Volume 10, No. 14 ©SS 2018
FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2018
Lady Lex, 1st US carrier sunk in WWII, found near Australia Page 2
Wreckage from the USS Lexington is shown in an image captured by research vessel Petrel. The aircraft carrier was found in the Coral Sea 76 years after it was sunk during World War II. Courtesy of Paul G. Allen
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1st aircraft carrier sunk in WWII found off Australian coast BY WYATT OLSON Stars and Stripes
Searchers have found the wreckage of the USS Lexington, the aircraft carrier sunk 76 years ago near Australia during the world’s first carrier-versus-carrier battle. The Lexington was critically damaged by Japanese forces during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 8, 1942, and the U.S. Navy was forced to scuttle it. The ship’s wreck was located March 4 by the research vessel Petrel, which is owned by billionaire explorer Paul Allen. The wreck rested about 500 miles off the eastern coast of Australia and about 2 miles below the water’s surface. Images released by the searchers show a wreck with stunningly intact features, including a 5-inch gun with the rifling still visible inside the barrel. The ship’s name remains visible on several areas, and an intact fighter plane is still emblazoned with U.S. star emblems. “Lexington was on our priority list because she was one of the capital ships that was lost during WWII,” Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Allen, said in a statement. “Based on geography, time of year and other factors, I work with Paul Allen to determine what missions to pursue. We’ve been planning to locate the Lexington for about six months, and it came together nicely.” Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, whose father served on the Lexington and survived the attack, heralded the find. “As the son of a survivor of the USS Lexington, I offer my congratulations to Paul Allen and the expedition crew of
To view more photos and video of the Lexington site, go to: stripes.com/go/lexington
Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel for locating the ‘Lady Lex,’ sunk nearly 76 years ago at the Battle of Coral Sea,” Harris said in a statement issued from Australia, where he was meeting with that country’s military leaders. “Our Navy’s strength comes from those who have gone before,” he said. “This is our heritage. Our Navy’s strength comes from those who serve now.” After a series of initial successes in the Pacific — including the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 — Imperial Japan experienced its first military setback during the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Lexington, launched in 1925 as one of America’s first carriers, went down with 35 aircraft aboard, and 216 crewmembers died in the battle. The Lexington and the USS Yorktown faced three Japanese carriers during the Battle of the Coral Sea, which spanned May 4-8. The Lexington was hit by multiple torpedoes and bombs during the final day of the battle. Uncontrollable fire on the ship forced the crew to abandon it. The USS Phelps sank the hobbled Lexington with torpedoes, giving it the dubious distinction of being the first aircraft carrier to sink during
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Crewmembers abandon the USS Lexington as the aircraft carrier sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942 during World War II.
Courtesy of Paul G. Allen
An intact fighter plane is still emblazoned with U.S. star emblems at the wreckage site. wartime. The Lexington’s remaining 2,770 crewmembers were shuttled onto other nearby ships in the U.S. fleet. The United States also lost the USS Sims and USS Neosho in the battle, with the USS
Yorktown sustaining heavy damage. The Japanese lost one light carrier, the Shoho, and one of its fleet carriers was heavily damaged. The Battle of the Coral Sea marked a new era of Navy
‘ Our Navy’s strength comes from those who have gone
before. This is our heritage. Our Navy’s strength comes from those who serve now.
