFE walk free? Samuel Walley is The Washington Post “I feel like I’m in a nightmare,” Lucas Gray, a pictured with his former specialist from the unit, texted his old squad fiancee, Hannah nly a few hours had passed since Presi- leader, who was out of the Army and living in Fay- Smallwood, in their dent Donald Trump pardoned 1st Lt. etteville, N.C. garage in Buford,

SETH WENIG/AP Clint Lorance and the men of 1st Pla- “I haven’t been handling it well either,” replied Ga. Walley lost his toon were still trying to make sense of Mike McGuinness on Nov. 15, the day Lorance was right leg and part A customer’s temperature is how it was even possible. pardoned. of his left arm in checked before entering a O Afghanistan. How could a man they blamed for ruining their “There’s literally no point in anything we did or store at Garden State Plaza lives, an officer the Army convicted of second- said,” Gray continued. “Now he gets to be the hero in Paramus, N.J., on Monday. . . .” BONNIE JO MOUNT Employers likely rehired several degree murder and other charges, be forgiven so The Washington Post million workers in June, but data easily? How could their president allow him to just SEE BITTER ON PAGE 10 suggests that the resurgent coronavirus will limit gains. PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Workers: Tesla threatens firing if they don’t return Military rates Switzerland (Franc)...... 0.9438 Euro costs (July 3) ...... $1.10 Thailand (Baht) ...... 31.09 Dollar buys (July 3) ...... €0.8639 Turkey (Lira) ...... 6.8562 Associated Press British pound (July 3) ...... $1.22 (Military exchange rates are those Bay Area. er safety including temperature Japanese yen (July 3) ...... 105.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (July 3) ...... 1,171.00 “There are people we are pay- checks, the wearing of gloves and Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance DETROIT — Some Tesla work- for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the ing to keep us safe, and they’re masks, installing barriers be- Bahrain (Dinar) ...... 0.3775 ers and labor activists say the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound ...... $1.2506 just turning the other cheek,” said tween workers and maintaining nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., company is threatening to fire Canada (Dollar) ...... 1.3567 purchasing British pounds in Germany), Tesla worker Carlos Gabriel, who social distancing. In early May, China (Yuan) ...... 7.0671 employees who haven’t returned check with your local military banking Denmark (Krone) ...... 6.6101 is among the organizers of a rally Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, told facility. Commercial rates are interbank to the company’s California fac- Egypt (Pound) ...... 16.1238 rates provided for reference when buying tory since it reopened because scheduled for Thursday at the Al- workers that they didn’t have to Euro ...... $1.1273/0.8871 ameda County Public Health De- return to the plant if they weren’t Hong Kong (Dollar) ...... 7.7503 currency. All figures are foreign currencies they’re afraid of catching the to one dollar, except for the British pound, partment in Oakland. comfortable with it. Hungary (Forint) ...... 311.72 coronavirus. Israel (Shekel) ...... 3.4406 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, The group wants the practice A Tesla spokesman wouldn’t Gabriel and another Tesla Japan (Yen) ...... 107.54 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) to stop, and it also wants state and immediately comment Wednes- worker say they have heard of Kuwait (Dinar) ...... 0.3079 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...... 9.4661 county officials to do a better job day, but company officials said COVID-19 cases among workers Philippines (Peso)...... 49.64 Prime rate ...... 3.25 making sure proper safety proce- that claims of Fremont workers at the Fremont factory, but don’t Poland (Zloty) ...... 3.96 Discount rate ...... 0.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...... 3.7507 Federal funds market rate ...... 0.08 dures are followed at the factory being fired are untrue. Tesla has know numbers because the com- Singapore (Dollar) ...... 1.3933 3-month bill ...... 0.14 in Fremont, in the San Francisco released plans to maintain work- pany won’t tell them. South Korea (Won) ...... 1,197.88 30-year bond ...... 1.43 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 63/60 Kabul 88/68 Seoul 80/64 Baghdad 111/77 Kandahar 108/78 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 75/66 78/68 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 65/51 68/60 74/64 Iwakuni 73/70 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 94/88 Brussels 69/59 Guam 109/87 68/55 Ramstein 79/62 84/81 Lajes, 68/54 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 110/78 109/84 67/63 68/59 76/68 Aviano/ Vicenza 76/66

Naples 85/70 Okinawa Morón 74/71 97/60 Sigonella Rota 98/62 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 105/88 77/64 80/73 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup 15 Comics ...... 17 Crossword ...... 17 Faces ...... 16 Opinion ...... 18-19 Sports ...... 20-24 Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 MILITARY Army wraps up 3-day recruiting campaign

BY JAMES BOLINGER flooded social media with simple Stars and Stripes themes about the benefits of service, including signing bonuses The coronavirus pandemic took for specialized career fields, stu- a bite from its recruiting goals dent loan repayment plans, medi- this year, but the Army expects to cal benefits and housing, he said. retake that ground with a three- The $2,000 bonus for recruits day campaign that ended Thurs- who joined during three-day push day, according to the service’s applies only to active-duty enlist- deputy chief of recruiting. ments, not the Army Reserve or The Army has offered an ad- National Guard. ditional $2,000 bonus on top of The Army campaign turned to career incentives to recruits who successful social media influenc- joined during Army Hiring Days, ers in its own ranks, like Staff Sgt. a drive that relied heavily on so- Jorge Ortiz, a recruiter in San cial media, Brig. Gen. Patrick Antonio. Michaelis, deputy command- Ortiz has a prolific Instagram ing general of Army Recruiting account, @ssg_ortiz_jorge, with Command, told Stars and Stripes thousands of followers from by phone on Wednesday. The goal across the country, he said via is 10,000 new soldiers, which telephone Wednesday. meets strength requirements for He shares stories about his life the year. as a member of the San Antonio This type of recruiting drive is community to humanize the idea a first for the Army. of being a soldier, he said, adding “We wanted this to be like that stories about his wife, son dropping a brick into a puddle,” and their dog provide a real-life he said. perspective on the Army. The service was on track to Michaelis said the Army fo- meet its recruiting and reten- cused its effort on Facebook and tion goals before a three-month Instagram but encouraged sol- lockdown due to the coronavirus SARAH SANGSTER/U.S. Army diers to use the platform they forced its 10,000 recruiters to were most comfortable with. Recruits visit the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, as part of Army work from home, Michaelis said. “The only environment we are National Hiring Days on Tuesday. During that same period, U.S. not playing in is TikTok, and that unemployment skyrocketed as is based on where their servers businesses closed and people The service devised a strategy by McDonald’s several years ago. Michaelis said. Any recruits who are located,” he said. stayed home to curtail the virus’ to put potential recruits in touch The fast-food giant hired nearly sign up after the Army meets its The Army banned soldiers from spread. with recruiters without violat- 50,000 people in one day, Michae- congressionally mandated goals using the popular Chinese social Army re-enlistments reached ing social distance guidelines. It lis said. for this fiscal year will be cred- media app in December because record highs, but without face- turned to civilian corporations to Army Hiring Days, with one ited toward fiscal year 2021. of potential security issues. to-face interactions, recruiting learn how they met hiring goals day remaining, appeared to be The campaign relied on virtual [email protected] numbers fell, he said. and discovered a campaign run meeting or exceeding its goals, messaging and marketing that Twitter: @bolingerj2004 Report says Marine review finds issues with midair collision probe

BY SETH ROBSON ecutive, operations and aviation The new findings highlight Stars and Stripes safety officers — were fired as a challenges faced by Resilard on result. the night of the crash. TOKYO — A Marine Corps However, a review of the in- His aircraft (call sign Profane review has found multiple inac- vestigation’s findings directed by 12), the tanker and another F/A-18 curacies in the investigation of a Gen. Gary Thomas, the assistant (call sign Profane 11) were flying midair collision off Japan’s coast commandant, has found “many with their lights off during the re- that killed six Marines more than inaccuracies” that led to “differ- fueling operation but, after tank- two years ago, according to a re- ing — and false — narratives,” ing, the other fighter turned on its port by Military.com. according to the Wednesday re- external lights, according to the Five crew members of a KC- port by Military.com. review, Military.com reported. 130J tanker and the pilot of an Marine Corps officials in Japan “These circumstances set the TYLER HARMON/U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet died during the didn’t immediately respond conditions for Profane 12 to focus nighttime training mission on Thursday to questions about the on the overtly lit Profane 11 air- A memorial is unveiled at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 6, 2018. The Hornet’s weap- review. craft instead of the dimly lit tank- on Dec. 6 in honor of Marines who died a year earlier during a ons officer was the sole survivor. Lt. Gen. Robert Hedelund, the er,” the report states, according midair training accident. Both aircraft were based at Ma- service’s longest-serving aviator, to the website. rine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. assigned to carry out the review, The experts on the review ron’s readiness levels that senior attack squadron’s readiness, the An accident investigation re- wrote that the first investigation board determined that Resilard leaders overlooked, Military.com review board wrote, Military. port, released in September, de- was not impartial in its focus, lost sight of the C-130 “because reported. com reported. termined that toxic leadership thorough in its scope or accurate he became singularly focused Maj. Gen. Thomas Weidley, “Accepting low readiness from and the F/A-18 pilot’s inexperi- in its findings, according to Mili- on Profane 11.” Resilard’s night former head of the 1st Marine [the squadron] had become com- ence conducting nighttime, in-air tary.com. vision goggles washed out while Aircraft Wing, has since faced mon practice for many years, and refueling contributed to the colli- The review board dismissed flying off near the lighted second administrative action. So has Col. in this case, 1st MAW made no sion. The investigation also found the initial report’s finding that F/A-18, making it harder to see the Mark Palmer, former command- effort to mitigate [the squadron’s] that the fighter pilot’s use of the trace amounts of Ambien found in tanker, Military.com reported. ing officer of Marine Aircraft risk in participating in” the night- sleep aid Ambien contributed to Capt. Jahmar Resilard, the F/A-18 “It must be noted, this specific Group 12. An aviation safety time refueling exercise. the crash and that Marine All- pilot who crashed into the tanker, set of circumstances would have officer who was incorrectly Marine Aircraft Group 12 also Weather Fighter Attack Squadron played a role in the accident. been incredibly difficult for any blamed after the first investiga- failed to recognize the risks, 242 suffered from “inadequate “There is no basis to conclude pilot, let alone a junior, or less tion has been cleared, the website the new investigation states, ac- oversight of training and opera- that … Ambien use was casual proficient pilot to overcome,” the reported. cording to the website, “to a tions” and an “unprofessional or contributory to the 2018 mis- review board wrote, according to The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing’s greater degree and with greater command climate.” hap,” the new 153-page investiga- the website. operational tempo “overshad- ramifications.” Four Marine officers — the tion states, according to Military. The review board noted warn- owed or caused a blind zone” [email protected] squadron commander and its ex- com. ing signs regarding the squad- when it came to the all-weather Twitter: @SethRobson1 PAGE 4 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 MILITARY House panel bill includes funding for Stripes

BY STEVE BEYNON to service members. were a product of the recent defense-wide and Stripes. However, the 2021 defense Stars and Stripes The bill mandates Esper analyze reduc- review to cut spending and reallocate bill is not expected to be finalized until the ing the newspaper’s operations and exam- funds to efforts the Pentagon considers fall. It must be passed by both chambers of WASHINGTON — A House committee’s ine whether it should still receive annual important for defense against threats from Congress by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal version of the annual defense spending funding provided by Congress. other military powers, mainly China and year, to provide the Pentagon an on-time bill includes $15.5 million in federal fund- The proposed Defense Department Russia. budget. ing for Stars and Stripes after the Defense budget for fiscal year 2021 cuts Stars “So, we trimmed the support for Stars Last year, the bill was not signed into Department proposed cutting the military and Stripes of its federal subsidies, which and Stripes because we need to invest that law until December as lawmakers argued newspaper from its 2021 budget. equals about half of the news organization’s money, as we did with many, many other The House Armed Services Commit- yearly funds to pay to print and distribute programs, into higher-priority issues,” over the inclusion of funding for President tee unanimously approved $740.5 billion newspapers to American troops deployed Esper said during a Feb. 13 news confer- Donald Trump’s promised wall on the in spending in the 2021 National Defense around the globe, including remote and ence at NATO headquarters in Brussels. U.S.-Mexico border. This year, Trump has Authorization Act, which sets yearly policy often-dangerous locations such as Af- But Gallego said cutting Stars and threatened to veto the spending bill over and funding priorities for the Pentagon, ghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The rest of the Stripes funding from the Defense Depart- the inclusion of renaming U.S. military and that Stars and Stripes is funded at the organization’s money comes from sales, ment budget was not about money. bases honoring Confederates. same amount as fiscal year 2020. The final subscriptions and advertising. “It’s such a small number in comparison “The chairman’s mark is not the bill I committee vote on the NDAA was 56-0. Stars and Stripes first appeared during to the whole budget, it’s less than a round- would have written, but on the whole, it is “Stars and Stripes fulfills a niche in jour- the Civil War, and it has been continuously ing error,” he said before the committee one I agree with and can support,” Rep. nalism that isn’t going to be matched by published since World War II. It produces approved the bill. “This has nothing to do Mac Thornberry of Texas, the committee’s other journalists when it comes to military daily newspapers for U.S. military troops with budgets. This has to do with the DOD ranking Republican, said in a statement families and the minutiae of benefits, it is not liking investigative journalism. If not across the world and a website, stripes. ahead of the NDAA vote. “It is the prod- a very necessary piece of journalism,” said com, which is updated with news 24 hours for [Stripes], Congress might not know uct of the House Armed Services Com- Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who intro- a day, seven days a week. Though it is part about some of these important issues. I duced the Stars and Stripes amendment. of the Pentagon’s Defense Media Agency, think they believe this is the one time to mittee’s bipartisan process and reflects The bill also requires Defense Secre- Stripes retains its editorial independence get rid of Stars and Stripes.” priorities raised by all of the committee’s tary Mark Esper to submit a report to the and is congressionally mandated to be gov- On June 11, the Senate Armed Services members.” House Armed Services Committee about erned by First Amendment principles. Committee approved their version of the [email protected] maintaining Stars and Stripes as a benefit The proposed cuts to Stars and Stripes NDAA, which includes no funding for Stars Twitter: @StevenBeynon GOP signals Trump to withdraw threat to veto defense bill The Washington Post sition from some Republicans. Senate Armed Services Com- WASHINGTON — President mittee Chairman James Inhofe, Donald Trump is increasingly R-Okla., said Wednesday that isolated over his staunch defense while he regretted the presi- of Confederate symbols on mili- dent’s veto threat, he agreed with tary bases, as uneasy congres- Trump’s view about stripping sional Republicans signal to the White House that now is not the the names from military bases. time to hold the Pentagon hostage He vowed to work to rid the de- to this one issue. fense bill of the provision before Trump threatened late Tues- it reaches Trump’s desk, all but day to veto a $740 billion defense assuring there will be an internal policy bill if it included bipartisan GOP fight. language mandating the removal “It’s part of our history, it’s Courtesy of Juergen Masching of the names of Confederate lead- part of our heritage,” Inhofe said. “They’re tearing down statues German emergency responders wait outside the Grafenwoehr training area on Wednesday. ers from military installations. Hours later, Republicans on both and doing all these un-Ameri- sides of the Capitol made it clear can things. The president feels the president needs to back down strongly about it and I do too.” German firefighter injured during rescue in a fight over honoring secession- But those comments belied a ists who fought the United States growing sentiment among many of US paratroopers who landed in trees to maintain slavery. Capitol Hill Republicans, includ- Senate Majority Leader Mitch ing some who have long griped McConnell, R-Ky., reaffirmed privately that Trump’s racist BY IMMANUEL JOHNSON The soldiers had drifted off fer said. his support for the Senate’s ver- comments repel Americans. AND MARCUS KLOECKNER course during the jump and Army officials did not imme- sion of the bill that directs the “I would hope the president ended up in trees on Grafen- diately say what caused the sol- Stars and Stripes Pentagon to rename such bases would reconsider vetoing the en- woehr, a sprawling training area diers to drift off course during GRAFENWOEHR, Germany within three years. In the House tire defense bill, which includes in Bavaria, brigade spokesman the jump. pay raises for our troops over a — A German firefighter was se- But the accident is not the first Armed Services Committee — Maj. Chris Bradley said. provision in there that could lead riously injured in an operation to of its kind. During a training exer- where lawmakers were expected The six paratroopers and an- to changing the names of these rescue soldiers from the 173rd cise in October 2011 in Hohenfels, Wednesday night to approve a other firefighter were slightly military bases,” McConnell, R- Airborne Brigade who landed in also in Bavaria, 13 paratroopers similar provision accelerating injured in the accident, which oc- Ky., told Dana Perino in a Fox trees during a parachute training suffered head, spine and pelvic that time frame to one year — the curred at around 9 p.m., Stopfer News interview. Changing mili- exercise, officials said Thursday. injuries when strong winds blew panel adopted a proposal by Rep. The 62-year-old firefighter said. Anthony Brown, D-Md., to ban tary base names is “quite differ- Rescue helicopters, firefight- them off course during a jump. sustained severe but non-life- They too crashed into trees. Confederate flags on all Defense ent from trying to air brush the ers and a mountain rescue team threatening head injuries when The soldiers involved in Department property — with no statues in the Capitol,” he added. were mobilized to search for the one of the soldiers fell out of the Wednesday’s incident sustained Republicans objecting. “I would be happy to see, I would soldiers as night began to fall over tree he’d crashed into during the “typical injuries for parachut- The panel is crafting the House support changing the names of exercise Wednesday, said Werner the vast training area, Stopfer ists,” said Stopfer, such as skin version of the annual defense bill bases that were named in the Stopfer, chief of police in the town said. Grafenwoehr covers rough- abrasions, bruises and bone that authorizes a pay raise for honor of Confederate generals,” of Eschenbach, which is near ly 57,600 acres, or the equivalent fractures. service members and billions of said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. Grafenwoehr. It was unclear what of about 43,600 football fields. The Army has launched an dollars for new weapons, fighter “Those individuals fought against caused the injuries, Stopfer said, “We did not know exactly how investigation. jets and ships. the United States of America and adding that the firefighter was in many soldiers were hanging in The congressional push to re- we should instead be honoring [email protected] the intensive care unit of a local the trees or if they were lying [email protected] move Confederate symbols from people who fought for the United hospital. somewhere on the ground,” Stop- Twitter: @Manny_stripes defense installations faces oppo- States of America.” Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 5 PACIFIC Pandemic leads US bases to alter July Fourth events

