MILITARY NFL FACES Service members, families Ravens’ Jackson ‘Rise of Skywalker’ script among attendees of papal throws 5 TD passes leaked after actor left it Mass at Tokyo Dome in blowout of Rams under bed, director says Page 4 Back page Page 18 Trump’s actions in SEAL’s case raise questions about president’s role » Page 5 stripes.com Volume 78, No. 160 ©SS 2019 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas Army major pardoned by Trump wants medal back BY NANCY MONTGOMERY Stars and Stripes First hailed a hero, then stripped of his Silver Star and charged with murder only to be pardoned by the president, Maj. Mathew Golsteyn now wants his medal and Special Forces tab restored. “We’re trying to get back what he had,” said Golsteyn’s lawyer, Phil- lip Stackhouse. “There’s a letter sit- ting with the secretary of the Army right now.” Golsteyn, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and former Green Beret, also wants the Silver Star he was awarded in Jake Spann visits the 2010 to be up- grave of his father, graded to the CIA officer Johnny Distinguished “Mike” Spann, at Service Cross, Arlington National the military’s Cemetery in July. second-highest honor. BILL O’LEARY The Washington Post The upgrade had been ap- proved but not Golsteyn awarded before an investigation into whether Golsteyn committed a crime in Afghanistan in killing an Son of the fallen Afghan man he suspected of being a Taliban bomb-maker. Whether Golsteyn regains his honors may depend on how involved He was a baby when his dad died in Afghanistan. President Donald Trump, who par- doned Golsteyn two weeks ago, be- comes in the case. Jake Spann is 18 now, and the war still isn’t over. “What the president has told Matt is he’s allowed everything as though BY IAN SHAPIRA The Washington Post this never happened,” Stackhouse said in a phone interview. irst came the horse-drawn wagon rolling through Jake had no way of knowing he was at the nation’s most dis- Golsteyn was awarded the Silver Arlington National Cemetery, carrying the remains tinguished military cemetery. Or that his father, a 32-year-old Star for his actions with the 3rd Spe- of the first American killed in Afghanistan in a flag- CIA paramilitary officer, was among the first U.S. warriors cial Forces Group during the 2010 Fdraped casket. Members of a Marine honor guard sent to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks to confront the battle of Marjah, where he repeat- trailed behind, clad in navy blue uniforms, white caps and terrorists responsible. Or that, by losing his father, Jake would edly braved enemy fire, launched a white gloves, marching ramrod-straight to muffled drums become a symbol of the longest war in U.S. history, one still mission to find enemy marksmen, aided a wounded Afghan soldier and and the clip-clop of horse hoofs. claiming American lives 18 years later. Then the family of CIA officer Johnny “Mike” Spann ap- coordinated airstrikes, the award ci- Jake is 18 now too, a high school senior in Michigan. In the tation states. peared, dressed in black. His 32-year-old widow, Shan- years since he and his two older half sisters became the first non Spann, who also worked at the agency, walked behind Around the same time, he also kids to lose a parent in Afghanistan, hundreds of others have the caisson, cradling a white-blanketed bundle in her shot and killed the Afghan man who joined them as children of the fallen. arms. That was their infant son, Jake, just 6 months old on had been released from custody. Dec. 10, 2001. SEE SPANN ON PAGE 6 SEE MAJOR ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Wednesday, November 27, 2019 MILITARY Russia warns Syria’s Kurds on US support Conan gets hero’s welcome after raid MOSCOW — Russia’s foreign minister is warning Syria’s Kurds Associated Press that relying on U.S. support “won’t bring them any good.” WASHINGTON — A U.S. mili- Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday ac- tary dog that played a starring cused Syria’s Kurds of failing to role in the raid that killed Islamic abide by a Russia-Turkey deal State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghda- that halted a Turkish offensive di seemed oblivious to the praise into Syria. that President Donald Trump He said the Kurds are trying to heaped on it Monday at the White stay allied with the U.S. and avoid House. engaging in dialogue with the Conan, a Belgian Malinois, Syrian government. seemed much more interested U.S. and Kurdish-led forces in the head scratches he was get- fought Islamic State for years. ting from Mike Pence, repeatedly Washington’s support allowed the looking up at the vice president in Kurds to set up an independent search of more attention. government