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Adm. Harry Harris commander, U.S. Pacific Command, and son of Lexington attack survivor
warfare, where battles would often be fought between carrier-launched planes, with ships never even coming within sight of each other. Along with the Battle of Midway a month later, the Battle of the Coral Sea ended Japan’s advance in the Pacific. Since deploying in 2017, the Petrel has made several discoveries of military ships in the Philippine Sea, including wreckage from the USS Ward, which fired the first shot of World War II at Pearl Harbor. olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson
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Marines deploy F-35B fighters on ship in Pacific for 1st time BY WYATT OLSON Stars and Stripes
The Marine Corps deployed its most advanced, multirole strike fighter aboard a Navy ship for the first time in the Pacific. A detachment of F-35B Lightning IIs with Fighter Attack Squadron 121 — based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan — landed aboard the amphibious-assault ship USS Wasp on March 4 and March 5. The Navy, which did not disclose the location of the Wasp or the number of F-35B fighters landing on it, touted the event as a new era of “upgunned” air-sea capability. “Pairing F-35B Lightning IIs with the Wasp represents one of the most significant leaps in warfighting capability for the Navy-Marine Corps team in our lifetime,” Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, Task Force 76 commander, said in a Navy statement. “This 5th-generation stealth jet is extremely versatile and will greatly enhance and expand our operational capabilities.” The F-35Bs — capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings — are under the
To view video of this ‘historic deployment,’ go to: stripes.com/go/wasp
Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the only forward-deployed MEU in the region, the Navy said. “This is a historic deployment,” Col. Tye Wallace, 31st MEU commander, said in the statement. “The F-35B is the most capable aircraft ever to support a Marine rifleman on the ground.” The stealth fighters are intended to both make precision strikes inland and to support Marines inserting ashore, the Navy said. They will also provide air defense for the strike group. The pilots of the fighter attack squadron are scheduled to conduct a series of qualification flights on the Wasp, the Navy said. After those qualifications, the F-35Bs and about 2,300 Marines from the 31st MEU will deploy aboard ships of the Wasp strike group for operations in the Indo-Pacific region, the Navy said. The F-35B further advances the Pacific Fleet’s goal of an up-gunned expeditionary strike group, which aims to
provide lethality and survivability to the traditional threeship amphibious ready group, the Navy said. It does that by pairing troop-carrying amphibious ships with surface vessels, such as guided-missile destroyers. The strike group is intended to effectively defend against undersea, surface and air threats, with firepower still available for an offensive strike from sea, the Navy said. The beefed-up capabilities are in part a response to the growing military dominance by China in the South China Sea, where it has built artificial islands and constructed facilities that could be used by the military, particularly by fighter jets. The arrival of the F-35B culminates testing and shipboard structural modifications on the Wasp that began in 2013, the Navy said. The ship completed an overhaul last year and March 3 departed Sasebo, Japan, where it is forward-deployed. Scheduled to support the strike group’s operations are the guided-missile destroyers USS Dewey and USS Sterett, which both carry helicopter strike squadrons.
MICHAEL MOLINA /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
AN F-35B LIGHTNING II W ITH MARINE FIGHTE R ATTACK SQUADRON 121 TOUCHE S DOW N ON THE USS WASP AS A SE COND F-35B M AKE S ITS AP P ROACH MARCH 3. “With the specific upgrades Wasp has received, the Navy Marine Corps team in the Pacific is better positioned than ever before to support our commitment to the secu-
rity of Japan and the region,” Wasp commander Capt. Colby Howard said in the Navy statement. olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson
US, Japanese sailors take part in MultiSail drills off Guam BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS Stars and Stripes
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — American and Japanese sailors are taking part in realistic drills off Guam that aim to improve their combat abilities on land, in the air and at sea. This year’s MultiSail, which ended Wednesday, focused on tracking and defeating submarines, surface warfare and live-fire drills, Capt. John Duffy, Destroyer Squadron 15 commander, said in a Navy statement. The USS Antietam, USS Curtis Wilbur, USS Benfold, USS Mustin and the JS Fuyuzuki, along with other submarine and special units, took part
in the realistic training. It’s designed to “demonstrate the inherent flexibility” of the combined forces and their “wide range of capabilities” from maritime security operations to complex antisubmarine and air-defense drills, the statement said. Duffy said the practice helps boost the countries’ abilities to work together, especially in conflict situations. “We have designed MultiSail to exercise how we detect, locate, track and engage simulated units at sea, in the air, on land and underwater with our Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force allies to help us increase our interoperability in a range of mission areas,” he said. Tokyo protested to Beijing in January
after a submarine presumed to be Chinese was detected in Japan’s contiguous zone around Okinawa and the disputed Senkaku Islands. Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama expressed “great concern” over the issue and urged China not to do it again. A JMSDF spokesman said MultiSail 2018’s focus on submarines is a “great opportunity for Japan and the U.S. to practice cooperating in anti-submarine warfare,” but they do not conduct exercises with a particular country in mind. Rather, MultiSail readies them to be able to respond to any circumstance. “We have been taking all possible measures by conducting monitoring and information gathering activities at