BY JOSEPH DITZLER Yokota’s new commander, Col. THERON GODBOLD/Stars and Stripes Stars and Stripes Andrew Campbell, lifted travel restrictions Monday to permit Children watch a fireworks show at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, Thursday . TOKYO — U.S. military bases base personnel to travel around across the Pacific will salute 244 the island of Honshu, except for years of American independence parade previously planned, the Kadena Air Base plans a Friday from Clipper Landing metro Tokyo and Yokohama. Park and an Independence Day with celebrations both mild and Camp Zama, home of U.S. Marines are setting up gourmet drive-in movie starting at sunset Motorcade Parade through the full-throated but all in the shad- Army Japan southwest of Tokyo, food-truck pods 3-9 p.m. Satur- Friday, with fireworks to follow main base and Apra View hous- ow of the lingering coronavirus canceled a parade and neighbor- day on Camps Lester and Foster around 9:15 p.m. All movie spots ing Saturday. pandemic. hood parties “due to inclement and at Plaza Housing, with fire- are taken, according to the sup- At Camp Humphreys, the weather” and substituted a dance works at 8:15 p.m. on Camp Fos- port squadron. Stars and Stripes reporters T.J. Army’s sprawling headquarters Godbold, Matthew Burke and Christian party Saturday at the recreation ter, according to the community Finally, U.S. Naval Base Guam Lopez contributed to this report. in South Korea, the schedule of center instead, masks and social services Facebook page. plans a fireworks display at 8 p.m. [email protected] events reads like any other Fourth distancing required. No fireworks of July celebration. are planned. A DJ starts things off at 12:15 At Sasebo Naval Base in south- p.m. Saturday, followed by a tal- ern Japan, an outside Fourth of ent show, the Eighth Army Band July party will be partially vir- performance, traditional Korean tual. It starts at 6 p.m. Saturday dance, a Best Dad Joke Battle and with a concert by Train, a San more, concluding at 7 p.m. in time Francisco rock band, aired on a for fireworks at 8:45 p.m. widescreen TV outside the base “Social distancing is encour- fitness center. Fireworks follow aged,” is the timely advice atop at 8:45 p.m., according to an event the event listing on the Hum- flyer. phreys Morale Welfare and Rec- Marine Corps Air Station reation website. Iwakuni will host a family picnic, The coronavirus surged in reservations required, at the base South Korea in late March and, track and field from 4-8 p.m. Sat- so far, has tallied nearly 13,000 urday with live entertainment, cases, including at least 40 people according to the base Facebook affiliated with the U.S. military. page. No fireworks are planned. The Army began to relax its re- “Face coverings and social strictions in late May as the rate distancing are required,” the an- of new cases per day in the coun- nouncement said. try declined. At Yokosuka Naval Base, home The Eighth Army, headquar- south of Tokyo of the 7th Fleet tered at Humphreys, on its own and where the most demanding urged troops and their families to restrictions were imposed fol- continue social distancing, wear- lowing a coronavirus outbreak ing masks and washing their there, Independence Day will be hands often over the holiday. marked with softball and volley- At Camp Casey, 40 miles north ball tournaments, a kids’ carnival of Seoul, the garrison plans a noon and an outdoor movie. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday barbecue, No live fireworks are planned, with games, food, live music and but a virtual display will precede displays at the Casey Gateway the 7:30 p.m. family movie at Ber- Club parking lot. Indoor events key Field, according to the base will include a head count to main- Facebook page. tain social distancing, a fl yer for “The City of Yokosuka re- the event states. quested we not have [fireworks] Camp Walker, in Daegu, plans because they are concerned a carnival-style Liberty Fest 2020 about large public gatherings,” from 4-9 p.m. at the golf course base spokesman Randall Baucom with all manner of activities, from told Stars and Stripes by email a bouncy house to a mechanical Wednesday. bull. Fireworks are slated to go At Naval Air Facility Atsugi, off at 8:45 p.m. events are planned through the At bases in Japan, celebrations weekend, including the Train are muted as the U.S. military virtual concert at 7:45 p.m. and inches out of nearly three months a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m., of coronavirus restrictions. At both on Thursday, and a pool Yokota Air Base, home of U.S. party Saturday, according to the Forces Japan in western Tokyo, base Facebook page. a 20-minute fireworks show The USO in Japan is hosting a thrilled mask-wearing specta- virtual concert by country musi- tors Thursday, but the usual July cian Clint Black and other per- Fourth fairground-style event formers, available on Facebook, was put aside this year. YouTube (at youtube.com/theuso) “There is no petting zoo, rock and Twitch (@theUSO) at 1 p.m. wall or barbecue,” said Fred Saturday and Sunday, according Mamiya of the Yokota Force Sup- to a USO announcement. port Squadron who was in charge On Okinawa, the Marines of setting up the celebration. “We downsized their Fourth of July are trying to stay away from the observance in deference to the group type setting.” prefectural government’s desire The fireworks were sched- to avoid large gatherings, ac- uled early, Mamiya said, to allow cording to Marine Corps Com- those with weekend travel plans munity Services. Instead of the to see the show before setting off. fairground-style events and PAGE 6 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 MILITARY Shipping container used for patient transport

BY JENNIFER H. SVAN In April, the Air Force evacuated its Stars and Stripes first coronavirus patients, transporting three U.S. government contractors from KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The Afghanistan to Ramstein. The patients Air Force more than tripled its capac- were moved inside the Transport Isolation ity to transport coronavirus patients after System, an infectious disease chamber customizing a steel shipping container for developed but never used during the 2014 medical use aboard its cargo planes. Ebola crisis. Twelve patients with the virus were That system has limited capacity — a evacuated on a C-17 Globemaster III from C-17 can carry two of the airlocked units, an undisclosed downrange location to Ger- each of which can carry only two to four many in what was the first operational use patients. of the Negatively Pressurized Conex, a box The negative-pressure system was rap- configured to prevent spreading the dis- idly developed because of the pandemic, ease to the crew, the service’s Air Mobility Air Force officials said. Command said in a statement. Fans continuously pull air from within The patients arrived at Ramstein Air the unit through high-efficiency particu- Base on Wednesday after a 22-hour mis- late filters, the Air Force said. The process sion and were transported to Landstuhl is similar to hospital isolation rooms that Regional Medical Center for further care, use negative air pressure to prevent air- officials said. borne diseases from escaping the room “This was definitely not your typical pa- and infecting others. tient movement mission,” said Maj. Benja- The steel container also includes an at- min Weaver, a bioenvironmental engineer, tached anteroom — also under negative in a statement. pressure — where medical workers can Weaver, the 10th Expeditionary Aero- change clothes without risking contamina- medical Evacuation Flight support team tion, the Air Force said. lead for the mission, said the container This week’s mission brings the total number of patients transported in isola- and team “performed exceptionally well to JOHN R. WRIGHT/U.S. Air Force make it happen.” tion containment chambers to more than The box can transport up to 28 seated 100 across 18 missions since the pandemic Airmen assigned to the 313th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron transfer passengers or eight litters. It can fit into a began, the Air Force said. a coronavirus patient following the first operational use of the Negatively Pressurized C-5 Super Galaxy or a C-17, while a smaller [email protected] Conex to transport 12 patients aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air version can be used on a C-130 Hercules. Twitter: @stripesktown Base in Germany on Wednesday. Troops, long-term residents exempt from EU travel ban

BY JOHN VANDIVER Council said. Military personnel are on the a member of the White House coronavirus along with Germany and Poland are hubs Stars and Stripes list of essential workers, said the EC, one task force and head of the National Insti- for U.S. troops in Europe. As of Thursday, of the main decision-making bodies of the tute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the U.S. had the highest number of con- STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. mili- EU. told a congressional hearing Tuesday that, firmed cases of coronavirus in the world tary personnel bound for assignments in The ban on American visitors was im- if steps are not taken to slow the spread of — 2,686,587 out of 10.7 million worldwide Europe won’t be affected by a new Euro- posed to prevent a resurgence of the coro- the virus, the U.S. could see 100,000 new — and 128,062 deaths out of a global total pean Union travel ban on Americans, of- navirus in Europe, where case numbers cases a day — double the current number. of 516,552, according to a tally compiled by ficials said. and transmission have fallen sharply from The announcement of the travel ban on Johns Hopkins University. Status of Forces and bilateral agree- a peak several weeks ago. The restrictions Americans comes as the Defense Depart- EUCOM says the military is taking pre- ments with countries mean “we don’t will be reevaluated and updated every two ment tries to unwind a substantial back- cautions “to ensure we maintain the trust anticipate any direct impacts on U.S. per- weeks, the EC said. log of troops and DOD civilians waiting and confidence of our host nations.” sonnel,” U.S. European Command said in If new cases of the coronavirus are to move to new assignments around the As an example, recently arrived troops a statement after the EU travel restriction “close to or below the EU average” over world. The backlog was created by a Pen- went into effect Wednesday. a period of 14 days, the U.S. will be added tagon order halting military moves and with the 101st Airborne’s 101st Combat The restrictions also “should not apply” to the list of countries whose citizens can other nonessential travel in the spring, Aviation Brigade are isolated in small to long-term EU residents and their family travel to the EU. when Europe was bearing the brunt of the groups for two weeks in Grafenwoehr, be- members, or “to people with an essential But the likelihood of that happening pandemic and cases in the U.S. were still fore moving to forward locations in other function or need,” including health care soon is slim. New cases of the virus have relatively low. parts of Europe. workers, seasonal agricultural workers, spiked in the U.S. after several states lifted Italy, which in the spring had the highest [email protected] researchers and diplomats, the European lockdown restrictions. Dr. Anthony Fauci, death toll in the world from coronavirus, Twitter: @john_vandiver Family and colleagues remember pilot killed in Shaw base crash

Stars and Stripes 20th Fighter Wing, in a video on the page. each breath. I could hear his heartbeat. A former loadmaster on the C-17, Schmitz Toby jumped on the bed next to me and A former enlisted loadmaster who had “never gave up on his lifelong goal of flying we all snuggled for a moment and watched pursued a lifelong dream of flying for the for the United States Air Force as a pilot,” funny animal videos before Dave had to Air Force was killed while piloting the F- Sullivan said. get ready for the day.” 16CM fighter jet that crashed late Tuesday Schmitz earned his commission through The couple kissed goodbye and the dog in South Carolina, Shaw Air Force Base of- officer training school and graduated at licked him on the cheek. After midnight, ficials said. the top of his class in pilot training, Sulli- the doorbell rang and she was informed First Lt. David Schmitz, a pilot with the van said. 20th Fighter Wing’s 77th Fighter Squad- about the accident. “He loved his family, his country and he “In an instant my life had changed for- ron, was flying the single-seat jet on a loved to fly,” Sullivan said. training mission when it crashed on the ever and my heart shattered into a million Schmitz’s wife Valerie recalled the day pieces. A few hours later I kissed my sweet base at about 11:30 p.m., said on its Face- before his final flight in a Facebook post. book page. husband one last time on his cold lips,” she She let him sleep in because he would be wrote. “During this extremely difficult time, flying at night, and she said he called her “Hold your loved ones close. You never /U.S. Air Force the outpouring of love and support from and their dog Toby into the bedroom. JACOB JIMENEZ know when it might just be the last time our communities to his family and our “He smiled and said, ‘I just want to be you’ll see them. Your life can change for- First Lt. David Schmitz, an F-16 pilot with base has been much appreciated,” the base with my family!’” Valerie Schmitz wrote. the 20th Fighter Wing’s 77th Fighter post said. “Thank you.” “My heart melted and I jumped on the bed, ever in an instant. I love you so much, Squadron, was killed Tuesday when his Schmitz got his pilot license at 17, said snuggled up close to Dave and lay my head Dave, I always will.” plane crashed during training. Col. Lawrence Sullivan, commander of the on his warm chest, steadily rising with [email protected] Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 7 WAR ON TERRORISM DOD: Taliban still working with al-Qaida amid US deal

BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN certain commitments, including It would require his adminis- Stars and Stripes renouncing al-Qaida and prevent- tration to certify that troop re- ing terrorist groups from using ductions to certain levels would KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan soil to train, recruit, raise be done in consultation with al- Taliban remain closely tied with funds or plot attacks on the U.S. lies, would not raise risks for al-Qaida despite assuring the and its allies. remaining American personnel United States they would disavow Officials believe the threat and would be in the best interest the terrorist group in exchange posed by AQIS to U.S. forces is of the U.S. U.S. Army for a withdrawal of American “limited,” the report said, and An initial reduction of Ameri- troops from Afghanistan, the De- Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy A. Bolyard, who was killed in an insider U.S. counterterrorism measures can troops from about 13,000 to fense Department said this week. 8,600 was already completed last attack in Afghanistan on Sept. 3, 2018, “didn’t go down without a have reduced its ability to con- Low-level insurgents routinely month, weeks before a deadline fight,’’ his son Preston Bolyard said after reading a recently released duct independent operations in receive support from al-Qaida in set in the U.S.-Taliban deal. U.S. Army report that gave more details about the attack. the country without the Taliban. the Indian Subcontinent — the But U.S. lawmakers are con- military officials insist future group’s regional affiliate — and cerned that al-Qaida’s presence reductions will be conditional work with the terrorists to un- could expand and threaten na- and that mounting violence may Report details 2018 dermine the U.S.-backed govern- tional security if American troops cause delays. ment in Kabul, the DOD said in withdraw without proof that the While the text of the agreement a semiannual report to Congress group’s links to the insurgents doesn’t specifically block the published Wednesday. have been severed. Some mem- Taliban from attacking Afghan Afghan insider attack “Despite recent progress in bers of Congress who have seen forces, U.S. officials say the in- the peace process, AQIS main- classified sections of the U.S.-Tal- surgents made verbal assurances tains close ties to the Taliban in iban deal have said it lacks ways they’d curb violence by 80%. that killed soldier Afghanistan, likely for protection to measure the militants’ compli- Though they have not attacked and training,” the report said, U.S. forces since late February, BY J.P. LAWRENCE greater than usual because Raziq ance with their promises. using an abbreviation for the ter- Wednesday’s report said, they had invited the Afghan national Those concerns led the House Stars and Stripes have sustained levels of violence police, who would play a key role rorist group. Armed Services Committee to ap- five times higher than those seen KABUL, Afghanistan — He in ensuring security at the elec- The Pentagon’s assessment, prove an amendment Wednesday during the week before the agree- was shot in the back as he ran for tions. The police usually did not which covers the period from to next year’s defense spending ment was signed. cover, but Command Sgt. Maj. attend such events. December to May, follows simi- bill that would require congres- “U.S. Government Depart- Timothy Bolyard managed to In another break from the norm, lar findings the United Nations sional oversight of further troop ments and Agencies continue to draw his pistol and spin around Raziq said the police and intelli- published last month. It also drawdowns in Afghanistan. before falling to the ground. underscores the challenges the Throughout his term, President closely monitor violence levels in gence leaders’ personal security Afghanistan and assess whether The spirit Bolyard showed, details could keep their weapons Trump administration faces as it Donald Trump has pushed to end revealed in a recently released attempts to end the longest war in America’s “forever wars,” which the Taliban is sufficiently comply- as they waited in vehicles out- ing with its commitments under Army report on the insider attack side the meeting. Afghans were U.S. history, now in its 19th year. he’d promised during his cam- in Afghanistan that killed him, Under a U.S.-Taliban deal paign. But the proposed amend- the U.S.-Taliban Agreement,” the usually forbidden from carrying report said. comforted his still-grieving son. weapons to meetings attended by signed in February, all U.S. forc- ment to the National Defense “Although reading the investi- U.S. advisers, the report cited an es could be out of Afghanistan by Authorization Act seeks to put a [email protected] Twitter: @pwwellman gation report is very tough, it is official as saying. next summer if the jihadis fulfill new check on his power to do so. very nice to know that my father After the meeting, as the Amer- didn’t go down without a fight,” icans walked to the base cafeteria Preston Bolyard, 22, said in a text for lunch, two men on the police message Tuesday. security detail opened fire, first Bolyard was killed on Sept. 3, with an AK-47, then with a ve- 2018, in Logar province. The de- hicle-mounted PKM machine tails of his last moments are bur- gun, the report said. Bolyard was ied in the investigation report, struck and died an hour later. which was completed weeks after Another soldier, Staff Sgt. Ste- the insider attack but only recent- ven McQueen, was shot in the ly made public. head. He later credited the new Bolyard was the top enlisted type of helmet he was wearing soldier in the 1st Security Force with saving his life. Assistance Brigade, which spe- After the gunfire ceased, the cializes in training foreign Americans rushed Bolyard to a militaries and was on its first, nearby forward surgical team, high-profile deployment. He was but they were unable to save him. killed after he and other SFAB The two gunmen and two ac- advisers attended a meeting with complices fled the base but Brig. Gen. Abdul Raziq, com- were captured after about seven mander of an Afghan army bri- hours. gade at Camp Maiwand, to plan Nearly two years later, no mili- security for provincial elections. tant group has claimed responsi- His death came amid a spate of bility for the shooting. insider attacks in the fall of 2018, With details of the attackers’ including one in October that apprehension struck from the re- killed two senior Afghan officials, port and a section that focused on wounded a U.S. general and nar- their possible motivation redact- rowly missed the top American ed, “We may never know the true commander of the war effort. motives behind the shooting,” The investigation report re- Preston Bolyard said. vealed new details of the Septem- But he was comforted to learn ber attack, including that Bolyard that other soldiers tried to save and the other advisers had left his father, a six-time Bronze Star their protective gear at a small recipient and veteran of seven de- U.S. compound 400 yards away ployments, he said. from the meeting. The soldiers His father’s funeral in West Vir- were armed but wore no body ginia weeks after the attack was armor to show the growing trust packed with friends and those he they felt toward their Afghan had helped, his son recalled. partners, said the report, which “I still look up to his leadership Army Times first made public every day,” he said. last week. [email protected] Attendance at the meeting was Twitter: @jplawrence3 PAGE 8 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 MILITARY 5 troops request pass on ban on attending church

