GAMES: Toads, jokes abound NFL in Paper Mario Page 22 League deploying multiple defenses TV: Reality dating shows to virus-proof its through the years Page 30 facilities, camps MUSIC: Luke Bryan keeps Back page shaking up country Page 34 stripes.com Volume 79, No. 85 ©SS 2020 FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020 $1.00 VIRUS OUTBREAK US jobless claims drop under 1M but remain high BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press WASHINGTON — The num- ber of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago, yet it remains at a high level. The pandemic keeps forcing layoffs just as the expi- ration of a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the hardships for many. The number of weekly appli- cations declined to 963,000, the second straight drop, from 1.2 million the previous week, the Labor Department said Thurs- day. The decline signaled that layoffs are slowing, although the latest figure far exceeds the pre- pandemic weekly record of just under 700,000. The pandemic, the shutdowns that are meant to fight it and the reluctance or inability of many Selective services people to shop, travel or eat out continue to weaken the economy and force companies to cut staff. Twenty-three states have paused or reversed their business re- openings. In a hopeful sign, the Differing values dictate how each branch promotes top officers, study finds rate of new confirmed viral cases has declined in the past couple BY NANCY MONTGOMERY similar backgrounds and experiences, the fluenced by an officer’s reputation among of weeks, though it remains far Stars and Stripes Rand Corp. study titled “Raise the Flag” Army senior leaders.” above the rates that prevailed That encourages promotion of an of- during May and June. found. arines tend to value discipline ficer that will be “an excellent planner of Fewer people are continuing to But each of the armed services trains over risk-tasking for their one- military operations but might not be highly receive state jobless aid. That fig- and promotes its top officers differently by star candidates, while the Navy adaptable and creative, particularly when ure dropped to 15.5 million from prizes technical expertise and rewarding different qualities, the study re- 16.1 million the previous week, M leased Monday said. facing challenges for which doctrine does relations with peers hold greater sway in not exist,” the study said. reflecting that some employers In the Army, where generals tend to come the Army, a Defense Department-commis- They might also be less likely to share in- are hiring or re-hiring. from infantry and armor branches, the ca- sioned report found. novative or controversial ideas to avoid poor reer path tends to be “tactically focused, SEE JOBLESS ON PAGE 9 General and flag officers in each service performance evaluations, the report found. all had some things in common — stellar command-centric, doctrine based, and, 963,000 evaluations, successful command tours, and especially for O-7 promotion decisions, in- SEE SELECTIVE ON PAGE 6 A flight cap with brigadier general rank rests on a desk during a promotion ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., on June 8. Number of claims for unemployment A recent Rand Corp. study said the armed services train and promote their flag officers in different ways. aid in the U.S. last week, down BLAKE WILES/U.S. Air Force from 1.2 million the previous week. PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, August 14, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EUROPE GAS PRICES EXCHANGE RATES Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9090 Germany $2.429 $2.841 $3.089 $2.691 Azores -- -- $3.080 -- Euro costs (Aug. 14) ............................. $1.16 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.04 Change in price -1.0 cents -0.9 cents -0.8 cents +0.4 cents Change in price -- -- -0.8 cents -- Dollar buys (Aug. 14) ........................€0.8231 Turkey (Lira) .........................................7.3272 British pound (Aug. 14) ....................... $1.28 Netherlands -- $3.622 $3.845 $3.654 Belgium -- $2.258 $2.531 $2.341 (Military exchange rates are those Japanese yen (Aug. 14) .....................104.00 Change in price -- +0.1 cents +0.2 cents +0.2 cents Change in price -- No change No change No change available to customers at military banking South Korean won (Aug. 14) .........1,154.00 facilities in the country of issuance U.K. -- $2.751 $2.999 $2.601 Turkey -- -- $2.890 $2.492* Commercial rates for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Change in price -- -0.9 cents -0.8 cents +0.4 cents Change in price -- -- -0.8 cents +0.4 cents Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3770 Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.3115 nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3214 purchasing British pounds in Germany), China (Yuan) ........................................6.9433 check with your local military banking PACIFIC GAS PRICES Denmark (Krone) ................................6.2823 facility. Commercial rates are interbank Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.9252 rates provided for reference when buying Country Unleaded Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Euro ........................................$1.1856/0.8435 Japan -- $2.889 -- $2.489 South Korea $2.249 -- $2.909 $2.509 Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7503 currency. All figures are foreign currencies Change in price -- -1.0 cents -- No change Change in price -1.0 cents -- No change +1.0 cents Hungary (Forint) .................................291.25 to one dollar, except for the British pound, Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.4031 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, Okinawa $2.229 -- -- $2.489 Guam $2.239** $2.649 $2.899 -- and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) Change in price -1.0 cents -- -- No change Change in price -1.0 cents -1.0 cents -1.0 cents -- Japan (Yen) ...........................................106.85 Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3058 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...................................8.8674 Philippines (Peso).................................48.79 Prime rate ................................................3.25 Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.71 Discount rate ..........................................0.35 * Diesel EFD ** Midgrade Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7502 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 For the week of Aug. 14-20 Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3712 3-month bill ............................................. 0.10 South Korea (Won) ..........................1,184.12 30-year bond ...........................................1.36 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 80/70 Kabul 97/64 Seoul 80/75 Baghdad 108/80 Kandahar 106/77 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 80/77 90/77 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 75/63 79/60 84/76 Iwakuni 84/79 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 95/91 Brussels 81/67 Guam 108/91 73/67 Ramstein 86/79 83/80 Lajes, 75/68 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 106/81 105/86 72/69 74/63 80/68 Aviano/ Vicenza 79/67 Naples 87/71 Okinawa Morón 84/81 94/58 Sigonella Rota 100/77 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 101/86 78/68 81/75 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 16 Classified ......................... 41 Comics ..................38, 42-43 Crossword .............38, 42-43 Faces ............................... 39 Opinion ............................40 Sports ......................... 47-56 Weekend ..................... 17-38 Friday, August 14, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY Rape tweet prompts a visit from Air Force BY STEVE BEYNON Force has no records, there is no always notify the sexual assault Stars and Stripes evidence of the rape and the chain response team prior to making of command would not have that that first contact,” she said. “I WASHINGTON — A former stain on its record. do know speaking out about this airman and veterans advocate OSI did not respond to questions may stop them from behaving … says two military investigators on why military officials were in this manner again.” showed up at her Indiana home acting on Wilken’s tweet and why The Air Force investigators unannounced Monday after she investigators went to her home as drove more than two hours from recently tweeted about her rape, the first means of contact. Stars Grissom Air Reserve Base in In- which happened more than two and Stripes contacted one of the diana. She said she was not told decades ago. investigators that Wilken said which specific tweet spurred the “Just cold-calling a rape sur- came to her home, but he said visit. vivor, it’s totally fallible,” Lisa military rules forbid him to com- On July 9, she tweeted a news Wilken said. “… It almost felt like ment on a sensitive investigation. story about Spc. Vanessa Guillen’s an intimidation tactic.” Wilken said victims of sexual slaying, and how the tragic event Wilken, 49, served in the Air crimes can feel liberated talk- spurred women across the mili- Force between 1994 and 1996. ing about their attacks on social tary to share their stories of rape, She is the chairwoman of AM- media. If survivors believe the sexual assault and harassment.