all times,” the spokesman said. Cmdr. Kazuteru Hirano, of the JS Fuyuzuki, said the exercise gives the JMSDF an opportunity to increase its tactical capabilities and “strengthen our interoperability with our U.S. Navy allies.” “The Japan-U.S. alliance is stronger than it has ever been, and it is growing stronger,” he said. MultiSail began in 2004 as a predeployment training operation but has grown into a “bilateral exercise testing some of the latest equipment, tactics and procedures,” the Navy said. Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this story doornbos.caitlin@stripes.com Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos
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US aircraft carrier in Vietnam for historic port visit BY T YLER HLAVAC Stars and Stripes
The USS Carl Vinson pulled into Danang Bay on March 5, becoming the first American aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam since the war there ended more than four decades ago. The four-day port call — which U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Dan Kritenbrink called an “enormously significant milestone” that shows “U.S. support for a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam” — included more than 5,000 sailors from the Carl Vinson, the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain and the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer. Servicemembers participated in cultural and professional exchanges during community service projects, sports competitions and receptions, a Navy statement said. The 7th Fleet band performed free concerts. Sailors also visited a center for victims of Agent Orange, a defoliant used by the U.S. military during the war. The chemical has caused major health problems for many individuals who were exposed. “Through hard work, mutual respect, and by continuing to address the past while we work toward a better future, we have gone from former enemies to close partners,” Kritenbrink said in the Navy statement. The U.S. normalized relations with Vietnam in 1995 and lifted an arms embargo in 2016, and the two former adversaries steadily have improved bilateral relations in all areas, including trade, investment and security. The Navy now makes regular, smallscale visits to Vietnam that the service calls “Naval Engagement Activities.” Those events usually involve subjectmatter exchanges in topics such as diving, salvage, undersea medicine and medical evacuations. The service also has used Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay to conduct maintenance on its ships. The hospital ship USNS Mercy is slated to stop in Vietnam in the coming months as part of the annual Pacific Partnership exercise, which focuses on humanitarian assistance and disasterrelief preparedness. “Our nations’ relationship has reached new heights the past few years, and USS Carl Vinson’s port visit to Vietnam is a reflection of that,” Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Scott Swift said in the statement. “I am confident that engagements like this will further expand the comprehensive partnership between the United States and Vietnam.” The visit came as tensions continue
TRAN VAN MINH /AP
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is anchored March 5 at Tien Sa Port in Danang, Vietnam. to simmer in the South China Sea, where more than $5 trillion in global trade transits annually. Vietnam challenges China’s territorial claims in the sea, where Beijing has built up and militarized artificial islands that its neighbors depend on for fishing and commerce. The former Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau was transferred to Vietnam last year, becoming the largest ship in the nation’s fleet. “We recognize that relationships never stay the same. They either get stronger or they get weaker, and America wants a stronger relationship with a stronger Vietnam,” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told his Vietnamese counterpart, Ngo Xuan Lich, during a visit to Southeast Asia earlier this year. Separately from the recent mission, U.S. officials have said American warships would continue sailing without prior notice close to the China-occupied islands and atolls, an aggressive way of signaling to Beijing that it does not recognize its sovereignty over
those areas. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters recently that China hopes the “exchanges between [the U.S. and Vietnam] would contribute to regional peace and stability in a positive and constructive way, instead of adding any unsettling factors.” Danang, which was a major U.S. military base during the war, is now Vietnam’s third-largest city and is in the midst of a construction boom as dozens of resorts and hotels pop up along its scenic coastline. Several Danang residents said that they welcomed the Navy’s visit. “During the war, I was scared when I saw American soldiers,” said Tran Thi Luyen, 55, who runs a small coffee shop in the city. “Now the aircraft carrier comes with a (completely) different mission, a mission of peace and promoting economic and military cooperation between the two countries.” Huynh Quang Nguyen, a taxi driver, echoed the sentiment.
“I’m very happy and excited with the carrier’s visit,” he said. “Increased cooperation between the two countries in economic, diplomatic and military areas would serve as a counterbalance to Beijing’s expansionism.” The Carl Vison, which is assigned to the Navy’s 3rd Fleet, has been patrolling the western Pacific after leaving its homeport of San Diego in January. Its strike group deployed to the region under the Third Fleet Forward initiative, which allows ships to remain in the 3rd Fleet chain of command while operating in 7th Fleet waters. The Carl Vinson is filling in for the Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan, the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. The Ronald Reagan began its Selected Restricted Availability maintenance period in January at Yokosuka Naval Base after completing its fall patrol late last year. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. hlavac.tyler@stripes.com
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to be daring, timing is everything.