BY ROSE L. THAYER to prevent the spread of the coro- Stars and Stripes navirus in March, only granting sailors permission to travel from At least five service members home to work and to the gro- have hired a lawyer to fight a cery store or pharmacy for es- /U.S. Marine Corps Navy order that bars them from sential items, said Capt. Sarah DONOVAN MASSIEPEREZ attending indoor worship ser- Self-Kyler, spokeswoman for the Marine Cpl. Tyler Wyatt wears a mask to protect against the coronavirus during exercise Caged Hydra at vices to prevent the spread of the Navy’s Fleet Forces Command. Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on May 20. coronavirus because they believe Since then, Navy chaplains have it violates their constitutional worked to make worship opportu- right of religious freedom. nities available to sailors in ways USMC confirms 1st Okinawa case First Liberty Institute, a that don’t require large gather- Texas-based legal office focused ings of people, she said. on defending religious freedoms, “The [Defense Department] BY MATTHEW M. BURKE The infected individual lives at Camp McTureous, sent letters beginning Monday to places a high value on the rights AND AYA ICHIHASHI a housing area in Uruma city less than two miles five commanders, asking them of members of the military ser- Stars and Stripes from Camp Courtney, the statement said. to grant the service members an vices to observe the tenets of “It is believed the individual contracted the virus accommodation and to encourage their respective religions or to CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Marine Corps from recent travel to the United States,” the Marine the Navy to rescind the “unlawful observe no religion at all,” Self- has reported its first case of coronavirus on Okina- statement said. “They have only had minimal con- order.” Kyler said. wa, a family member of a Marine who tested positive tact with [U.S. Forces Japan] personnel and have “The commander in chief has On June 24, the Navy re- Wednesday after returning from the United States, not had any contact at all with anyone off base.” already declared churches are leased an order to reiterate the Marine Forces Japan announced Thursday. This is the fourth case associated with the U.S. essential in America,” said Mi- March guidelines, which haven’t The case is the first on the island prefecture since military on the island since the global pandemic chael Berry, general counsel for changed, she said. However, the April 30. began. Most of the approximately 30,000 Marines First Liberty and the lawyer for update did provide more specif- The family has been quarantined since their re- stationed in Japan are based in Okinawa. the five service members. “It turn June 19, and Navy health professionals and ics on what is and isn’t allowed [email protected] really strikes me that the Navy because many service members Marine Corps authorities are tracing their contacts Twitter: @MatthewMBurke1 is either blatantly disregarding live in civilian communities that “to determine whether anyone else may have been [email protected] the president, the commander in have begun reopening. exposed,” the Marines’ statement said. Twitter: @AyaIchihashi chief, or they haven’t been paying The order warns “the easing attention and are completely tone of community restrictions is not deaf to what’s going on.” aligned with the Navy impera- Air Force Maj. Daniel Schultz, tive to maintain [the coronavirus] Sasebo and Misawa latest bases to who is assigned to the Naval Post infection as low as achievable Graduate School in California and across the force.” therefore falls under the order’s “While all region and instal- ease anti-virus limits before holiday restrictions, is part of his off-base lation commanders maintain a church’s leadership and worship strong working relationship with team, according to Berry’s four- local and state leadership and con- BY JAMES BOLINGER Sasebo Naval Base are permit- amusement parks and take part page letter to Air Force Lt. Col. sistently monitor current health Stars and Stripes ted to travel throughout Kyushu, in sports; Misawa personnel can Matthew Garvin, commander of conditions, the Navy’s unique the southernmost of Japan’s four go to movie theaters and massage the school’s Air Force element. mission sometimes demands that Two more U.S. military bases in main islands, with the excep- parlors. They may also stay at ho- “Maj. Schultz is a devout it impose greater burdens on its Japan eased coronavirus restriction of the Fukuoka metro area, tels and cabins. Christian, and his sincerely held force than are imposed on our tions in time for sailors, airmen, Sasebo commander Capt. Brad “As long as we all continue to families and civilian workers to religious beliefs compel him to civilian counterparts in order Stallings said in a statement take personal responsibility se- stretch their legs over Indepen- participate in religious services to ensure operational effective- Wednesday. riously, maintain distance, wear at his church, in person,” Berry dence Day weekend. Individuals from both instal- ness,” Self-Kyler said. our masks properly and maintain wrote. “Because [the order] bans In regards to religious services, Misawa Air Base, at the north- lations may visit public baths, strict hygiene habits we won’t him from attending church and the June order allows for sailors ern tip of Honshu, the largest of saunas and tattoo parlors. They participating on the worship to attend drive-thru and outdoor Japan’s four main islands, on can also dine in at off-base res- catch this disease and it won’t team, the Navy order substan- events, but specifically bans at- Thursday opened the Tohoku re- taurants, as long as they practice find its way onto the base or our tially burdens Maj. Schultz’s sin- tendance at indoor religious ser- gion for travel by base personnel. social distancing and wear masks ships,” Stallings wrote. cerely held religious beliefs.” vices held off base, as well as other Travel is now permitted in Akita, covering their nose and mouth Bars and karaoke establish- Berry’s other four clients have places, including bars, casinos, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Mi- when not eating. ments, which have been the lead- declined to have their names or conferences, sporting events, con- yagi and Yamagata prefectures, Misawa imposed a 90-minute ing cause of the virus’ spread in the specifics of their requests re- certs, public beaches, amusement according to a post on the base dining limit and a “hard cut-off” Japan, are still off limits for per- leased publicly. parks and other events “designed Facebook page. 9 p.m. restaurant curfew. sonnel at both facilities, as they The Navy first issued orders to promote large gatherings.” Likewise, personnel from Sasebo’s people may visit are for most U.S. personnel. 2 with positive coronavirus test mistakenly released from quarantine

BY KIM GAMEL Base issued a “COVID-19 alert” Korea, including 17 service mem- The troops tested positive on a ficials contacted and transported Stars and Stripes that urged people to stay inside bers arriving from overseas for second test that is required to exit the service members to Osan’s and ordered them not to travel new assignments in South Korea. quarantine, but the results were isolation facility designated for SEOUL, South Korea — Two to other bases while officials The service members landed originally recorded as negative confirmed COVID-19 cases.” newly assigned U.S. service cleaned affected facilities and at Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, “due to an administrative error,” “USFK is reviewing estab- members who tested positive contacted people who may have on a government-chartered flight so the two were released accord- lished protocols to prevent simi- for coronavirus after arriving in been exposed. from the United States on June 17, ing to protocol, according to the lar occurrences in the future,” it South Korea were prematurely The base issued an all-clear USFK said Thursday. statement. said. released from quarantine due to Thursday evening and confirmed They initially tested negative “Established quality control It added that public health and an administrative error, the mili- the two service members had and were placed in a mandatory measures identified the error, and base officials had completed con- tary said Thursday. tested positive. two-week quarantine according medical staff were able to remedy tact tracing and cleaned the fa- The announcement came a That raised to 42 the number of to procedures in place due to the the situation within nine hours of cilities the service members had day after officials at Osan Air cases affiliated with U.S. Forces pandemic, according to USFK. their release,” it said. “Osan of- visited. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 9 WAR ON TERRORISM US envoy looks to Intel chiefs brief Congress start talks about Russian bounties to end war Associated Press assessments because they hadn’t “incredibly well” to ensure the been verified, even though it’s safety of U.S. troops. WASHINGTON — The U.S. BY KATHY GANNON rare for intelligence to be con- intelligence chiefs conducted “We took this seriously, we han- Associated Press firmed without a shadow of doubt classified briefings Thursday for dled it appropriately,” Pompeo before it is presented to senior said, without giving additional ISLAMABAD — Washington’s congressional leaders who have government decision-makers. peace envoy told Pakistani offi- demanded more answers about details. He said the administra- “The White House has done a tion receives intelligence about cials that Afghanistan’s Taliban intelligence assessments that con, saying that because all of the threats to Americans “every sin- and Kabul’s political leaders were Russia offered bounties for kill- agencies of intelligence have not close to starting negotiations to ing U.S. troops in Afghanistan. signed off on this, it wasn’t worthy gle day” and each is addressed. President Donald Trump has A group of House Democrats decide the face of a post-war Af- RAHMAT GUL/AP of the president’s attention,” Pelo- ghanistan, a crucial next step in a called news reports about the as- si said on MSNBC. “You know the who were briefed at the White U.S. deal signed with the Taliban Washington’s peace envoy sessments a “hoax,” but hasn’t di- death of our young people in Af- House earlier this week said in February, according to a state- Zalmay Khalilzad, attends Ashraf rectly addressed their substance ghanistan or any place is worthy Trump was bowing to Russian ment released Thursday by the Ghani’s inauguration in Kabul, or whether the U.S. has or will of the president’s attention.” President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. Afghanistan, on March 9. respond to Russia. The House intelligence com- risking U.S. soldiers’ lives. Zalmay Khalilzad was in the Top intelligence officials, in- mittee will also receive a brief- Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry, region to pave the way for intra- zad was appointed in September cluding CIA Director Gina Has- ing on the matter Thursday the top Republican on the Armed pel and Director of National Afghan negotiations expected to 2018 to open direct peace talks afternoon, according to a person Services Committee, said the Intelligence John Ratcliffe, con- begin sometime this month. No with the Taliban, however until familiar with that meeting who panel would “leave no stone mid- 2019 both the United States ducted the closed-door briefing date had been set, but Afghan requested anonymity because it unturned” in seeking further President Ashraf Ghani said late and Taliban were locked in battle for a group of lawmakers dubbed was not publicly disclosed. information. Wednesday the first round would as both sides sought to improve the “gang of eight” — Senate Ma- The Capitol Hill meetings come Other Republicans defended be held in Doha, where the Tal- their negotiating position with jority Leader Mitch McConnell, as Trump has been under increas- the president, saying they had iban maintain a political office. military victories. The killing of a House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ing pressure to provide answers Both sides must still release U.S. soldier in a Taliban attack on the top Republicans and Demo- about the U.S. response to Russia confidence in the administra- the remainder of prisoners laid the capital Kabul in in September crats on the two intelligence or the lack of one. But the presi- tion’s response. Senate Major- out in the deal, which calls for the 2019 prompted President Trump committees. dent has continued to downplay ity Leader Mitch McConnell said Afghan government to free 5,000 to declare peace talks with the The group regularly receives the intelligence, calling it “fake he didn’t think Trump should be Taliban and the insurgents to re- Taliban dead. classified briefings at the highest news” designed to damage him “subjected to every rumor.” lease 1,000 government person- They restarted in December levels, and leaders rarely speak and the Republican Party. White House press secretary nel. So far, the government has and on Feb. 29 this year the deal about them. None of the lawmak- The intelligence assessments Kayleigh McEnany on Wednes- freed 3,500 and the Taliban about was signed in Doha. At the time, ers leaving the meeting would that Russia offered bounties were day pointed to an individual who 700. the agreement was touted as Af- comment on it. first reported by The New York she said made the decision not to “Ambassador Khalilzad noted ghanistan’s best chance at peace Senate Democratic leader Times, then confirmed to The brief Trump, identifying the per- how close the sides are to start- in decades of war. Chuck Schumer would only say Associated Press by American son as a female CIA officer with that “independent of the briefing, ing intra-Afghan negotiations Under the deal, the Taliban intelligence officials and others more than 30 years of experi- I don’t think the president is close and the importance of resolving have committed to fighting ter- with knowledge of the matter. ence. O’Brien, the national secu- rorist groups, not supporting to tough enough on Vladimir Administration officials have remaining issues quickly, under- rity adviser, said the person was a scoring the promise peace holds terrorist groups and ensuring Af- Putin.” insisted they have taken intel- “career CIA briefer.” for regional stability and devel- ghanistan is not used by anyone Pelosi said ahead of the meet- ligence seriously. National se- O’Brien said the intelligence opment,” the embassy statement to attack the U.S. or its allies. ing that she hopes Republicans curity adviser Robert O’Brien said of his meetings in Pakistan The Taliban also said they in the briefing are “open to the said Wednesday that the CIA wasn’t brought to Trump’s at- with the army chief and foreign would not attack U.S. and NATO truth,” and she called for addi- and Pentagon pursued the leads tention initially because it was minister. troops but would continue their tional sanctions on Russia. and briefed international allies. unverified and there was no con- Earlier this week, U.S Sec- fight against Afghan National The White House has insisted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sensus among the intelligence retary of State Mike Pompeo Security Forces. One of the first that Trump wasn’t briefed on the said the situation was handled community. spoke to Taliban chief negotiator items on the agenda of intra-Af- Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. ghan negotiations is apparently a In Monday’s video call, Pompeo permanent cease-fire. “made clear the expectation for Taliban political spokesman the Taliban to live up to their Suhail Shaheen said, however, commitments, which include not that no talks will begin until all attacking Americans,” according 5,000 Taliban listed in the agree- to the State Department. Khalil- ment are freed.

Russia denies giving weapons to the Taliban in Afghanistan

Associated Press that “the Russians have been selling small arms that have put MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Americans at risk there for 10 Ministry said Thursday that Mos- cow has never delivered weap- years.” ons to the Taliban movement in He added: “When I meet with Afghanistan, countering U.S. my Russian counterparts, I talk allegations. with them about this each time: Ministry spokeswoman Maria ‘Stop this.’ ” Zakharova rejected the claim Russia, which has long been by U.S. Secretary of State Mike critical of the U.S.-led operation Pompeo, who said Wednesday in Afghanistan, welcomed Febru- that he had repeatedly raised the ary’s peace deal between the U.S. issue during his talks with the and the Taliban aimed at ending Russians. the protracted war. “Russia has only supplied Zakharova didn’t comment weapons to the legitimate gov- Thursday on reports that Moscow ernment of Afghanistan, which is offered bounties for killing U.S. well known,” Zakharova said at a troops in Afghanistan, but other briefing. Russian officials have denounced On Wednesday, Pompeo said them as fake. PAGE 10 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 WAR ON TERRORISM Bitter: Lorance received 19-year term for ordering his troops to fire on men

FROM FRONT PAGE script of Lorance’s 2013 court- “And we’re left to deal with it,” martial at Fort Bragg, N.C., and McGuinness concluded. on-the-record interviews with 15 Lorance had been in command members of 1st Platoon, as well as of 1st Platoon for only three days family members of the soldiers, in Afghanistan but averaged a including Twist’s father and wife. war crime a day, a military jury The soldiers also shared texts and found. On his last day before he emails they exchanged over the was dismissed, he ordered his past several years. Twist’s family troops to open fire on three Af- provided his journal entries from ghan men standing by a motorcy- his time in the Army. Lorance de- cle on the side of the road who he clined to be interviewed. said posed a threat. His actions In New York, Sean Hannity, led to a 19-year prison sentence. Lorance’s biggest champion and He had served six years when the man most responsible for per- MARK LENNIHAN/AP Trump set him free. suading Trump to pardon him, The president’s opponents de- asked Lorance about the shooting President Donald Trump welcomes Clint Lorance to the stage before his remarks at the Republican scribed the pardon as another and soldiers under his command. Party of Florida’s Statesman Dinner in December in Aventura. instance of Trump subverting the Lorance had traded in his Army rule of law to reward allies and uniform for a blazer and red tie. to kill bin Laden?” he recalled few feet so that the farmer could cluster of Afghan National Army reap political benefits. Military He leaned into the microphone. thinking. get into his field, Lorance threat- troops at the front of their for- officials worried that the deci- “I don’t know any of these guys. But the decade-long war contin- ened to have Twist and the other mation. Lorance and his troops sion to overturn a case that had None of them know me,” Lorance ued, driven by new, largely unat- soldiers on guard duty kill him were standing about 150 to 200 already been adjudicated in the said of his former troops. “To be tainable goals. They were told by and his boy. yards away in an orchard, tucked military courts sent a signal that honest with you, I can’t even re- commanders they were waging a “He pointed at the child … at behind a series of five-foot-high war crimes were not worthy of member most of their names.” counterinsurgency war in which the little, tiny kid,” Twist testi- mud walls on which the Afghans severe punishment. their top priority was winning the fied. He estimated the child was grew grapes. For the men of 1st platoon, part The 1st Platoon soldiers came support of the people and protect- 3 or 4 years old. At the trial, Lorance’s soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division, to the Army and the war from all ing them from the Taliban. But no On Lorance’s second day, he recalled how he had ordered the costs of the war and the fall- over the country: Maryland, Cali- one seemed entirely sure how to ordered two of his sharpshooters them to fire. out from the case have been pro- fornia, Pennsylvania, Oregon, accomplish that. to fire within 10 to 12 inches of “Why aren’t you shooting?” he found and sometimes deadly. Indiana and Texas to name just unarmed villagers. His goal was demanded. Traumatized by battle, they a few. In May 2012, they moved to a to make the Afghans wonder why A U.S. soldier fired and missed. have also been brutalized by the Some had tried college but quit new compound near Payenzai, the Americans were shooting at The motorcycle carrying the politicization of their service and because they were bored or fail- a remote Afghan village west of them and motivate them to attend three men, none of whom ap- made to feel as if the truth of ing their classes. “I didn’t know Kandahar, which consisted of lit- a village meeting that Lorance peared to be armed, came to a tle more than mud-walled houses, had scheduled for later in the what they lived in Afghanistan how to handle it,” Gray said of stop. Upon hearing the shots, Mc- hardscrabble farmers and the week, his soldiers testified. — already a violent and harrow- college. “I was really immature.” Guinness began running toward Taliban. His real motive, though, seems ing tour before Lorance assumed Others joined right out of high Lorance, who was closer to the So began what Twist described, to have been cruelty. “It’s funny command — had been so de- school propelled by romantic front of the U.S. patrol, to see why in a blog post written years later, watching those f---ers dance,” meaned that it no longer existed. notions, inherited from veteran they were shooting. fathers, grandfathers and great- as an “entire month of despair.” Lorance said, according to the Since returning home in 2013, The puzzled Afghans were grandfathers, of service and duty. Four soldiers were severely testimony of one of his soldiers. five of the platoon’s three dozen now standing next to the stopped Twist’s father served in Vietnam wounded in quick succession. On Lorance didn’t pull the trigger. soldiers have died. At least four motorcycle, “trying to figure out as a clerk in an air-conditioned June 6, Walley lost his leg and Instead, he stood by his men in others have been hospitalized fol- what had happened,” according lowing suicide attempts or strug- office before coming back to arm to a Taliban bomb. Eight the guard towers, picked the tar- to one soldier’s testimony. Gray, gles with drugs or alcohol. Michigan and opening a garage. days later, yet another enemy gets and issued orders. His troops who was watching from a nearby The last fatality came a few Twist was just 16 when he started mine wounded Mark Kerner and finally balked when he told them armored vehicle, recognized the weeks before Lorance was par- badgering his parents to sign his 1st Lt. Dominic Latino, the pla- to shoot near children. They re- doned when James O. Twist, 27, enlistment papers and barely 18 toon leader. Then, on June 23, a fused again a few hours later eldest of the three men as some- a Michigan state trooper and fa- when he left for basic training. sniper’s bullet tore through Mat- when he ordered them to file a one the Americans regularly met ther of three, died of suicide. As His mother had died of cancer thew Hanes’ neck, leaving him false report saying that they had with in the village. He recalled the White House was preparing only a few months earlier. paralyzed. taken fire from the village. the Afghans waving at them. the official order for Trump’s Several of the 1st Platoon The platoon was briefly sent On the day of the killings for “Smoke ’em,” Lorance ordered signature, the men of 1st Pla- soldiers enlisted in search of a back to a larger base a few miles which he would be convicted, over the radio. toon gathered in Grand Rapids, steady paycheck and the promise away to shower, meet with men- Lorance posted a sign in the pla- At first Gray and the other Mich., for the funeral, where they of health insurance and a middle- tal-health counselors and pick up toon headquarters stating that no soldiers in the armored vehicle remembered Twist as a good class life. “I needed to get out of their new platoon leader. Lorance motorcycles would be permitted weren’t sure whom Lorance soldier who had bravely rushed northeast Ohio,” McGuinness had served a tour as an enlisted in his unit’s sector. The platoon’s wanted them to shoot. “There was through smoke and fire to pull said. “There wasn’t anything prison guard in Iraq before at- soldiers were falsely told before a back and forth with the three of a friend from a bomb crater and there.” tending college and becoming an the day’s patrol that motorcycles us in the vehicle,” Gray recalled place a tourniquet on his right leg In 1999, he was set to pay his infantry officer. He had spent the should be considered “hostile and in an interview. where it had been sheared off by first union dues and go to work first five months of his Afghani- engaged on sight.” Several sol- Then Pvt. David Shilo, who was the blast. alongside his steelworker grand- stan tour as a staff officer on a diers testified that Lorance told in the turret of the armored ve- They thought of the calls and father when the plant closed. So fortified base. them that senior U.S. officials had hicle just inches from Gray, fired, texts from him that they didn’t an- he became a paratrooper instead, This was his first time in ordered the change. At least two striking one of the men, who fell swer because they were too busy eventually deploying three times combat. sergeants recalled the guidance into a drainage ditch. Because the with their own lives. Twist, who to Afghanistan. “We’re not going to lose any had come from the Afghans and platoon had been told that morn- had a caring wife, a good job and McGuinness didn’t look much more men to injuries in this pla- did not apply to U.S. forces. Due ing that motorcycles weren’t a nice house, seemed like he was like a paratrooper with his thick, toon,” he told then-Sgt. 1st Class to the conflicting testimony, the allowed in their sector, Shilo testi- doing far better than most. They squat body. But he liked being a Keith Ayres, his platoon ser- jury of Army officers acquitted fied that he thought he was acting didn’t know that behind closed soldier, jumping out of planes, fir- geant, shortly after taking over Lorance of changing the rules of on a lawful order. Shilo declined doors he was at times verbally ing weapons and drinking with on June 29, according to Ayres’ engagement. Still, Lorance’s ac- to be interviewed. abusive, ashamed of his inner tor- his Army buddies. testimony. tions left soldiers confused on the The two surviving Afghan men ment and, like so many of them, Nine months before 1st Pla- His strategy, he said, was a critical, life-or-death question bent to retrieve their dead col- “shock and awe” campaign de- of when they were authorized to unable to articulate his pain. toon landed in rural southern Af- league when Shilo cleared his ghanistan, a team of Navy SEALs signed to cow the enemy and in- open fire. By November 2019, Twist, a weapon and shot again, killing a man the soldiers of 1st Platoon killed Osama bin Laden. timidate villagers into coughing The mission that day was a foot second Afghan. The third man loved, was gone and Lorance was Samuel Walley, the badly up valuable intelligence. When patrol into a nearby village to ran away. Two U.S. soldiers tes- free from prison and headed for wounded soldier Twist pulled an Afghan farmer and his young meet the elders. tified that it was possible that an New York City, a new life and a from the blast crater, wondered son approached the outpost’s Less than 30 minutes after they star turn on Fox News. whether they might be spared front gate and asked permission rolled out of the gate, three men Afghan soldier also fired. This story is based on a tran- combat. “Wasn’t that the goal, to move a section of razor wire a on a motorcycle approached a CONTINUES ON PAGE 11 Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 11 WAR ON TERRORISM

