GAMES: Fantasy titles for extended lockdowns Page 18 NCAA TOURNAMENT It’s Timme’s time as MOVIES: Bob Odenkirk, Bulldogs pursue action star? Page 16 perfect season Page 48 MUSIC: Lana Del Rey’s dreamy escapism Page 29 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 243 ©SS 2021 FRIDAY,MARCH 26, 2021 $1.00 Gillibrand says EXTREMISM IN THE MILITARY military needs major reform on sex assault BY ROSE L. THAYER Stars and Stripes AUSTIN, Texas — Congress has pro- vided the military more than $1 billion, enacted 249 legislative provisions and chartered panels, commissions and committees to ad- dress sexual assault in the military, yet the statistics from the past 15 years show lit- tle progress, Sen. Kir- sten Gillibrand, D- N.Y., said Wednesday during a Senate hear- Gillibrand ing. “Not one of these steps has reduced sexual assaults within the ranks. We are right where we were when we started, nothing has changed,” said Gillibrand, who is the chairwoman of the subpanel for military personnel on the Senate Armed Services Commit- tee. MARIE PIHULIC/U.S.Army Senators on Wednesday focused on Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle shares her role in ensuring extremism is not tolerated in the ranks March 15 in Haymond Conference Center at sexual assault in the military during Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has directed all military leaders to discuss extremism with their units. the hearing, which had three panels featuring survivors of sexual assault and those who advocate on their behalf and those who study the problem for the government, nonprofits or for aca- demic research. Training gets mixed reviews “Nearly every secretary of defense since Dick Cheney” has promised to do better, yet the number of assaults have Soldiers divided on stand-down kicking off DOD’s fight against extremism remained at about 20,000 almost every year that the Defense Department has BY SARAH CAMMARATA RELATED Others said the training was effective when Stars and Stripes skilled instructors led honest, open discus- SEE GILLIBRAND ON PAGE 6 WASHINGTON — Faced with the hercu- Lawmakers voice concerns sions. lean task of combating extremism in the Stars and Stripes interviewed soldiers who RELATED ranks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin di- over the Pentagon’s lack of completed training, some who spoke on the Civilian advocates, rected all military leaders to gather with centralized extremism data condition of anonymity. their units by the first week of April to discuss Page 5 A staff sergeant at Fort Sam Houston in veterans join Pentagon what it is, how and when to report it, and what San Antonio, Texas, said the training needed it means to serve. through the training. more real discussion about extremism. commission on military The extremism stand-down is taking place Some soldiers expressed frustration at “You had a few people who were very loud at bases around the world for all branches, “check-the-blocks” training led by military and boisterous about their opinion, but then sexual assault and it’s getting mixed reviews. The Army, as officials who were not prepared to answer Page 6 the largest force, has the most people going complex questions about extremist activity. SEE TRAINING ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, March 26, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER EUROPE GAS PRICES EXCHANGE RATES Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Military rates South Korea (Won) 1136.36 Germany $3.140 $2.792 $3.791 $3.469 Azores .. .. $3.691 .. Switzerland (Franc) .9354 Euro costs (March 26) $1.15 Change in price +1.2 cents +2.4 cents +2.1 cents +0.3 cents Change in price .. .. +2.1 cents .. Thailand (Baht) 31.13 Dollar buys (March 26) 0.8255 Turkey (NewLira) 7.9551 Netherlands .. $4.022 $4.320 $3.990 Belgium .. $2.721 $2.952 $2.906 British pound (March 26) $1.34 Japanese yen (March 26) 106.00 Change in price .. +11.8 cents +11.9 cents +0.5 cents Change in price .. No change No change No change (Military exchange rates are those available South Korean won (March 26) 1107.