in eastern Syria. Trump used a slew of adjec- But American troops pulled out tives to describe Conan, who was of most of the country in October, injured when he was exposed to paving the way for Turkey’s of- electric wires in the late October fensive against the Kurds. Russia, raid while chasing al-Baghdadi which backs the Syrian govern- at the terrorist’s compound in ment, helped broker a cease-fire. northwest Syria. “Incredible.” Lavrov dismissed the Kurdish “Brilliant.” “Smart.” “Ultimate claims of Turkey’s violations of fighter.” “Very special.” “Tough the cease-fire. cookie.” “So this is Conan,” Trump said. F-35 unit from Utah “Right now, probably the world’s most famous dog.” base begins deployment Trump said he bestowed a HILL AIR FORCE BASE, medal on Conan and presented Utah — Another Hill Air Force the dog with a plaque. First lady PHOTOS BY EVAN VUCCI/AP Base squadron equipped with F- Melania Trump stood a few feet 35 fighters has left on a combat Above, from left: away. The president said initially deployment for the Middle East. President Donald Conan was going to be muzzled The Standard-Examiner re- Trump, Vice President for the appearance, but Trump ported that the 34th Fighter said he thought that would put the Mike Pence, an unidentified dog Squadron, with personnel drawn dog in attack mode. from active-duty and reserve “He’s not in a bad mood today,” handler and first units at Hill, left recently for Al Trump told dozens of reporters, lady Melania Trump Dhafra Air Base in the United cameramen and members of TV stand with Conan, the Arab Emirates. crews gathered in the Rose Gar- U.S. Army dog that Col. Steven Behmer, command- den. “So you’re safe.” participated in the raid er of the 388th Fighter Wing, said Trump said he asked members that killed Islamic State of the U.S. special forces who met leader Abu Bakr al- the squadron consists of pilots with him Monday if an unarmed Baghdadi, in the Rose and other personnel from the man would stand a chance against Garden of the White 34th Fighter Squadron and from Conan. He said the special forces House on Monday. a reserve unit, the 466th Fighter members, who could not appear Left: Pence pets Squadron. in public, told him “no.” Conan. From The Associated Press T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 17 Business .......................... 21 Classified ................... 19, 23 Comics ............................. 22 Crossword ........................ 22 Faces ............................... 18 Opinion ............................ 20 Sports .........................25-32 Weather ........................... 21 Wednesday, November 27, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY S. Korea: North drill broke pact BY KIM GAMEL Stars and Stripes SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea sent a strong protest Tuesday to the North over a live-fire artillery drill, the latest sign of de- teriorating relations between the two coun- JOSHUA KARSTEN/Stars and Stripes tries amid stalled nuclear talks. North Korea said Monday that leader Kim The USS Abraham Lincoln arrives at Khalifa Bin Salman in Hidd, Bahrain, for a liberty port visit Tuesday . The Lincoln and crew Jong Un ordered the drill during an inspec- first transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on Nov. 19 after operating in the Arabian Sea since May. tion of a military unit on Changrin islet, which is just north of the disputed maritime border off the peninsula’s western coast. State-run media didn’t give a date for the Lincoln makes port call in Bahrain drill. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it oc- curred Saturday, which also was the ninth BY JOSHUA KARSTEN Fleet officials told USNI News last week. The USS Boxer was the last large ship anniversary of a deadly attack by the North. Stars and Stripes The officials confirmed the Lincoln will to visit Bahrain, with a crew of more than On Nov. 23, 2010, North Korea shelled the remain on station until Truman can re- 2,000 sailors and Marines. The July tran- South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, killing MANAMA, Bahrain — The roughly place it. sit made headlines after crew members 5,000 crew members of the USS Abraham four people. The Lincoln “continues to provide pres- downed a drone, which U.S. officials said Seoul made Lincoln arrived at the U.S. naval base in ence in support of regional maritime secu- was Iranian. The pact included Bahrain on Tuesday after spending more clear in its pro- rity,” 5th Fleet spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Pete Weeks beforehand, Iranian forces shot than six months in the Arabian Sea on a measures aimed test messages Pagano said in an email Thursday.