FROM PAGE 10 A few minutes later, a boy approached the dead men and the motorcycle, which was standing on the side of the road with its kickstand still down. Lorance ordered Shilo to fire a third time and disable the bike. This time he refused. “I wasn’t going to shoot a 12- year-old boy,” Shilo testified. Relatives of the dead were now on the scene screaming and cry- ing. Lorance’s immediate superi- or officer, Capt. Patrick Swanson, who was two miles away and couldn’t see what was happening, ordered him over the radio to search the bodies. Lorance was convicted of lying to Swanson, telling him that villagers had carried off the corpses before his men could examine them. In fact, Lorance’s troops searched the bodies of the dead Afghans and found ID cards, scissors, some pens and three cucumbers, but no weapons, according to testimony. The troops continued their patrol into the village while Mc- Guinness and a small team of soldiers provided cover from a nearby roof. About 30 minutes after the first shooting, McGuin- ness spotted two Afghan men talking on radios. “We have to do something to BONNIE JO MOUNT/The Washington Post the Americans,” one of the men was saying, according to U.S. Mike McGuinness at home in Raeford, N.C. McGuinness legally changed his surname, which had been Herrmann, in an effort to shed the intercepts. McGuinness and his stigma of the crimes. troops received permission from the company headquarters to fire over them for months. Eventu- remains of his arm and leg. No Former Lt. Col. Allen West, who Fjeldheim, the medic who saved and killed the two men. The pla- ally, the Army concluded that one acknowledged Joe Fjeldheim, had been relieved of command in his life — were at his bedside in toon cut short the patrol and re- McGuinness’ actions were justi- the platoon medic, who had cut a 2003 for staging a mock execu- York, Pa., during his final uncon- turned to the base. fied. Prosecutors never pursued hole in Hanes’ neck and inserted tion of an Iraqi prisoner and was scious hours. At the outpost the soldiers were charges against Zettel. a breathing tube after a sniper’s later elected to Congress in the At the funeral there was heavy shaken. “This doesn’t feel right,” Instead the Army issued ad- bullet left him paralyzed and tea party wave, blasted Lorance’s drinking, just like at Bragg, but Gray said. ministrative letters of reprimand choking for air. conviction in a Washington Times now that many in the platoon A few minutes later Lorance to Zettel and Matthew Rush, the “Not a single write up. The op-ed as a product of the Army’s were out of the Army and no lon- burst into the platoon’s headquar- soldier who fired the rounds at only thing we received were “appalling” rules of engagement. ger had to worry about drug tests, ters ebullient. “That was f---ing the civilians from the tower. Zet- Purple Hearts for the guys that The rules were drafted by gen- there was also cocaine to numb awesome,” he exclaimed, accord- tel had watched from the tower got messed up,” Zettel said. “We erals who worried that high civil- the pain. ing to court testimony. but did not shoot. were treated like we had an infec- ian casualty rates were driving Wives traded tips about how to Lorance’s soldiers turned him Ayres and McGuinness — the tious disease.” Afghans to support the Taliban. persuade their husbands to go to in that evening, and at the July senior sergeants in the platoon The soldiers blamed the kill- But West insisted that the rules therapy and talked about hiding 2013 trial, 14 of his men testified — received disciplinary letters, ings when they were passed over put U.S. troops at undue risk their guns when they grew too under oath against him. Four of which can hinder or delay promo- for promotions or stripped of rank and reflected President Barack depressed. those soldiers received immunity tions, for their failure to turn in for drinking too much or missing Obama’s “outrageous contempt Jarred Ruhl — who came home in exchange for their testimony. Lorance sooner or stop the kill- formations. In early 2014, Gray for the military.” West didn’t re- from Afghanistan with orders for Lorance did not appear on the ings on the third day. was hospitalized for alcohol with- spond to a request for comment. Hawaii and a promotion to ser- stand, and not one of his former McGuinness legally changed drawal and put on suicide watch. Fox News’ Hannity took up Lo- geant but soon began skipping 1st Platoon soldiers spoke in his his surname, which had been He had been drinking a half-gal- rance’s case, calling the convic- morning formation, was demoted defense. The trial lasted three Herrmann, in an effort to shed the lon of whiskey each night to fall tion a “national disgrace.” twice to private first class and days. It took the jury of Army stigma of the crimes. “I wanted to asleep. “It was my off switch,” he In 2014, McGuinness was out forced from the Army — com- officers three hours to find him get away from the entire situation said. A few days into his hospital drinking with an Army friend, plained to McGuinness that life at guilty of second-degree murder, and I thought I’ll change units stay, when he was still dosed up and when the friend went home, home felt empty. “Are you in ther- making false statements and or- and no one will know,” he said. on Valium, an officer visited him. he stayed at the bar until he had apy?” asked McGuinness, who dering his men to fire at Afghan was seeing a therapist and getting civilians. The jury handed down But, because of the investigation “Why are you like this?” the downed enough booze to “sedate and trial, McGuinness’ orders to officer pressed. “They are just a rhino.” A military police officer ready to start college at 33. a 20-year sentence. “I don’t know if I can do it,” In response to a Lorance clem- report to an airborne unit in Italy dead Afghans. Why do you care found him later that night, sit- Ruhl said. ency request, an Army general were canceled. “I ended up stay- so much?” ting in his truck on All American “It can’t make things worse,” reviewed the conviction and re- ing. People didn’t forget,” he said. The question infuriated Gray. Parkway, the main drag through Zettel said. duced the sentence by one year. “It was awful.” Before the war crimes, he had Fort Bragg, with a gun in his Shilo, who fired the fatal shots believed he was helping Afghans mouth. A few months later Zettel, who had finished college and was com- The war crimes and their after- at the men on the motorcycle, was and defending his country. “It’s It was the end of his 16-year missioned as an officer, stopped math followed Lorance’s soldiers granted immunity and left the like you’re this hardcore Chris- Army career. in to see Ruhl at his home in Fort home to Fort Bragg. Army not long after the trial. tian and some entity drops from Soon the platoon began to suf- Wayne, Ind. Zettel was on his way Dave Zettel wasn’t on the patrol Even those who weren’t pun- the ceiling and says it’s a sham,” fer losses at home. First Kerner, to a leadership course for new when the killings were committed ished or even on the patrol that he said. “That’s how it was for who was wounded in a bomb blast Army officers in Missouri. but was in the guard tower when day felt tainted. To some of their me. I thought of the Army as this with the unit’s first platoon lead- Ruhl’s stepbrother told him Lorance ordered him and another fellow troops they were the “mur- altruistic thing. I thought it was er, died in March 2015 of cancer that Ruhl had pulled a gun on a soldier to fire harassing shots into der platoon,” a bunch of out-of- perfect and honorable. It pains at 23. Doctors discovered the ma- woman in a traffic dispute just the neighboring village. control soldiers who had wantonly me to tell you how stupid and lignancy when they were treating Army investigators, who were killed Afghans. To others they naive I was. The Lorance stuff his combat wounds. Five months days earlier. “Take his gun,” Zet- primarily pursuing Lorance, were turncoats who had flipped just broke my faith. … And once later Hanes, who was paralyzed tel advised Ruhl’s stepbrother. threatened Zettel with aggravated on their commander. you lose your values and your by the bullet he took to his neck, “Take it apart and hide the piec- assault charges for the shootings faith, the Army is just another job died of a blood clot at 24. es so that he can’t get it.” It was in the tower. And they showed The unit had seen some of the you hate.” “Saying I love you doesn’t even impossible, the stepbrother said. McGuinness a charge sheet ac- heaviest fighting of the long Af- scratch the surface of how much Ruhl took his gun everywhere. cusing him of murder for killing ghanistan War, but received no When conservatives rushed you truly mean to me,” he wrote Ruhl confided to Zettel that the Afghans who were talking awards for valor. There was no to turn Lorance into a hero, Mc- in a note to the platoon three there were days when he couldn’t on the radios about targeting recognition for Twist, who had Guinness felt as though the last months before he fell into a coma. stop thinking about killing Americans. pulled Walley from a blast crater shreds of his integrity were under His closest friends from the unit himself. The threats of prosecution hung and applied a tourniquet to the assault. — Zettel, Dallas Haggard and CONTINUES ON PAGE 12 PAGE 12 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 WAR ON TERRORISM

FROM PAGE 11 lege in 2017 when he heard Han- Morrissey woke to the message “How are we going to fix this?” nity talking about the Lorance at Fort Bragg and began sobbing. asked Zettel, who helped Ruhl case on the radio. His soon-to-be ex-wife knew im- sign up for counseling at a De- “My blood just started boiling,” mediately that another member partment of Veterans Affairs he recalled. of the platoon was gone. His first hospital. Thomas had spent his last day call was to McGuinness, who was Before he could start, Ruhl in the Army testifying against his returning home from a late-night pulled his gun on an acquain- former platoon leader. He was just shift as a bouncer at a Fayette- tance at a party. His stepbrother 18 when he left for Afghanistan, ville bar. The two began calling tried to wrestle it away and the and like many in the unit, his re- the rest of the platoon, which was firearm discharged, severing turn home had been difficult. He scattered across the country. Ruhl’s femoral artery. He died drank to blunt his PTSD and de- The deaths had imbued them before paramedics arrived. pression. His plan after the Army with a grim fatalism. “Who is it Zettel came back for the funer- was to forget about Afghanistan this time?” a few answered when al, then returned to Missouri to and start a new life in his home- they saw the 5 a.m. calls from finish his five-month leadership town of Crosby, Texas. Morrissey’s phone. course. Four years had passed Thomas pulled over on the side “It’s James,” Morrissey said since the war crimes, but the of the road and looked up the num- again and again. murders and their aftermath still ber for Hannity’s radio show in At Fort Jackson, S.C., Zettel seemed inescapable. New York City on his cellphone. was administering a predawn fit- “I’m a big fan, but y’all are ness test to recruits when he got Six days after Trump was in- being led the wrong way,” he told the call. He punched a fence and augurated as president, Hannity a producer for the show. “This rushed back to his office so the asked him in a White House in- isn’t some innocent guy.” new soldiers wouldn’t see him fall BONNIE JO MOUNT/The Washington Post terview about pardoning Lo- A handful of other soldiers from apart. Alone at his desk, Zettel rance. “He got 30 years,” Hannity the platoon did their best to coun- thought about the steady stream “We kind of got betrayed,” said Dave Zettel outside his home in said incorrectly. “He was doing ter Lorance’s story. Todd Fitzger- of calls and texts Twist had sent Blythewood, S.C. “We were pegged as if we were like a rogue unit. his job, protecting his team in ald, who was also standing near him over the past five years, and Which we clearly weren’t. It was kind of disheartening.” Afghanistan.” Lorance when he ordered the he wondered if the messages killings, took to Reddit to defend were an indirect way of asking “We’re looking at a few of The actual release would come a video call. He and Walley were the unit. He and several other for help. them,” said Trump of the case. two weeks later on Nov. 15. finishing up their last few college In the months after his convic- soldiers spoke to The New York The hardest call was to Wal- Times for a story that detailed ley, the soldier Twist had dragged courses before they graduated. A tion, Lorance had begun to receive In Lorance’s hometown of couple of the soldiers and wives support from United American the inaccuracies in Lorance’s from the blast crater. “What’s defense. Fitzgerald, McGuinness wrong?” his fiancee asked him Merit, Texas, Lee Greenwood’s were expecting their first chil- Patriots, a nonprofit group that “God Bless the U.S.A.” blared dren. Two were in the early days represents soldiers accused of and Gray were interviewed for when he got the call. “It’s Twist,” a documentary about the case, Walley told her. She tried to hug from a sound system in the park- of divorces. war crimes. UAP helped Lorance ing lot of the local high school. An hour into the call almost find new lawyers who claimed in “Leavenworth,” that aired on the him, but he pushed her away. “I Starz Network. A cheering crowd of about 300 everyone was drunk or stoned an appeals court filing that they need to take this in alone,” he In April 2018, the platoon suf- said. people had spent the previous two — except for the pregnant wives. had uncovered evidence showing fered its fourth death since re- At the funeral, Walley spoke hours in the cold and dark await- The troops talked about their that the younger victim was “bio- turning home when Nick Carson, first for the platoon, rocking back ing Lorance’s arrival. plans for the future. Morrissey metrically linked” to a roadside 26, crashed his car late at night. and forth on his prosthetic leg. “This is absolutely amazing,” was just back from another tour in bomb blast that occurred before Carson had been with McGuin- Walley was wounded a month Lorance said as his car, escorted Afghanistan, where he mostly sat his death. The sole survivor, the ness in Afghanistan on the day before the murders, but they by the county constable, rolled to on base while the Afghans fought lawyers said, took part in attacks of the killings, and like his squad had affected him too. At times, a stop in the high school parking each other. “There’s no war left on U.S. forces after the Ameri- leader had been threatened with he felt abandoned by those who lot. there anymore,” he said. cans tried to kill him. war crimes charges. had tried to distance themselves “It’s a hometown hero’s wel- “What are you going to do when “The Afghan men were not ci- “I don’t know what’s fixing to from the unit, the murders and come,” his cousin said from the you retire?” McGuinness asked vilian casualties … but were actu- happen, but our platoon leader the war. “I have to wake up every back seat. him. ally combatant bombmakers who is making us all out to be mur- single day and look in the mirror. Lorance climbed atop a flatbed “Let me finish, before you intended to harm or kill Ameri- derers,” he told his parents in a Every single day I am hopping in trailer. Someone from the crowd laugh,” Morrissey replied. “I’m can soldiers,” the lawyers wrote 2012 phone call from Afghani- a wheelchair,” he often thought. gave him an American flag. The going to go to school to be a bar- in their appeal. stan. “Just know, I am not a “I don’t get to forget.” vice commander of the local VFW ber and open one of those high- In 2017, a military appeals court murderer.” In January 2016, he was drunk handed him a microphone. end barber shops where you can dismissed the biometric data as Carson’s mother and stepfather and despondent in his apartment “God bless Texas!” Lorance get a drink, a real gentleman’s irrelevant because Lorance had were at Fort Bragg a few months outside Atlanta and accidentally yelled. “God bless America!” haircut and shave with a straight “no indications that the victims later when he returned from the fired his pistol through the ceil- At his side was the head of UAP, razor.” posed any threat at the time of war. “He got off that big plane, ing and into the apartment above the group that had worked to free Walley tried to talk, but every- the shootings.” The judges found hugged us and cried and then he him. After the shooting, Walley him. Lorance’s case and the pub- one was talking over him. “No that the surviving victim’s deci- said, ’I love y’all but I need to be cut back on his drinking and re- sion to join the Taliban after the licity helped the group boost an- one listens to me,” he joked. “Ev- by myself. I just need to go,’ ” returned to college. He was just one nual donations by about 150%, eryone just stares at the guy with platoon tried to kill him probably called his stepfather. semester from graduating. would have helped prosecutors from $1.8 million in 2015 to more two limbs.” He and his fiancee Carson stayed in the Army He stared out at the packed and than $4.5 million in 2018. were planning their wedding for by demonstrating “the direct im- after the combat tour, but he silent church. pact on U.S. forces when the local Lorance, who was wearing his the spring of 2021. They had re- struggled with PTSD, depres- “Twist would probably give me crisp, blue Army uniform — his served a mansion, “where we can population believe they are being sion and anger. On the night of a little bit of crap right now for indiscriminately killed.” pants tucked into his boots, para- fit the whole platoon,” he said. the car accident that killed him, having not wrote a speech,” he trooper style — knew exactly what “Just tell me the day and I’ll be But the biometric evidence and Carson had been drinking and began. “But I figured I’d just tell support from UAP helped Lo- his backers wanted to hear. “We there,” McGuinness promised. wasn’t wearing a seat belt. His a story. It’s a little bit of a harsh finally have a president who un- Zettel and his wife were ex- rance’s mother and his legal team parents said he might have fallen story, but I think it needs to be derstands that when we send our pecting their first child Aug. 10. get on Trump’s favorite television asleep while driving. The platoon told.” troops to fight impossible wars, He was planning on leaving the shows — “Fox & Friends” and blamed the war crimes and the He took a breath and described we must stand behind them,” he Army for good in October. “Hannity” — where they offered deployment. the explosion and its aftermath. told the crowd. The soldiers talked about the a new account of the killings that In Afghanistan, the platoon had “My right leg was about 20 feet He blasted the craven “deep guys they had lost to suicide and differed dramatically from the dubbed themselves the “Honey away. It was completely removed. sworn testimony. In their telling, Badgers” after the fearless My left leg, the tibia ripped state” military officers he blamed self-destructive behavior. And the motorcycle wasn’t stopped carnivore. through the [skin]; my foot was for his conviction. “That’s not re- they spoke briefly about Lorance. on the side of the road with its Back home, they began to refer facing toward my butt,” he said. ally the military. That’s the poli- The soldiers shared tips about kickstand down, as testimony to themselves as “the cursed His right arm was mangled. ticians who run the thing,” he how to find a good therapist and and photos from the trial demon- platoon.” “Twist ended up coming said. “The men and women in the promised to look out for one an- strated, but was speeding toward through this cloudy haze,” Wal- mud and dirt. That’s the real U.S. other so that there would be no Lorance and his men when he or- On Oct. 23 at 2:44 a.m., Twist’s ley continued. “He was the most military.” more funerals. dered them to fire. wife, Emalyn, messaged Sgt. 1st selfless man that I ever knew on The next morning Lorance “You guys mean everything to “He’s got to make a split-second Class Joe Morrissey, who had this planet. He did not care if he boarded a plane for New York me,” McGuinness said. “We have decision in a war zone,” Hannity been Twist’s team leader with the died. He did not care if his limbs City, where he appeared on to do this more often. We have to said on his television show. “How platoon in Afghanistan. were to get ripped off. He didn’t “Fox & Friends” and Hannity’s look after each other. If you guys did it get to the point where he got “James committed suicide to- care. He just cared that his guys radio show. In December, he are hurting, hit me up. We can do prosecuted for this?” night,” she wrote from the hos- were OK.” joined Trump onstage at a GOP this instead of just letting things Hannity and a Fox News pital where the doctors were The 1st Platoon soldiers were fundraiser. fester.” spokeswoman did not respond to preparing to harvest his organs. still filtering home from Twist’s He rose from his desk chair — multiple requests for comment. “Could you let his other Army funeral when Pete Hegseth, a In April, with the country a little wobbly from all the beer. It Zach Thomas, who had been friends know. … This is a … living “Fox & Friends” co-anchor who locked down by the coronavi- was 2:30 a.m., and they had been standing just yards from Lorance nightmare.” It was the platoon’s had advocated on Lorance’s be- rus, McGuinness arranged for a talking for more than four hours. when he gave the order to fire, fifth death since returning home half, tweeted that Lorance’s par- dozen of the guys from the pla- “I love you a--holes,” he said, and was driving to community col- four years earlier. don was “imminent.” toon to get together for beers on signed off the call. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 13 PAGE 14 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 NATION Gains: Job market still seeing historic numbers