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the U.K. .. $3.439 $3.690 $3.368 Turkey .. .. $3.576 $3.871* Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ Change in price .. +2.4 cents +2.1 cents +0.3 cents Change in price .. .. +2.1 cents No change many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ Britain (Pound) 1.3718 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2605 your local military banking facility. Commercial China(Yuan) 6.5445 rates are interbank rates provided for reference PACIFIC GAS PRICES Denmark (Krone) 6.2974 Egypt (Pound) 15.7296 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Euro .8469 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Japan .. $3.579 .. $3.259 South Korea $2.939 .. $3.599 $3.269 Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7695 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Change in price .. +2.0 cents .. No change Change in price +1.0 cents .. +3.0 cents No change Hungary (Forint) 308.64 Israel (Shekel) 3.3165 Okinawa $2.929 .. .. $3.259 Guam $2.939 $3.339 $3.589 .. Japan (Yen) 109.11 INTEREST RATES Kuwait(Dinar) .3021 Change in price +1.0 cents .. .. No change Change in price +1.0 cents +2.0 cents +2.0 cents .. Norway (Krone) 8.6147 Prime rate 3.25 Philippines (Peso) 48.52 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 *DieselEFD **Midgrade Poland (Zloty) 3.93 Federal funds market rate 0.07 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7501 3­month bill 0.02 For the week of March 25 ­ April 1 Singapore (Dollar) 1.3466 30­year bond 2.31 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 48/73 Kabul Seoul 75/52 63/49 Baghdad 67/45 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 65/49 67/42 91/58 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 58/42 65/58 54/35 Iwakuni Kuwait City Bahrain 64/45 Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 82/66 74/64 Ramstein 59/43 70/52 58/39 53/30 86/78 Riyadh Lajes, 102/74 Doha Azores Stuttgart 97/74 63/52 36/29 Pápa Aviano/ 64/42 Vicenza 64/44 Naples 59/41 Okinawa Morón 73/68 71/46 Sigonella Rota 67/45 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 70/55 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 86/75 55/42 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 35 Classified .................... 36 Comics ................... 39-40 Crossword ............. 39-40 Opinion ....................... 38 Sports .................... 41-48 Friday, March 26, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY N. Korea launches ballistic missiles, US and Japan say BY SETH ROBSON curity of Japan and the region, and to monitor the situation in or- AND YOO KYONG CHANG and is a violation of U.N. resolu- der to protect the lives and prop- Stars and Stripes tions,” Suga wrote, referring to erties of Japanese citizens,” it North Korea has fired two bal- the U.N. Security Council ban on said. listic missiles into the sea off its North Korea developing and test- The launches come less than a eastern coast, according to re- ing ballistic missiles. “I strongly week after Pyongyang fired mul- ports from U.S., South Korean and protest and strongly condemn it. tiple short-range missiles in the Japanese officials Thursday The government has confirmed wake of a visit to Seoul by Secre- morning. that it has fallen into the Sea of Ja- tary of State Antony Blinken and AHN YOUNG­JOON/AP South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of pan outside Japan’s exclusive eco- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korea's missile Staff announced the launch of a nomic zone.” North Korea topped a list of is- launch during a news program at the Suseo Railway Station in Seoul, single “unidentified projectile” at Japan’s coast guard has warned sues they tackled during two days South Korea, on Thursday. 7.06 a.m. and a second at 7.25 a.m. vessels in that body of water, of talks with their South Korean They traveled about 280 miles, re- which is known in South Korea as counterparts. yet again chose the ‘March of “While Biden’s comments and aching an altitude of about 37 the East Sea, to steer clear of any The allies’ goals are clear, Blin- War,’ the ‘March of Crisis,’ ” she chuckle were clearly not meant to miles. fallen objects and pass on their lo- ken said: the denuclearization of said. trigger a reaction, the North Ko- It was North Korea’s first cation, Nikkei Asia magazine re- North Korea, reducing the threat Biden, speaking to reporters reans will use any pretext that is launch of ballistic missiles since ported. that country presents and “im- Tuesday at the White House, said offered to raise the ante — moving President Joe Biden took office. U.S. Forces Korea has been proving the lives of all Koreans, he didn’t consider last weekend’s us closer and closer to the dark Analysts told The Associated consulting closely with South Ko- including North Koreans who suf- missile tests to be a provocation. days of 2017,” he said. Press they expect the North to rea and Japan and will continue to fer systematic abuses at the hands “No, according to the Defense In the months ahead, it’s likely gradually dial up its weapons dis- monitor the situation, spokesman of their leaders.” Department it’s business as usu- the North Koreans will test bigger plays to gain bargaining power as Col.