FROM FRONT PAGE senior U.S. economist at asset The spike, centered primarily manager AllianceBernstein. in the South and West, has led Credit and debit card data states such as California, Texas, tracked by JPMorgan Chase Arizona and Florida to reclose or show that consumers reduced otherwise clamp down again on their spending last week after bars, restaurants, movie theaters, having increased it steadily in beaches and swimming pools, late April and May. The reversal throwing some workers out of a has occurred both in states that have reported surges in COVID- job for a second time. 19 and in less affected states, President Donald Trump said Edgerton said. the jobs report shows the econ- Kronos, which produces time omy is “roaring back,” although management software, has found he acknowledged there are still that in the past two weeks, growth areas where “we’re putting out in the number of shifts worked the flames” of the virus. has slowed in the Southeast. The job losses over the past “The pace of recovery is start- two weeks will be reflected in the ing to slow,” said Dave Gilbert- July unemployment report, to be son, an executive at Kronos. “We released in early August. are expecting to see more of a While the job market improved plateauing over the next couple of for a second consecutive month, months.” the Labor Department report McDonald’s has paused its re- showed that the U.S. remains far opening efforts nationwide, and MARK LENNIHAN/AP short of regaining the colossal Apple is reclosing scores of its losses it suffered this spring. It A woman wears a protective mask while shopping for clothing in a Gap store in New York on Tuesday. stores in the U.S. has recouped roughly one-third Economists have long warned of the 22 million jobs lost. And the total number of people the outbreak took hold in March. rose 600,000 last month to nearly that the economic benefits of al- The reclosings are keeping who are drawing jobless benefits The U.S. job growth in June 2.9 million. lowing businesses to reopen would layoffs elevated: The number of remains at a sizable 19 million. was driven mainly by companies Workers who are permanently prove short-lived if the virus Americans who sought unemploy- The number of laid-off work- recalling workers who had been laid off typically face a much wasn’t brought under control. ment benefits fell only slightly ers seeking jobless benefits rose laid off as part of the widespread harder time finding new jobs, Until most Americans feel con- last week to 1.47 million, accord- last week in Texas, Arizona and business shutdowns across the and most go to a new company or fident enough to dine out, travel, ing to a separate report. Though Tennessee. Though the figure fell country in the spring. switch occupations. shop or congregate in groups the weekly figure has declined in California, it remained near In an ominous trend contained “Even as we move into the sec- without fear of infection, restau- steadily since peaking in March, 280,000. That’s more people than in the Labor Department report, ond half of the year, a large num- rants, hotels and stores will lack it is still extraordinarily high by were seeking unemployment ben- more Americans said they had ber of people will still be looking enough customer demand to jus- historic standards. efits in the entire country before lost jobs permanently. The figure for work,” said Eric Winograd, tify rehiring all their workers. Stonewall Jackson statue removed from Richmond’s Monument Avenue

BY DENISE LAVOIE lice sparked a nationwide protest power tools to detach it from its ment were spotted Wednesday at sion and white supremacy. AND ALAN SUDERMAN movement. base. A crowd of several hundred several other monuments as well. “Those statues stood high for Associated Press In most instances, state or local people who had gathered to watch The city has roughly a dozen over 100 years for a reason, and governments moved to take down cheered as a crane lifted the fig- Confederate statues on municipal it was to intimidate and to show RICHMOND, Va. — Work monuments in response to im- ure of the general atop his horse land, including one of Confeder- Black and brown people in this crews wielding a crane, harness- passioned demonstrators, but in into the air and set it aside. ate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. Stoney city who was in charge,” Stoney es and power tools wrested an im- a few cases — including several “This is long overdue,” said said it will take several days to said. posing statue of Gen. Stonewall other Virginia Confederate stat- Brent Holmes, who is Black. “One remove them. “I think the healing can now Jackson from its pedestal along ues — protesters toppled the fig- down, many more to go.“ The mayor said he also is mov- begin in the city of Richmond,” the famed Monument Avenue in ures themselves. Also this week, Eli Swann, who has lived in ing quickly because he is con- he said. Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, Mississippi retired the last state Richmond for 24 years, said he cerned that people could be hurt Stoney’s move came on the day just hours after the mayor or- flag in the U.S. that included the felt “an overwhelming sense of trying to take down the statues a new state law took effect grant- dered the removal of all Confed- erate statues from city land. Confederate battle emblem. gratitude” to witness the removal themselves. In Portsmouth last ing control of the monuments to Mayor Levar Stoney’s decree Confederate statues were of the statue after he and oth- month, a man was seriously in- the city. The law outlines a re- came weeks after Virginia Gov. erected decades after the Civil ers spent weeks demonstrating jured when protesters tried to moval process that would take at Ralph Northam ordered the re- War, during the Jim Crow era, and calling for it and others to pull down a Confederate statue. least 60 days to unfold. moval of the most prominent and when states imposed new segre- be taken down. He said that as a “Failing to remove the statues But during a City Council imposing statue along the avenue: gation laws, and during the “Lost Black man, he found it offensive now poses a severe, immediate meeting Wednesday morning, that of Confederate Gen. Robert Cause” movement, when histori- to have so many statues glori- and growing threat to public safe- the mayor balked as the council E. Lee, which sits on state land. ans and others tried to depict the fying Confederate generals for ty,” he said, noting that hundreds scheduled a special meeting for The removal of the Lee statue has South’s rebellion as a fight to de- “fighting against us. of demonstrators have held pro- Thursday to formally vote on a been stalled pending the resolu- fend states’ rights, not slavery. In “I’ve been out here since Day tests in the city for 33 consecutive resolution calling for the immedi- tion of several lawsuits. Richmond, the first major monu- 1,” Swann said. “We’ve been days. ate removal of the statues. The Jackson statue is the lat- ment — the Lee statue — was seeing the younger people out Stoney said the removal of the “Today, I have the ability to est of several dozen Confeder- erected in 1890. here, just coming and constantly statues is “long overdue” and do this through my emergency ate symbols to be removed from Work crews spent several hours marching and asking for change. sends a message that the city of powers,” Stoney said. “I think we public land in the United States in Wednesday carefully attaching And now, finally, the change is Richmond — the onetime capital need to act today.” the five weeks since the death of a harness to the massive Stone- coming about.” of the Confederacy — is no longer Work crews arrived at the Jack- George Floyd at the hands of po- wall Jackson statue and using Flatbed trucks and other equip- a place with symbols of oppres- son statue about an hour later. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 15 AMERICAN ROUNDUP 14 charged with trying to have sex with minors

ST. LOUIS — Four- MO teen people from the St. Louis area are facing federal charges accusing them of attempting to have sex with minors following an FBI investigation. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Wednesday that all of the suspects were arrested this week at homes where they alleg- edly thought they were going to engage in sex with minors they met online. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois announced the charges . As part of the sting, undercov- er agents on Sunday and Monday pretended to be minors in a vari- ety of text messages, social media and apps. Most food scraps now unfit for trash, landfill

MONTPELIER — Most VT food scraps are now banned from the trash and landfill in Vermont. Vermonters now must collect their food scraps and either compost them in their yards, take them to food waste drop-off sites such as transfer stations or have them hauled away by a service. Trash haulers are required to GREG EANS, THE (OWENSBORO, KY.) MESSENGER-INQUIRER/AP offer food scrap collection services to nonresidential customers and apartments with four units Pickin’ and grinnin’ or more, unless another hauler is willing to do the collection, the Alex Martin plays the song “Can’t You See” by The Marshall Tucker Band on his Takemine acoustic guitar while enjoying the outdoors at state said. It’s part of Vermont’s Smothers Park in Owensboro, Ky., on Wednesday. “It’s my wife’s favorite song,” he said. Universal Recycling Law to cut down on trash in landfills. ter said the magnitude 3.6 earth- THE CENSUS otherwise not injured. Residents who compost in quake struck shortly before 3 p.m.. Mullins has already served their yards will still be allowed to It was centered 4 miles southwest about 15 months. He pleaded no throw away meat and bones in the The approximate number of traps the Washington of Anchorage and was recorded State Department of Agriculture is placing to catch in- contest in November to breaking trash. at a depth of about 26 miles. The vasive Asian giant hornets in Whatcom County. The state and entering and to adulterating center said the earthquake was 600 traps, which add to those already placed by citizens, are food or drink. Mullins also has W oman gets 3 ½ years felt in the Anchorage area and in being placed around Blaine, Custer and Bellingham in taken part in a drug rehabilita- the northern suburbs in the Mata- after faking own death the state’s northwest, the only places in the U.S. that the giant hornet has ever tion program and apologized. nuska-Susitna Borough. been found, The Capital Press reported. Asian giant hornets are the world’s larg- Judge David Carson said Mul- CHARLESTON — A Officials said this is an after- est. They are brutal to pollinators, known to decapitate honey bees and the subject shock from the magnitude 7.1 lins’ actions could have been di- WV West Virginia woman of wide fascination. The non-native wasp eats fruit, which is a potential problem sastrous if the couple’s young son quake that caused widespread for agriculture, agriculture department spokeswoman Karla Salp said. who faked her own death to get also drank the tea. out of a fraud charge has been damage in November 2018. sentenced to 3½ years in prison, Police car pursuit ends officials said Tuesday. Man admits using drone Kinser works . Brian Hurt. Julie M. Wheeler, 43, was sen- for delivery to prison The Hurts then went to a near- in ocean cliff plunge tenced for defrauding a federal Family saves bear with by resort, where some people had health care program and now LINCOLN — A Ne- head stuck in container watched the rescue and told them SANTA CRUZ — A car- faces local charges for reporting NE braska man accused the bear had been that way for at CA jacking suspect fleeing a false emergency, according to a of using a drone to try to deliver least a few days. Locals had been Santa Cruz County authorities BLOOMER — A Wis- news release from U.S. Attorney marijuana and tobacco to Lincoln trying to figure out how get the ended up in the drink and then Mike Stuart. consin family helped Correctional Center pleaded no WI Wisconsin Department of Natu- the clink. Authorities said Wheeler save a young bear that was strug- contest Tuesday to the charges. ral Resources to help it. pleaded guilty to the fraud charge gling to breathe while swimming The Santa Cruz County Sher- Robert M. Kinser, 38, of Lin- Brian Hurt estimated the bear in February but before she could in a lake with its head caught in a iff’s Office says deputies respond- coln, faces up to four years in was a year old and likely still with be sentenced, she and her family plastic food container. ed Tuesday afternoon to reports prison at his August sentencing. its mother . of a man shooting a handgun in staged her fall from the Grand- He entered the pleas to charges of Tricia and Brian Hurt and their the air near Davenport. view State Park overlook. The attempted delivery of marijuana son, Brady, were fishing Saturday Man who spiked ex’s tea Soon after, the same man alleg- report of her falling led to an ex- and attempted conveyance of an on Marsh Miller Lake in western tensive effort to find her body. article to an inmate, the Lincoln Wisconsin’s Chippewa County with meth gets 3 years edly carjacked someone and fled Eventually, state police found Journal Star reported. when they came across what they at speeds over 100 mph toward Wheeler at her home in Beckley, An inmate on a work detail in first thought was a swimming ROANOKE — A Vir- the city of Santa Cruz, where hiding in a closet. February 2018 found a crashed dog. They soon realized, though, VA ginia man has been sen- deputies called off the pursuit for drone and two white bags on that it was a young bear with a tenced to three years in prison for safety reasons. Quake was aftershock prison grounds adjacent to the clear plastic cheese ball contain- spiking his ex-girlfriend’s pitcher A short time later Santa Cruz of 2018 temblor prison, Deputy Lancaster County er stuck on its head. of tea with methamphetamine. police found the vehicle had gone Attorney Jeff Mathers said. One Their first attempt to pull the The Roanoke Times reported off West Cliff Drive and plunged ANCHORAGE — A bag contained 17.5 grams of mar- tub off the bear’s head failed, but that Elvis Jarrett Mullins, 41, of into the ocean. AK minor earthquake was ijuana, the other had tobacco and another try was successful. They Troutville, was sentenced last The Sheriff’s Office said the felt throughout Alaska’s Cook rolling papers. captured the rescue on video. week . Authorities said he broke suspect climbed out of the car Inlet region Tuesday, and offi- The Nebraska State Patrol’s “That was the thing I remem- into his ex’s Roanoke house. The and up the cliff, where he was cials said it was an aftershock of computer crimes division was ber most, is that bear panting woman returned home, con- taken into custody without fur- heavily, trying to get air. Can you sumed the tea and “felt drugged,” a more powerful earthquake that able to pull digital photos, video ther incident. struck the Anchorage area 19 clips and metadata from the imagine having that down in the prosecutors said. Hospital tests No injuries were reported. months ago. drone’s SD card, which led to a water, it sealed it off so it couldn’t later showed a positive result for The Alaska Earthquake Cen- demolition site in Beatrice where get fresh air into that jug?” said amphetamines. The woman was From wire reports PAGE 16 • S TARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 FACES CNN sees best ratings in its Working through the pain 40-year history

Eastwood soldiered on with a broken ankle during filming of ‘The Outpost’ BY DAVID BAUDER Associated Press BY LOUISE DIXON An extraordinary stretch of Associated Press news with the coronavirus pan- n accident requir- demic and racial reckoning trig- ing two screws in his gered by George Floyd’s death ankle nearly prevented has led CNN to its biggest audi- Scott Eastwood from ence for any three-month period A in the network’s 40-year history. portraying a real life soldier in Afghanistan in “The Outpost” Fox News Channel and MSNBC — a role that required a level of also had record-setting quarters athleticism. ending in June, according to the Eastwood was tight-lipped Nielsen company. But CNN’s au- about how he was injured, but dience increased at a higher pace he said it led to an “interesting” than its rivals, and it is also see- shoot. Director Rod Lurie had a ing strong numbers for its digital “tough as hell time trying to fig- operation. ure out how we were gonna de- The news is welcome at a net- sign shots where for the first few work that has been relentlessly weeks I couldn’t walk,” he said. attacked for four years by Presi- Lurie rescheduled the entire dent Donald Trump and his al- shoot, starting with static scenes lies, who often mocked CNN as and shifting the action to the end. “failing.” “When you see Scott Eastwood “All of our research shows we in this movie, running and gun- are the most trusted name in ning, you gotta remember this news,” Jeff Zucker, chairman of dude has got a broken ankle and WarnerMedia News and Sports he’s a bit of a stud. Just like his and CNN chief executive, said dad,” he jokes. Eastwood, who Wednesday. portrays Staff Sgt. Clint Rome- “Others may not believe that, sha, is the son of action-movie others may scoff at that, the pres- actor Clint Eastwood. ident of the United States makes “The Outpost,” which also SCREEN MEDIA/Associated Press fun of it, but it’s true.” stars Orlando Bloom and Caleb CNN’s weekday prime-time Scott Eastwood portrays Staff Sgt. Clint Romesha in a scene from “The Outpost.” Landry Jones, follows the Battle audience of 1.95 million was up of Kamdesh in Afghanistan in 120% over the same period last 2009. The Taliban attacked a The movie is based on the book The result is “a very visceral you know ... There was a lot of year, Nielsen said. Fox News, remote American Combat Out- heart in it.” “The Outpost: An Untold Story of and kinetic storytelling of this. which has led in the ratings for post, deep in the mountains, that It leaves you with the people. Jones was encouraged to go American Valor,” by CNN jour- nearly two decades, had an aver- was nearly impossible to defend. You’re with them in uncomfort- for the role of Carter by his nalist Jake Tapper. age of 4.07 million viewers, a 43% Despite winning the battle and able times, in times of extreme older brother, who serves in the Making “The Outpost” was increase, while MSNBC’s count holding the base, eight American emotion, dealing with the psy- Marines. made even more personal for of 2.47 million was up 13% from soldiers died. chological effects,” Jones said. “He read it and you know a Lurie when his son Hunter died 2019. It’s a story of “regular sol- suddenly during pre-production. “I felt what it must have been few hours then he said, Caleb, diers,” Lurie says. “These guys like to be there and to lose people you’re doing it. And I said, is it They are routinely the three Lurie said he wanted to shoot most-watched networks on all of are on the ground; they have to the soldiers who lost their lives in and to be a part of that,” East- good? And he said, no, you don’t pay the penalty not just for being understand. You’re doing it.” cable TV. For the total day, CNN’s the battle “honorably and with- wood said. “And I just found my- in a war, but also for maybe the self very emotional.” Jones felt the added pressure viewership was up 119% over out the glamorization.” tactical and strategic mistakes of Bloom, who plays Capt. Ben of his brother and the real-life 2019, Fox jumped by 48% and “It’s done without musical the command above them.” Keating, said he felt a “duty of Carter being on the set, but that MSNBC by 34%. “It’s not a pro-military film. flourish. It’s done without a responsibility” to his character. ultimately it added to the depth “We are a news organization It’s certainly not a pro-war film, single bullet that actually felled He talked with Keating’s father of his performance. that is built for this kind of time,” but it might be a pro-soldier those guys. And I did that, not in and worked some of those shared “To be able to look over and Zucker said. “The others in this film,” Lurie adds. “I was a soldier honor, but in respect of the fami- memories into his portrayal. see him in the eyes and see him space are political talk channels, myself, and so I’ve got this deep lies of the men,” he said. “I felt very connected to him nod or see him shake his head or and so even when they’re talking connection to these guys and to Jones portrays Spc. Ty Carter, and I think all of the boys out being able to look at Ty too and about these stories, they’re talk- what is the internal fortitude of a survivor who won the Medal there did too, you know, to their see that if I’m doing anything ing about the politics of the sto- these guys is something that we of Honor. Jones said he was in- own characters,” Bloom said. right at all by trying to convey ries. We’re talking about the news really wanted to get across.” spired by Lurie’s direction. “And it was, it was very sincere, this. I’m very honored,” he said. of the stories.” Beavis and Butt-Head making TV comeback in reimagined series The Associated Press for its social satire and criticism for its haven’t got the world to the place that you Other news raunchy humor and violence, aired until deserve it to be.” Beavis and Butt-Head are coming back to 1997 and was briefly revived in 2011. The Harry paid tribute to young people being Jay-Z’s annual festival in Philadel- TV in a reimagined version of the animat- characters jumped to the big screen in 1996 recognized at the ceremony for their work phia, Made in America, won’t take place ed series about a pair of Gen X slackers. with “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America.” on race and injustice, saying he saw the Labor Day weekend due to the coronavi- “It seemed like the time was right to rus pandemic. In a statement Wednesday, get stupid again,” Mike Judge, the cre- “greatest hope” in them amid the division Prince Harry addresses and anger in the world. the rap mogul’s Roc Nation company said ator and voice of both characters, said in institutional racism it plans to produce the popular festival in a statement. 21 Savage starts free online 2021. Roc Nation said tickets for the 2020 “Beavis and Butt-Head,” which debuted Prince Harry stressed the need to tackle event will be valid in 2021. in 1993 on MTV, is moving in its new itera- institutional racism during a speech he re- financial program for youth Fox News on Wednesday fired day- tion to ViacomCBS corporate sibling Com- corded for Wednesday’s ceremony for the time news anchor Ed Henry after an in- edy Central, it was announced Wednesday. Diana Awards, a charity for young people Rapper 21 Savage will be launching a vestigation of sexual misconduct in the The channel said it has ordered two set up to honor his late mother. free online financial literacy education workplace. Fox offered no details of the seasons of the new series that will fea- In a video message shown in the virtual program for youth sheltered at home dur- complaint that resulted in Henry’s ﬁ r- ture themes “relatable to both new and old ceremony, the Duke of Sussex said that ing the coronavirus pandemic. ing, only to say that it happened “years fans,” including Gen Z kids and their Gen “institutional racism has no place in our The Grammy winner announced his ago.” . X parents. societies, yet it is still endemic.” new Bank Account At Home nationwide A British judge on Thursday rejected Judge will write and produce the series “My wife said recently that our genera- initiative on Wednesday, including a part- an attempt by tabloid newspaper The Sun and again will voice the characters in a deal tion and the ones before us haven’t done nership with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance to quash a libel suit from actor Johnny that includes other spinoffs and specials. enough to right the wrongs of the past,” Bottoms to provide free WiFi and tablets Depp over an article claiming he abused The original series, which drew praise he said. “I, too, am sorry — sorry that we for undeserved students in the city. ex-wife Amber Heard. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES•PAGE 17 PAGE 18 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 OPINION Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Lt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander Never forget: Putin is in the payback business Caroline E. Miller, Europe Business Operations BY DAVID IGNATIUS Perovo district: two dark rooms, pictures peddling a false narrative that the U.S. was Joshua M. Lashbrook, Pacific Chief of Staff Washington Post Writers Group of the fallen, guns, maps and other trin- fostering a buildup of Islamic State fight- kets of a war that broke the Soviet Union’s ers in Afghanistan, to justify their actions. EDITORIAL WASHINGTON spirit. Nicholson’s 2018 interview was a rare basic truth about Russian About 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed public protest by a U.S. official. Trump Terry Leonard, Editor President Vladimir Putin, which in their nine-year Afghanistan war. By didn’t press the Russians to stop, and so [email protected] President Donald Trump evi- comparison, the United States has suffered they continued. The GRU military-intel- Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor Adently doesn’t understand: Putin 2,372 military deaths in our Afghan war, ligence units that were helping smuggle [email protected] is in the payback business. He believes the waged for more than twice as long. weapons to the Taliban in 2018 may have United States destroyed his former coun- What makes Afghanistan especially been the forerunners of GRU operatives Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content try, the Soviet Union. He likes the United painful for Russia is that the Soviet Union’s [email protected] who U.S. intelligence analysts suspect are States to feel pain, in Afghanistan and ev- final defeat resulted from a secret CIA the new bounty hunters. Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation erywhere else. program to supply the Afghan mujah e- Through this January and February, as [email protected] Trump has his own, much rosier take on deen with Stinger antiaircraft missiles, the CIA and military surveillance gath- Putin. And I can’t help wondering whether that could shoot down Soviet helicopters Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital ered reports about a cash stockpile in that explains why, assuming his account is and were a death sentence for Moscow’s northern Afghanistan and other indicators [email protected] true, the president was never briefed about recruits. of a possible Russian operation, U.S. mili- intelligence reports early this year that The Soviet Union might have hoped that tary and intelligence officials became in- Russia was offering bounties to Taliban BUREAU STAFF the United States would help it escape the creasingly concerned, several told me. By fighters to kill U.S. and coalition troops in Afghan quagmire, but life doesn’t work that March, they were pressing for a top-level Europe/Mideast Afghanistan. Perhaps Trump’s national way. A declassified Feb. 13, 1989, National review by senior Trump administration Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief security aides were afraid to upset him. Security Directive specified that if the So- [email protected] officials of this still-unconfirmed threat to When it comes to the military, Trump viets wanted a cutoff in U.S. assistance to +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 U.S. soldiers. has the opposite of a Midas touch. Every- the mujah edeen, the U.S. “should take no Pacific thing he handles becomes tarnished. That action limiting U.S. options” until the Mos- Through this agonizing period, Trump Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief was true of his meddling last year in the cow-backed Afghan government fell. kept up a buzz of happy talk about improv- [email protected] discipline case of Navy SEAL Eddie Gal- For the first 15 years of the U.S. war ing relations with Putin, including the pos- +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 lagher; his encouragement of the firing of in Afghanistan, in which our former al- sibility of inviting him back into the Group Capt. Brett Crozier as skipper of the USS lies were now mortal enemies, the Rus- of Seven. Were Trump’s commanders too Washington afraid to warn him off this folly? Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief Theodore Roosevelt; and his enlistment of sians played along. They were happy to let [email protected] Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Americans kill the same Islamist militants Trump isn’t the only one who knows too (+1)(202)886-0033 Chiefs of Staff, for a publicity stunt at St. that had used U.S.-supplied weapons to kill little about Afghanistan. Our forces there Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News John’s Episcopal Church . Russians. But starting in 2018, U.S. com- are so hunkered down, I’m told the mili- [email protected] There’s a lot we still don’t know about manders noticed a difference: The Rus- tary hasn’t allowed any significant embeds the Russian bounties in Afghanistan. But sians appeared to be helping the Taliban. by journalists. Gen. Austin “Scott” Miller, CIRCULATION sources have provided some basics that Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson Jr., who the admirable commanding general, avoids Mideast allow us to see this incident in context. commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan for briefing the press or Congress, perhaps for Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager First, we must understand that the Rus- more than two years, revealed the secret fear of unintentionally offending the White [email protected] sians wish us ill in Afghanistan. Putin’s Russian aid for the Taliban in a March 23, House. [email protected] generation remains bitter about their 2018, interview with the BBC. He said Af- Trump is an obstacle to good policy. Ei- DSN (314)583-9111 forced withdrawal that finished in 1989, ghan leaders had showed U.S. commanders ther people don’t tell him the truth, or he Europe under American pressure, which presaged Russian-supplied weapons that had been doesn’t want to hear it. Whichever way, Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager the collapse of the Soviet Union. There’s smuggled across the border to Taliban he’s defaulting on his most basic responsi- [email protected] a tiny Afghan War Museum in Moscow’s fighters. He said the Russians were also bility as commander in chief. [email protected] +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 Pacific Mari Mori, [email protected] +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 Biden once sought to ban flag burning. How about now?

CONTACT US BY KAREN TUMULTY Congress and was signed into law. On May H.W. Bush’s attacks on his 1988 rival, Mi- The Washington Post 14, 1990, the day the Supreme Court heard chael Dukakis, for vetoing a 1977 state bill Washington oral arguments in a case challenging its that would have required teachers to lead tel: (+1)202.886.0003 hen protesters outside the constitutionality, Biden declared the gov- schoolchildren in reciting the Pledge of Al- 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 White House set fire to Old ernment has a “legitimate interest” in pro- legiance. But no one in memory has used Reader letters Glory a couple of weeks ago, tecting the flag. The court struck down the it as aggressively as Trump, who throws President Donald Trump took [email protected] W law, citing the First Amendment’s protec- around charges of “treason” with aban- to Twitter and called on Congress to “do tion of free speech. don. On Wednesday, Trump retweeted a Additional contacts something about the lowlifes that burn the Biden was undeterred. As late as 2006, video put together by Senate Republicans stripes.com/contactus American flag.” near the end of his 36 years in the Senate, that began with an image of a U.S. flag on At his rally in Tulsa, Okla., a few days OMBUDSMAN he voted in favor of a measure that would fire and continued with more of protesters earlier, he had suggested a specific penal- have imposed fines of as much as $100,000 pulling down statues. “Since Democrats Ernie Gates ty: “If somebody wants to burn the Ameri- and a year in prison for anyone who would won’t speak out against the destruction can flag and stomp on it, but just burn it, “intentionally threaten or intimidate any happening in liberal cities across America they go to jail for one year.” The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow person or group of persons by burning, or … We will,” the Republicans wrote. The president might be surprised to of news and information, reporting any attempts by the causing to be burned, a flag of the United For Biden this is all tricky territory. military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s learn that there is a well-known Democrat States.” That legislation was, again, offered While his history on the flag burning issue independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns who for years led a fight in Congress to do and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for fair- as an alternative to a constitutional amend- is at odds with the Supreme Court’s view just that. He was a senator from Delaware ness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman ment. There may also have been some pos- of the First Amendment , it will make it welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted and chairman of the Judiciary Committee. harder for Trump to pin the former vice by email at [email protected], or by phone at His name is Joe Biden. turing for the upcoming 2008 presidential 202.886.0003. race involved. Among the anti-flag burning president as being in step with what the After the Supreme Court in 1989 struck president terms liberal “lowlifes.” measure’s co-sponsors was then-Sen. Hill- down a Texas law against flag desecration In his news conference on Tuesday, and upheld it as a repugnant but constitu- ary Clinton, D-N.Y., and then-Sen. Barack Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- Obama, D-Ill., also voted for it. Biden threaded the needle on the question days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday tionally protected act of free speech, Biden of taking down monuments, suggesting that through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and led a push for legislation that he said would Is this still Biden’s position? “This is a Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals long-settled constitutional question, with while those commemorating traitorous postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send get around the high court’s objections. Confederate leaders belong in museums, address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, In a July 18, 1989, speech on the Senate the Supreme Court ruling that flag burn- APO AP 96301-5002. ing is free speech. For Donald Trump to those to the imperfect men who founded floor, Biden said the flag is “a national sym- the republic should stay up. This newspaper is authorized by the Department of bol of unity and we need unity in this country to politicize the issue is just that: poli- Defense for members of the military services overseas. tics,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew “There is a difference between remind- However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, try because we are so diverse. Symbols are ers and remembrances of history,” he said. and are not to be considered as the official views of, or important. … We have a symbol, unlike the Bates told me. He added that Biden does endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspaper, “The idea of comparing whether or not court’s inability to recognize it, a symbol not support a constitutional amendment to Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official chan- George Washington owned slaves or Thom- nels and use appropriated funds for distribution to remote that is needed to unite this nation, this di- ban flag burning. as Jefferson owned slaves, and somebody locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. verse nation, a symbol is the flag.” Under All of this might seem like a long-ago The appearance of advertising in this publication does who was in rebellion committing treason Biden’s legislation, anyone who mutilated, argument over hypotheticals were it not not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense … trying to take down the union and keep or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. defaced, burned or trampled upon a U.S. for the degree to which symbols — flags, slavery. I think there’s a distinction.” Products or services advertised shall be made available for flag would be fined as much as $1,000 or statues, monuments, the names of military purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, That is reasonable, and, more impor- sent to prison for up to a year — or both. bases — have moved to the forefront of the religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical tantly, it is right. Symbols, whether they handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor Biden said he would also support a con- 2020 presidential campaign. of the purchaser, user or patron. stitutional amendment to make flag burn- The weaponization of patriotism against be flags or monuments, can always be re- placed. The same cannot be said of the val- © Stars and Stripes 2020 ing illegal, but that his measure was a Democratic presidential candidates is a quicker means of achieving the same end. well-thumbed page of the Republican play- ues of which they are meant to remind us. stripes.com A version of Biden’s legislation passed book, going at least as far back as George Karen Tumulty is a Washington Post columnist. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES•PAGE 19 OPINION

alist Society. Obliterating abortion access What newspapers in America is at the top of that priority list. What’s more, Roberts dissented in a are saying at home case just four years ago that struck down what was an effectively identical Texas The following editorial excerpts are se- anti-abortion law. So the central question lected from a cross section of newspapers ahead of Monday’s decision in June Medi- throughout the United States. The editori- cal Services LLC v. Russo became: Would als are provided by The Associated Press the chief justice’s disapproval of abortion and other stateside syndicates. outweigh his desire for the court to respect its own very recent precedent? Biden no guarantee to crack It turns out that it didn’t. In a concur- down on Russia for misdeeds ring opinion that provided the fifth vote for The Wall Street Journal a majority, the chief justice wrote that the It is going to be something to behold, on court’s doctrine requires it to “treat like Jan. 21, 2021, when President Joe Biden cases alike.” Because the Louisiana law takes revenge on Russia for paying the — which requires doctors who perform Taliban to kill Americans in Afghanistan. abortions to get admitting privileges at a He’ll task the CIA with killing the Russian hospital near their clinic, supposedly in agents behind the bounties, send lethal aid the interests of women’s health and safety to Ukraine to defend itself against Russian — was more or less a carbon copy of the aggression, work with allies to oust Rus- Texas law the court previously struck sia and Cuba from Venezuela, withdraw down, and because it burdened women in from the arms deals Russia is violating, PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP the same way, it “cannot stand,” he wrote. That’s good as far as it goes, which is not and ratchet up sanctions against the Nord Anti-abortion protesters wait outside the Supreme Court for a decision in June Medical very far. It would be a mistake to interpret Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany. Services LLC v. Russo on Monday. The high court ruled 5-4 that a Louisiana law that this decision as a sign that the chief jus- Of course Biden will do none of that, requires doctors who perform abortions to get admitting privileges at a hospital near tice has had a change of heart about pro- which ought to put into context the lat- their clinic is not valid. The court previously struck down a similar law in Texas. tecting the bodily autonomy of American est Washington uproar over the alleged women. Even in his concurring opinion, Russian bounties and President Donald Nord Stream 2. He’s been far tougher on cialists, the Democrats eschewed a revolu- Roberts said that he still believes that the Trump. The stories, leaked by anonymous Russia than Obama-Biden ever was. tionary health care agenda. Instead, they Texas case was “wrongly decided” and sources, are another dive into the murky What we’d like to hear from Biden and offered the Affordable Care Enhancement that he voted to strike down the Louisiana Washington nexus among intelligence, the Trump this year is what they’ll do in re- Act, a package of changes that would dra- law solely out of respect for precedent. He media and politics. sponse if the intelligence about Russian matically improve the existing system. appears to have decided that the circum- Trump is cast again as the villain who bounties is verified. Does Trump still want The Democrats would not touch the em- stances of this case were not ideal for crip- knew the intelligence and did nothing, or to reward Putin with an invitation to the G- ployer-sponsored health insurance that pling reproductive rights — but he left the should have known but didn’t, and in any 7? If he does it would rival his near-invita- most non-elderly Americans depend on. door open to doing so in the future. Mon- event he must be in hock to Vladimir Putin. tion last year to the Taliban to visit Camp Instead, they would bolster the system day’s decision, with the plurality opinion Trump and his advisers say he wasn’t David as an insult to Americans who gave meant to help those without access to em- written by Justice Stephen Breyer, isn’t so briefed on the bounties intelligence, but their lives in Afghanistan. ployer-based coverage. The centerpiece is much good news for reproductive freedom sources (again anonymous) say it did ap- As for Biden, has he learned anything an increase in federal subsidies that would as it is a temporary reprieve from all the pear in his daily intelligence briefing that since his last go-round with the Russian? enable low-income Americans to pay little bad. he rarely reads. U.S. intelligence chiefs are He now talks tough about Russia and says or nothing in health insurance premiums Abortion access in many parts of the denouncing the leakers, who no doubt want Putin has “no soul,” but that was true and protect middle-income Americans country is abysmal — five states have only to damage Trump before the election. when Biden sought his Russian reset in from the high premiums and cost-shar- one abortion clinic, for instance. If the Lou- Our first reaction is that the Taliban 2009, and when Barack Obama attacked ing that have made it difficult for some to isiana law had been upheld, clinics in that have been killing Americans for years for Mitt Romney as an unreconstructed Cold participate in Obamacare, particularly in state (which has only three such facilities) the religious pleasure of it — why would Warrior in 2012. Is there anything specific rural areas. The plan would pump money and across the country could have closed, getting paid make all that much differ- that Biden would do that would deter Putin into state-based “reinsurance” programs forcing many women to travel longer dis- ence? Iranians have been paying them to from further attacks on Americans or U.S. that have already proved to restrain premi- tances at prohibitive expense to receive kill Americans, and so have jihadist ele- interests? um costs in the states that have tried them. reproductive health care. ments in Pakistan, including some in the Concern about deals Trump might strike It would also undo some of the damage That would violate the constitutional intelligence services. with Putin in a second term is legitimate. Republicans have inflicted, pressing more right to have access to an abortion with- A second point is why is anyone sur- If only we could trust that Biden would be states to expand Medicaid and rolling back out “undue burden,” the standard the Su- prised that Putin’s Russia would try to any better, and he might be worse. the Trump administration’s efforts to allow preme Court has followed since the 1992 make trouble for America? He’s been junk insurance plans. The result would be case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. A Fed- doing it for at least 12 years, across three Administration seeks end of millions more covered Americans. eral District Court in Louisiana struck administrations, since he invaded neigh- The Democrats would fund the bill by down the state’s law because it posed such boring Georgia in 2008. Biden’s reaction ‘Obamacare’ but lacks own plan lowering prescription drug spending, a an undue burden, just as the Texas law to that affront was to blame the George W. The Washington Post policy that requires further debate. But had. But the conservative federal Court of Bush administration and call for a “reset” The Trump Justice Department asked the overall package is solid. Unlike Re- Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed that with Russia. the Supreme Court last week to kill publicans — who never had a plausible re- decision, ruling that the lower court had Putin is interfering in America’s back- “Obamacare.” This has long been a fool- placement for Obamacare, despite years of gotten the facts wrong — that it was not yard by propping up the Maduro regime in ish, foolhardy obsession for President braying about its defects — Democrats are clear that the new law would actually bur- Venezuela. He is trying to drive a wedge Donald Trump. Even in the middle of a showing that they have a detailed plan to den women’s ability to get an abortion. in NATO by selling S-400 anti-aircraft widening pandemic, he seeks to eliminate fill in the system’s gaps, in specific legisla- Monday’s decision reversed the Fifth missiles to Turkey. He is propping up the health care coverage for some 23 million tive text, that they could take off the shelf Circuit ruling, holding that the district murderous Assad regime in Syria. He is Americans. should they have the opportunity to gov- court had gotten it right the first time. The blocking an extension of the United Na- In so doing, the president betrays his ern. Their plan also refutes those in their Louisiana law, Breyer wrote, was “almost tions arms embargo against Iran. responsibility to defend in court a statute party who argue that nothing but radical word-for-word identical” to Texas’ uncon- His agents traveled to the U.K. and tried that Congress passed, resorting to bizarre reform can bring progress. stitutional law and imposed identical if not to kill a Russian defector with a deadly legal arguments that liberal and conser- Trump and Republicans, not Democrats, greater burdens on women, and therefore nerve agent but killed an innocent Briton vative legal experts have denounced. The are the health care radicals. was invalid. instead. His government recently impris- reasoning is so far-fetched that the Justice Roberts’ decision to concur with the oned a former U.S. Marine on what are al- Department initially shuddered to em- Roberts likely won’t protect four liberal justices may enrage cultural most certainly trumped up spying charges. brace it. Even Attorney General William conservatives who thought that with the And, by the way, he interfered in the 2016 Barr tried last month to soften the Justice abortion rights in future cases confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, U.S. election under the nose of the Obama- Department’s stance. Government lawyers The New York Times ending the right to an abortion was just a Biden administration. Paying to kill Amer- had argued that only parts of the Afford- The Supreme Court upheld abortion matter of time. icans is hardly a giant leap of bad faith for able Care Act had to go. Now they insist rights on Monday, with Chief Justice John But the chief justice rarely takes the Russia’s president for life. that if part of the law is flawed, the courts Roberts concurring with the liberals on direct route, preferring incremental rul- In the face of all this, Trump’s continu- must dismantle the whole structure. the court to strike down a Louisiana anti- ings that slowly chip away at the court’s ing personal solicitousness toward Putin Trump claims that he would maintain abortion law. longstanding precedents. So no one should is strange bordering on the bizarre. It’s protections for people with preexisting That sentence might surprise a lot of be fooled this time around: The current accomplished nothing except damage his conditions and other popular elements of people, given that the chief justice is a court is as hostile to reproductive freedom own political standing. But then Trump Obamacare. But he has no plan to do so. staunch conservative, and that the court as it ever was. And Roberts left himself has toughened sanctions against Rus- His position is for health care chaos. now has a solid right-wing majority. Presi- plenty of room to vote differently in any of sia, has sent Javelin antitank missiles to Anticipating the Trump administration’s dent Donald Trump achieved that majority the many cases now speeding toward the Ukraine that Obama-Biden refused to court filing, House Democrats offered by appointing two justices with the express court, involving challenges to other state send, has withdrawn from two arms deals a different vision. Discrediting Trump’s purpose of pushing a hard-right agenda, as laws that make it difficult if not impossible Russia is violating, and has tried to stop attempts to paint them as unhinged so- determined by legal groups like the Feder- for most women to obtain an abortion. PAGE 20 • S TARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 SCOREBOARD/SOCCER/GOLF

Sports on AFN Six FC Dallas players test positive

BY ANNE M. PETERSON Go to the American Forces MLS scoreboard Network website for the most Associated Press up-to-date TV schedules. Six players with FC Dallas have myafn.net tested positive for COVID-19 and MLS is Back Tournament the entire team has been quaran- At Orlando, Fla. tined ahead of the MLS Is Back Group Stage Deals Wednesday, July 8 tournament. Orlando City vs. Inter Miami CF. The club confirmed in a state- Nashville SC vs. Chicago Fire Wednesday’s transactions Thursday, July 9 ment Wednesday that the players New York City FC vs. Philadelphia Union BASEBALL Montreal vs. New England Major League Baseball tested positive upon arrival in FC Dallas vs. Vancouver American League Florida for the month-long tour- Friday, July 10 DETROIT TIGERS — Agreed to terms Toronto FC vs. D.C. United with 1B Trevin Esquerra, RHP Carson nament starting next week. Seattle vs. San Jose King and OF’s Austin Langworthy and The team said all players and Saturday, July 11 D.J. Poteet on minor league contracts. Atlanta vs. New York OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Added INF’s staff tested negative for coronavi- Cincinnati vs. Columbus Eric Campbell and Robert Puason, RHP’s rus before leaving for the tourna- Sunday, July 12 Wandisson Charles and Miguel Romero, Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota OF’s Luis Barrera and Brayan Buelvas to ment on Saturday. Upon arrival, United their 60-man player pool. two players tested positive. Four Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado National League Monday, July 13 COLORADO ROCKIES — Released LHP more positive tests were uncov- Los Angeles FC vs. Houston Zac Rosscup. Agreed to terms with C ered in subsequent testing. LA Galaxy vs. Portland Drew Romo on a minor league contract. Tuesday, July 14 MIAMI MARLINS — Signed RHP Max “In consultation with MLS Inter Miami CF vs. Chicago Meyer to a minor league contract. Philadelphia vs. Nashville SC SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Signed medical officials, FC Dallas took Orlando City vs. New York City FC C Patrick Bailey to a minor league con- proactive steps to isolate the Wednesday, July 15 tract. Seattle vs. FC Dallas WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Agreed newly affected players as well as Montreal vs. Toronto FC to terms with RHP’s Zach Brzykcy and all FC Dallas players and staff in Vancouver vs. San Jose Edward Urena, OF’s Zach Cornell and Thursday, July 16 Landon Dieterich, SS’s Gio Diaz and Orlando out of an abundance of Atlanta vs. Cincinnati Quade Tomlin, 1B Jackson Coutts, INF caution. All members of the club D.C. United vs. New England Brian Klein and C Ray Torres on minor Columbus vs. New York league contracts. delegation are following MLS Friday, July 17 BASKETBALL Sporting Kansas City vs. Colorado National Basketball Association health and safety protocols and RONALD MARTINEZ, GETTY IMAGES/TNS Real Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United WASHINGTON WIZARDS — Signed G will remain quarantined in their Saturday, July 18 Jerian Grant. Portland vs. Houston FOOTBALL hotel rooms pending the results At least six FC Dallas players have tested positive for COVID-19, Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy National Football League of further COVID-19 testing,” the casting doubt on the MLS Is Back Tournament’s July 8 start. Sunday, July 19 GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed RB A.J. New York FC vs. Chicago Dillon to a four-year contract. Signed QB team said in a statement. Philadelphia vs. Inter Miami CF Jordan Love to a four-year contract. The names of the players were of Sports complex at Disney before teams left for Orlando. Monday, July, 20 SOCCER Orlando City vs. Nashville SC Major League Soccer not released. World. The tournament opens League protocol requires play- FC Dallas vs. San Jose ATLANTA UNITED — Waived M Luiz The league said that no other Wednesday. ers and staff to be tested every Seattle vs. Vancouver Fernando. Tuesday, July 21 INTER MIAMI — Signed D Leandro Gon- team has been in contact with MLS shut down because of the two days upon arrival in Florida. Toronto FC vs. New England zalez Pirez. the FC Dallas delegation since its coronavirus pandemic on March Teams began traveling last week Atlanta vs. Columbus MINNESOTA UNITED — Transferred M Montreal vs. D.C. United Romario Ibarra to Liga MX team C.F. Pa- arrival. 12, after the league’s teams had in advance of the tournament. Wednesday, July 22 chuca. All of the league’s 26 teams are played two games. FC Dallas is scheduled to open Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City NEW YORK RED BULLS — Returned F Cincinnati vs. New York Josh Sims to Southampton FC following sequestered in hotels in advance The league said Sunday that the tournament with a group Colorado vs. Minnesota United expiration of his loan. Thursday, July 23 COLLEGE of the tournament played with- 18 players and six staff members stage match against the Vancou- LA Galaxy vs. Houston ETSU — Announced Matt Wise as out fans at the ESPN Wide World had tested positive for the virus ver Whitecaps on July 9. Los Angeles FC vs. Portland men’s basketball assistant coach. LOUISIANA COLLEGE — Formally applied for admission to NAIA for sponsored sports. ST. AUGUSTINE’S — Named David Bowser Interim Athletics Director. TUSCULUM — Promoted Josh Ealy to Assistant Athletic Director for Opera- tions and Development. Simpson returning after COVID-19 scare

Pro soccer BY LARRY LAGE more strict,” Simpson said. “That Associated Press first week at Colonial there were NWSL Challenge Cup Champ can play after policy change still fist bumps after the round, DETROIT — Webb Simpson closer contact I think on the range At Herriman Utah is competing on the PGA Tour Saturday, June 27 Cameron Champ was added to The tour said after several as- or player dining. There’s way less North Carolina Courage 2, Portland again after his family had a coro- of that now. Thorns 1 navirus scare. the field in the Rocket Mortgage ymptomatic positive tests that were Washington Spirit 2, Chicago Red “Now, nobody’s touching. Stars 1 One of Simpson’s daughters Classic in Detroit under a modified followed by a negative test, it con- Tuesday, June 30 PGA Tour policy that allows players sulted with the CDC and is moving Maybe an elbow here or there. I’m Houston Dash 3, Utah Royals 3 tested positive for COVID-19, definitely seeing how it’s affect- OL Reign 0, Sky Blue 0 who test positive for the coronavirus to a test-based model, which allows leading to him withdrawing ing everyone, not just those who Wednesday, July 1 from last week’s tournament as a to be eligible if they had no symp- players or caddies to return if they Portland Thorns 0, Chicago Red Stars 0 have had contact with someone.” North Carolina Courage 2, Washington precaution. toms and get two negative test re- have two negative tests at least 24 Spirit 0 While the PGA Tour has re- “The first test was positive, but sults at least 24 hours apart. hours apart. Previously, the tour Saturday, July 4 sumed play, the pandemic is Utah Royals vs. Sky Blue (she) got tested again by the more The decision Wednesday was the relied on time-based protocols that Houston Dash vs. OL Reign keeping the fans away. Sunday, July 5 accurate tests, along with my latest change to an evolving “Health required those who test positive to That will take away a chance North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago other four kids and my wife, and and Safety Plan” as the tour en- self-isolate for at least 10 days. Red Stars for defending champion Nate Portland Thorns vs. Washington Spirit everyone was negative,” Simpson ters its fourth week back from the Champ tested positive on June Wednesday, July 8 COVID-19 shutdown. Champ is 23 and withdrew from the Travel- Lashley to hear the roar of the Utah Royals vs. OL Reign said Wednesday, a day before the Sky Blue vs. Houston Dash first round of the Rocket Mort- among six players and two caddies ers Championship. The tour said he crowd again in the Motor City. Sunday, July 12 “It’s a little different, you know, Washington Spirit vs. Houston Dash gage Classic. “So we felt confi- on the PGA Tour who have tested had three negative tests over the Chicago Red Stars vs. Utah Royals positive. 72 hours. He still had to be tested not having fans here,” he said. Monday, July 13 dent that she never had it.” OL Reign vs. Portland Thorns Simpson, who leads the tour in Ricky Elliott, the caddie for at Detroit Golf Club upon arrival. Last year, Lashley went from Sky Blue vs. North Carolina Courage Brooks Koepka, tested positive Champ was set to tee off as a single being an anonymous player to Quarterfinals FedEx Cup points and scoring Friday, July 17 average, is attempting to become before the Travelers Championship at 2:10 p.m. Thursday on the 10th someone fans wanted to root for Teams TBD last week in Connecticut, and then tee. during a wire-to-wire victory, his Saturday, July 18 the PGA Tour’s first player with Teams TBD three victories during this pan- had a negative test. — Doug Ferguson, AP first on the PGA Tour, after they Semifinals Wednesday, July 22 demic-interrupted year. heard about how his parents and Quarterfinal winners girlfriend were killed in a 2004 Championship Most importantly, the No. 6 Sunday, July 26 player in the world is trying to had at that point, I think seven out navirus as the PGA Tour entered plane crash. Semifinal winners stay healthy. And Simpson does of 2,300, 2,400 positive, which is a fourth week of its restart. Lashley won the inaugural not believe that doing his job is amazing. ... But I do think the el- The tour policy requires self- Rocket Mortgage Classic by six AP sportlight putting him or his family at risk. ephant in the room and the tough isolation for at least 10 days. Ear- shots. He will be paired Thursday “I mentioned to the commis- thing that they’re dealing with lier this week, Harris English with Simpson and Rickie Fowler. July 3 sioner last week that based on our every week is these positives.“ tested positive and also withdrew “Rickie and I, we decided that 1982 — Martina Navratilova begins her streak of six straight singles titles numbers, our stats, I told him the Chad Campbell withdrew from from the tournament. we’re just going to follow Nate at Wimbledon with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 vic- safest place anyone can be in the the Rocket Mortage Classic on “Guys are so aware of how easy around and whatever he hits be- tory over Chris Evert Lloyd. It’s the third Wimbledon singles title for Navratilova, United States right now is on the Tuesday after becoming the sixth it is to catch this disease that I cause he shot 25 under last year,” all against Evert Lloyd. PGA Tour,” Simpson said. “We player to test positive for the coro- think everyone else is becoming Simpson joked. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 21 COLLEGE BASKETBALL/NBA 76ers’ Brown: Embiid, Simmons healthy

BY DAN GELSTON as good a shape as he has been in this pandemic and the way things Associated Press since I have coached him,” Brown have shaped up, it would be hard- said Wednesday. pressed for me to find something PHILADELPHIA — Phila- Simmons, who averaged 16.7 more obvious than this. It’s en- delphia 76ers coach Brett Brown points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 as- abled Ben to reclaim his health. says All-Star guard Ben Sim- sists in 54 games, was hurt in But I think ‘inching along’ from mons is “good to go” for the NBA a Feb. 22 maybe a month ago, that is not restart after sitting out the final game at true.” games before the shutdown with Milwaukee. Embiid has been riddled with a back injury. He vomited injuries since he was drafted Brown, whose contract runs because of with the No. 3 pick of the 2014 through 2021-22, also expected the pain and draft. Embiid, averaging 23.4 fellow All-Star Joel Embiid to there was points and 12.3 rebounds, has start the season in the best shape no guaran- never played more than 64 games of his professional career. tee he would in a season. He was hindered by The Sixers need their franchise have been illness and knee injuries during MARK HUMPHREY/AP stars at full strength if one of the ready for the last season’s playoff run, and the Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, talks early favorites to win the East playoffs had Sixers worked this season to bal- Brown about the decision to cancel the remaining games in the SEC NCAA Conference can shake off both the season ance his minutes with the proper college basketball tournament in March. A January start is among an ordinary regular season (39- not been sus- amount of rest. the ideas being discussed for the 2020-21 college hoops season. 26; 6th in the East) and a nearly pended because of the pandemic. The Sixers signed the 25-year- five-month layoff to return as Simmons, the league leader old Embiid, a native of Cameroon, contenders for their first NBA in steals, worked out and played to a $148 million, five-year exten- championship since 1983. pickup games with LeBron James sion that kicked in at the start of The 23-year-old Simmons had — and videos of the two showed the 2018-19 season. missed his eighth straight game both stars playing without masks. “There is nobody on our team SEC considering and was receiving daily treatment Simmons’ trainer, Chris Johnson, that has put in more time than Joel for his nerve issues in his lower posted video two weeks ago of a Embiid,” Brown said. “ I’m proud back when the season stopped. shirtless Simmons shooting and of him, I respect him. He needed Embiid was recovering from sur- dunking. to do it. We understand the impact gery on his left hand and had just “He’s good to go. He’s put in a he can have on our team.” shortened season returned after missing five games tremendous amount of work for Brown also said no player on with a sprained left shoulder at me to be able to confidently say the Sixers has tested positive for BY JERRY TIPTON ficult to believe a 2020-21 (or just the time of the shutdown. that,” Brown said. “I think when COVID-19 and no player has de- Lexington Herald-Leader 2021) college basketball season “I’m looking for Joel to come in you search for silver linings with cided to opt out of the restart. would be played if schools do not LEXINGTON, Ky. — Going reopen. strictly by the calendar, there “The easy answer is a vac- would be no 2020-21 college bas- cine, obviously,” Tranghese said. Challenge: Restart will test championship mettle ketball season. Instead, there “What Rick says, I think every- would be a 2021 college basket- thing is on the table. FROM BACK PAGE ball season. “And — you know what? — not Former Kentucky coach Rick everybody may do the same thing. Teams won’t be back together, Pitino put that idea into the bulg- Some conferences may elect just all at once, in person, until get- ing suggestion box for the re- to play conference schedules. Oth- ting to Central Florida. sumption of sports. He proposed ers may elect to play, who knows? “I think this might be certain- via Twitter on Wednesday that There’s nobody in charge who can ly the most worthy of all world the next college basketball season say this is what we’re doing.” championships in the NBA be- begin in January. A season con- ESPN college basketball ana- cause of all the things that every tracted by the coronavirus pan- lyst Dick Vitale said he went on team is going to have to navigate demic would have teams playing social media earlier in the week and overcome to be able to be only league games. and proposed something similar crowned a champion,” Miami A delayed start would “buy to Pitino’s suggestion. coach Erik Spoelstra said. some more time for a vaccine and “You’ve got to have March The season has been daunting to get things under control,” he Madness,” he said. “We can’t go and won’t get any easier. That’s tweeted. “Although I can’t wait two years in a row without it.” why Los Angeles Lakers coach to be back on the sidelines, the A January start in a season Frank Vogel — whose team was health of my players and staff is confined to only conference in China when the political issues what’s really important.” games would mean a reduction hit this fall, took the enormous Pitino, who will be in his first in travel. But it also would mean emotional blow that followed Bry- season as Iona coach in 2020-21 none of the made-for-television ant’s death, has championed soci- (or just 2021), did not break new games of November and Decem- etal change during these troubled ground. ber. Those games are lucrative in times in the country and has had Former Big East Commissioner terms of revenue and marketing players infected with the corona- WILFREDO LEE/AP Mike Tranghese, now a consultant virus — wholeheartedly agrees of programs. Of course, Kentucky San Antonio’s 1999 championship after a 50-game regular season to the Southeastern Conference, with Antetokounmpo’s stance. regularly plays in the Champions and the 2012 championship by the Miami Heat after a 66-game said he had discussed a January “Our team has been through Classic and CBS Sports Classic season — both shortened because of labor strife in the league start — and many other ideas a lot this year,” Vogel said. “And before conference play. UK also — come with no formal asterisk attached. This NBA season will see — with Dan Leibovitz, the SEC’s we’ve endured, and we’ve come participates in the annual SEC- the 22 remaining teams all play between 71 and 75 games before associate commissioner for men’s out strong each time we’ve faced Big 12 Challenge, which is played the playoffs, and the league’s plan is for a full four-round, best-of- basketball. in late January. adversity. I don’t know about seven-throughout postseason. “I think everything’s on the “I think safety is the overriding other teams but if we were able table,” Tranghese said. “I think factor, period, end of discussion to come through all of this and advantage, to have a league inter- of labor strife in the league — everything has to be on the table. in my mind,” Tranghese said. achieve the ultimate prize, I do ruption of four months, and you’re come with no formal asterisk at- You know, the problem is nobody SEC Commissioner Greg San- think it deserves a harder-than- able to spend 90 days and come tached. This NBA season will see knows where we’re headed.” key agrees with the idea of safety ordinary asterisk. If you’re going First things first, the next foot- being the top priority, the consul- to put an asterisk on it, I don’t out of there a champion, I think the 22 remaining teams all play ball season “consumed” officials tant said. “I know Greg has said think it weakens it at all.” this will be the toughest champi- between 71 and 75 games before in various conferences, Trang- that to me on a number of occa- There are elements of the re- onship ever won,” Malone said. the playoffs, and the league’s plan hese said. sions: whatever we do, student- start that are not easy for anyone “There’s no asterisk. You win an is for a full four-round, best-of- As for basketball, the metaphor- athletes have to be protected.” involved, such as the isolation NBA championship anytime, it’s seven-throughout postseason. ical ground continually shifting With rates of infection rising in from the outside world, the daily a hell of an accomplishment. But No one is being gifted a title makes it impossible for the SEC several states, a college basket- testing, and the highly restrictive in these circumstances, these un- this season. to be confident in any plan. ball season in the 2020-21 school rules that the NBA put in place precedented times, with every- “I saw (Houston guard) Austin “Danny Leibovitz and I have year seems less than certain. after consultation with health thing going on ... I think it will be Rivers said today, you know that talked about a lot of things re- When asked what odds he’d put officials. a remarkable accomplishment.” the idea of an asterisk next to this garding basketball,” Tranghese on some type of college basketball Denver coach Michael Malone Some may argue otherwise, but championship, I think he said it said. “The question, though, is season being played during the said that will prove someone’s the 1999 championship by San exactly right,” Boston coach Brad will things be better in January 2020-21 school year, Tranghese championship mettle. Antonio after a 50-game regular Stevens said Wednesday. “This is than they are in November? Who paused before responding. “If you’re able to go into a bubble season and the 2012 champion- going to be a super unique situa- knows?” “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m to be isolated from your friends ship by Miami after a 66-game tion and whoever wins it is going Tranghese said he found it dif- nervous about it.” and family, to have no home court season — both shortened because to really earn it.” PAGE 22 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, July 3, 2020 NFL Source: League to cut preseason schedule in half BY ARNIE STAPLETON Associated Press DID YOU KNOW ?

The NFL will cut its preseason Teams will now play exhibitions in half and push back the start Aug. 20-24 and Aug. 27-31 during of exhibition play so teams have what were originally the second more time to train following a and third weeks of exhibition play. virtual offseason made necessary All teams will play one home and by the coronavirus pandemic, a person with knowledge of the de- one road preseason game. cision told The Associated Press. SOURCE: Associated Press The person spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because second and third weeks of exhibi- the league hasn’t announced that tion play, with all 32 teams play- the preseason will be cut from ing one home and one road game. four games to two. Most of those games will re-

Players are still discussing main the same as originally MATT ROURKE/AP with their union whether to ask scheduled, although some match- for cancellation of all preseason ups in that second slate will have New Orleans Saints strong safety Malcolm Jenkins said last week that “football is nonessential.” With training camp less than a month away, some players are speaking out about concerns over playing games, according to two people to be changed so every team gets during a pandemic while others are ignoring medical advice and holding workouts with teammates. familiar with their thinking. Both a game at home. people spoke on condition of ano- The exhibition finales on Sept. nymity because a decision hasn’t 3 were also scrapped, giving been made. teams more time to get ready for As some players raise COVID-19 The pandemic forced teams the regular season, which opens to conduct their entire offseason Sept. 10 with Houston at Kansas programs via videoconference. City. So, teams will be gathering to- concerns, others ignore advice There are no changes to the gether for the first time when regular-season schedule. training camps open July 28. BY ROB MAADDI The league continues to draw Minus the usual minicamps, Associated Press ‘ It is the responsibility of the employer to on-field practices and in-person up protocols, not only for COVID- weight training from April to 19 mitigation but for ramping Some NFL players are raising provide a safe work environment. up practices during the first few June, players’ conditioning won’t concerns about playing football ’ JC Tretter weeks of training camp. amid the coronavirus pandemic be what it normally is. So, elimi- Cleveland Browns center and president of the NFL Players Association nating the first week of preseason The annual Hall of Fame Game while others are ignoring advice games Aug. 13-16 will give them pitting Pittsburgh and Dallas on of medical experts by working more time to ratchet up their foot- Aug. 6 was recently scrapped as out with teammates. JC Tretter, a center on the said Wednesday the league will to creating a safe working envi- ball fitness. the induction ceremonies were shorten the preseason in half by ronment and making it as safe as Teams will now play exhibi- pushed back to 2021. Cleveland Browns and president of the NFL Players Association, starting two weeks later. possible for guys to come back as tions Aug. 20-24 and Aug. 27-31 AP pro football writer Rob Maaddi Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s we keep in mind it’s not just about during what were originally the contributed to this report. wrote an open letter to players on Tuesday, saying they have to chief medical officer, said he the athletes and their health and fight for “necessary COVID-19 has regular communication with the coaches and staff, but our protections.” medical officers of other profes- families, too.” New Orleans Saints safety Mal- sional sports leagues and they are Sills said information gathered colm Jenkins said last week that learning from one another. from other sports leagues domes- “football is a nonessential busi- “We’re approaching this as a tically and internationally will ness and so we don’t need to do medical and public health prob- help shape the way the NFL ap- it.” lem,” Sills said Wednesday. “This proaches its season. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive isn’t about one league having an Dr. Thom Mayer, the union’s lineman Cameron Heyward has advantage over another. We’re medical officer, advised players asthma so he wants to “take every working together as a group of on June 20 to stop working out precaution” if he plays. medical professionals saying how together. Still, Tom Brady and “We are not invincible, and as can we do the best job in taking Russell Wilson appear to have recent reports have shown, we care of our patients in creating the ignored those warnings, based on certainly aren’t immune to this safest possible environments?” social media posts. And a video virus,” Tretter wrote in his letter. The NFL and the Pro Football posted Tuesday showed new Pa- “Underlying conditions like high Hall of Fame already canceled triots quarterback Cam Newton BMI, asthma and sleep apnea are the opening preseason game be- working out with wide receiver all associated with a higher risk tween Dallas and Pittsburgh set Mohamed Sanu. of developing severe symptoms for Aug. 6. The hall’s induction “It is the responsibility of the and complications when infected ceremonies set for Aug. 8, and for employer to provide a safe work with COVID-19. Those conditions mid-September for a special cen- environment,” Tretter told NFL are widespread across the league. tennial class, were moved to Au- players. “I encourage all workers NFL players are humans — some gust 2021, when the Cowboys and to hold their employers account- with immuno-compromised fam- Steelers will play in the game. able to high standards. More so ily members or live-in elderly par- “I want to play football. I think than any other sport, the game ents. Trust me: we want to play all my peers want to play foot- of football is the perfect storm football. But as a union, our most ball. It’s how we make a living,” for virus transmission. There are important job is keep our players Jenkins said in a video posted on protections, both short and long safe and alive. The NFLPA will Twitter. “But there’s so much that term, that must be agreed upon JACK DEMPSEY/AP fight for our most at-risk players we don’t know right now. When before we can safely return to Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller, left, greets Arizona and their families.” we look at what’s happening in work. The NFLPA will be diligent Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald after a preseason game The league informed owners the country, cases are going up, as we demand that the NFL pro- on Aug. 29 in Denver. According to a source, the NFL will cut its last week that training camp is projected deaths are going up. ... vide us the safest workplace .” preseason in half and push back the start of exhibition play so teams expected to open as scheduled I know that the bar for the NFL AP pro football writer Arnie Stapleton have more time to train. later this month. An AP source is going to be high when it comes contributed to this report. Friday, July 3, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES•PAGE 23 MLB Players begin reporting to teams for tests Starting Friday and Saturday, many teams will be holding split workouts

BY DAVE SKRETTA when he plans to address the Associated Press team for the first time — also in waves. Yoan Moncada has spent the “We’ll have to get creative past couple of months working with how we communicate,” said out in what he called a “con- Boone, who plans to make the trolled and limited environment” same speech three or four times. in Florida, where the White Sox Faced with the prospect of play- slugger could continue to get at- ing 60 games in 66 days, time- bats while protecting himself consuming safety protocols, the from the coronavirus. responsibility to remain diligent That’s a good description of the health-wise off the field and the environment that greeted him general anxiety of working amid upon his return to Chicago. a pandemic, Boone believes focus Players began reporting to and toughness can be as impor- their teams and home ballparks tant to a team this season as base- Wednesday in the most signifi- running or bullpen management. cant step yet as Major League “How do you deal with that Baseball presses ahead with its mentally and emotionally?” plan for a 60-game sprint of a Boone asked. “How you’re able to season. Most players underwent a separate that out when you take battery of health checks, not only the field each and every night? for COVID-19 but also for any There’s an advantage to be had other lingering ailments from there.” PHOTOS BY ASHLEY LANDIS/AP spring training, ahead of planned After gauging workloads for workouts beginning Friday and Above: A Los Angeles Angels fan rides a bike past the entrance of Angels Stadium on Wednesday in pitchers during the shutdown, Saturday. Anaheim, Calif. Below: A sign outside the stadium announces the start of the season. The Angels and Boone expects his starters will “We were doing workouts by other Major League Baseball teams will report to their respective facilities for training this week. time, you know? You have to re- be ready to face live hitters on the first day of summer camp. He serve a time. I wasn’t interact- And despite rising numbers plans to stay flexible on usage and ing with a lot of people there,” of COVID-19 across the coun- may consider using a six-man ro- Moncada said of his sessions in try, and a few players opting out, tation or openers, but nothing has Florida. “The last couple of weeks most players and executives have been determined yet as all teams I started lifting a little bit. I was been bullish on the season taking hitting with limitations that we adjust to a new norm. “An injury can wipe out a sea- place. They believe in protocols had during this situation. But I hammered out during lengthy feel good. I’m ready to go.” son in a hurry,” Boone said, adding that he’s likely to be cautious negotiations between MLB and Much like other clubs, the White its players’ association. Sox intend to split their 60-man with players early after New York “We’ve got to make sure we un- roster into two groups, one work- placed a major league-record 30 derstand best practices in social ing out in the morning and the players on the injured list a total distancing, make sure we know other in the afternoon. All play- of 39 times last season. ers will have their temperatures Orioles general manager Mike we are keeping ourselves not only checked multiple times each day, Elias said there had been no posi- apart from one another but also observe increased social distanc- tive tests for COVID-19 among behaving in a way that’s consis- ing and get accustomed to strin- players and staff who were exam- tent to what’s going to keep us all gent safeguards that MLB has ined Wednesday, but he acknowl- healthy,” Mets general manager put into place for the season. edged that “it’s going to be an Brodie Van Wagenen said. “Pro- “That’s going to be different to ongoing process.” vided we can all work together to see and feel as a team,” Moncada Elias has thus far named only comply with these protocols and said. “We’ll have to wait and see 44 players of the 60 available respect — as I said earlier — re- Friday how it goes.” to participate in the preseason spect each other and respect the The Yankees won’t hold their workout. He will decide later rules, I’m optimistic that we can first full-team workout until which prospects will fill out the make this happen.” Saturday, even though manager preseason roster in advance of a AP sports writers David Ginsburg, Jake Aaron Boone said players began projected season-opener July 23 Seiner and Mike Fitzpatrick contrib- intake testing Wednesday. That’s or July 24. uted to this report Cubs coach says COVID-19 quarantined him for a month

BY ANDREW SELIGMAN pretty significantly for a month. tion and an increased heart rate. was prepared to stay overnight. supplies to sanitize the home. If Associated Press I felt it was important for me to It was particularly bad at night, Instead, he got sent home with a he went outside, Andrea and the talk through what I went through making sleep breathing apparatus. kids would clear the house and CHICAGO — An emotional because too much of what’s out just about “If my story, if my journey open the doors. Hottovy would Chicago Cubs pitching coach there is the easy stories of what impossible. through this, helps one person then exit as quickly as he could, Tommy Hottovy is recovering people go through with this.” He got realize how severe this can get — without touching anything, and from a severe case of COVID-19 The former major leaguer depressed, and if that saves one life — then he would go straight to his room that quarantined him for 30 days. learned he had the virus on the wondering I want my story to be heard,” he when he went back inside. The 38-year-old Hottovy broke third day he felt ill, following a if he could said. “Again, I’m sorry I’m emo- Hottovy thought about opting down as he detailed a harrowing nasal test. He isolated in a spare have done tional. It’s still fresh.” out of the season. But he has faith ordeal during a conference call bedroom with symptoms that got more even Hottovy coughed so much dur- in the league’s protocols and will on Wednesday. The Cubs resume so bad he spent part of one day at though he ing one Zoom meeting with pitch- be with the team at home and workouts Friday for the first time the hospital. wore masks ers that manager David Ross took away. since Major League Baseball shut Hottovy tested negative about Hottovy and gloves over for him. “I do still believe for society down camps on March 12. two weeks ago and still gets wind- outside the Hottovy kept a cooler filled with and for people, having sports and “It’s still kind of raw in the fact ed easily. He is grateful his wife, house prior drinks in the spare room because having baseball ... is important,” that we just got through it and to Andrea, and young children did to becoming ill. he didn’t want to risk exposing he said. “But at the same token, relive it,” said Hottovy, in his sec- not get sick. Hottovy spent eight hours at his family by going to the kitchen. one little misstep, one little con- ond season as the Cubs’ pitching Hottovy had a relentless fever, Northwestern Memorial Hospital He said his wife was constantly tact situation by one person, can coach. “Obviously, it affected us difficulty breathing, dehydra- in Chicago on the 12th day and cleaning and neighbors brought derail an entire industry.” S TARS AND STRIPES Friday, July 3, 2020 Preseason reduction Source: League to scale back SPORTS exhibition schedule » Page 22

NBA One of a kind?

Eventual 2020 champ will have overcome challenge unlike any other BY TIM REYNOLDS To the teams in the NBA, this champion- to be like the toughest championship you Associated Press ‘ I think this might ship might be the toughest one ever claimed. could ever win because the circumstances It’ll come after more than three months of are really, really tough right now. So, who- he 2020 NBA champion, if one be certainly the most living in a quasi-bubble at the Disney com- ever wants it more is going to be able to go is crowned, will have emerged worthy of all world plex near Orlando, Fla., after an entire post- out there and take it.” as the ultimate winner from a championships ... season is played without fans, with most if season that lasted more than a He’s not alone in feeling that way. full year from start to finish. A because of all the not all that time spent away from friends Most of the 22 teams that will be headed seasonT that saw political unrest between and family. And only one of the 22 teams to the Disney campus next week — the first things that every the NBA and China, the deaths of David headed to Disney will be able to say it was arrivals are scheduled for July 7 — spent Stern and Kobe Bryant, racial issues across team is going to absolutely worth the trouble. Wednesday beginning Phase 3 of the NBA’s the nation and, if that wasn’t enough, a have to navigate “I’ve heard a lot of people say that there’s restart process. Workouts are still individ- pandemic. and overcome. going to be, like, a star next to this champi- ual, but now mandatory. No team can prac- It is a season like no other. ’ onship,” Milwaukee forward and reigning tice or play 5-on-5 until arriving at Disney. So, an asterisk-bearing champion? Not a Eric Spoelstra NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “I chance. MIami Heat head coach feel like at the end of the day this is going SEE CHALLENGE ON PAGE 21

Whichever team eventually hoists the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy will have overcome one of the most eventful — and challenging — seasons in NBA history.

JEFF CHIU/AP

COVID-19 recovery difficult for Cubs’ pitching coach » MLB, Page 23