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Singapore says McCain port turn led to collision BY DIANNA CAHN Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — A deadly collision between the U.S. Navy destroyer USS John S. McCain and a commercial oil tanker in the Singapore Strait in August was caused by a sudden turn to port by the McCain that sent it into the path of the tanker, an investigation by the Singapore government has found. Once that turn was made, the Alnic tanker did not take adequate steps to avoid the collision, said a report released March 7 by the Singapore Transportation Ministry’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. Ten U.S. sailors on board the McCain were killed in the collision. The Singapore investigation said that the McCain’s “sudden turn to Port was due to a series of missteps that took place after a transfer of propulsion and steering con-
trol, which led to confusion as to which station had steering control, and an unintentional reduction of the Port engine throttle.” That reduction increased the rate of the McCain’s turn, the investigation found. It also found that the McCain crew “lacked the requisite” training or familiarity with the steering control system to properly handle the transfer of propulsion and steering control. The Singapore findings aligned with those of a Navy investigation in October that revealed a loss of “situation awareness” at the McCain controls ahead of the collision. That occurred when the commander noticed that the watchstander steering the ship was “having difficulty maintaining course while also adjusting the throttles for speed control” so he divided the duties with another sailor, ultimately leading to confusion on the bridge, the Navy report found.
A ARON VAN D RIESSCHE /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
The USS John S. McCain departs Subic Bay, Philippines, aboard the heavy lift transport vessel MV Treasure on Nov. 28. Meanwhile, the Singapore report found that the Alnic’s bridge team did not respond adequately. The collision happened three minutes later. “It presumed the [McCain] would be able to safely pass ahead,” the report said. The Alnic, which had three men on the bridge at the time of the collision, did meet the five-man requirement for transit through the Singapore Strait, the report found. The Aug. 21 crash was the second major deadly colli-
sion of a U.S. Navy ship in the Pacific last year. Two months earlier, the USS Fitzgerald and a civilian merchant ship collided near Yokosuka, Japan, killing seven sailors. Navy investigations found that the collisions were “avoidable” and caused by failures in planning, training, procedures and operations. Part of that, the Navy found, was caused by the intense operational pace the fleet has maintained in recent years. In the wake of the collisions,
the Navy instituted reforms to shore up training and alertness at sea. The collisions also led to the removal and disciplinary punishments of several highprofile Pacific fleet and ships officers. The commanders of both Navy ships were relieved of their commands and will face Article 32 hearings to determine whether they should be court-martialed. cahn.dianna@stripes.com Twitter: @DiannaCahn
Pentagon OKs danger pay for Niger, Mali, Cameroon BY JOHN VANDIVER Stars and Stripes
STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. forces deployed to Niger, Mali and Cameroon will now receive imminent danger pay, which will be awarded retroactively to some troops who operated in those countries, according to a Defense Department memorandum. The decision to grant danger pay comes five months after an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger that killed four U.S. soldiers. For troops, it means up to $225 more each month in pay, according to the memo dated March 5. There are about 800 military per-
sonnel deployed to Niger, which hosts the largest number of U.S. forces in western Africa. Cameroon has about 49 military personnel deployed there and Mali has about 16, according to data released in late 2017 by the Defense Department. The lack of danger pay emerged recently during a congressional hearing on U.S. Africa Command’s mission. Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, who leads AFRICOM, told lawmakers March 6 that his troops were not getting the extra pay because his command was awaiting a decision from the Pentagon on their request for the stipend. The additional money also will be
paid retroactively, from June 2017, the memorandum states. It was unclear March 8 why troops in Niger and Mali, countries where terrorist groups have active insurgencies, were not getting the extra pay already. Separate from imminent danger pay, servicemembers involved in a hostile fire incident will receive hostile fire pay for the month in which the incident occurred, said Maj. Carla Gleason, a Defense Department spokesman. “The Army posthumously authorized hostile fire pay for the four soldiers killed in October 2017,” she said in a statement. Any hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay owed a servicemember at
his or her death will be included in the final settlement paid to survivors, the military said. “This would apply to payments of the survivors of the four soldiers killed in Niger,” Gleason said. Killed in the October ambush in Niger were Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Sgt. La David T. Johnson. AFRICOM recently completed an investigation into the ambush, which is now being reviewed by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. vandiver.john@stripes.com Twitter: @john_vandiver
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35th Signal Brigade Soldiers support Roving Sands by Victor Everhart Jr. | 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade
FORT BLISS, Texas – Soldiers with the 51st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 35th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade, based out of Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washinton, are participating in Exercise Roving Sands taking place from February to March at Fort Bliss, Texas. Soldiers prepare for the exercise by deploying signal communication terminals in the battalion motor pool to ensure all the equipment is working. Roving Sands is a three-week long joint air training exercise that involves 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command units and coalition forces to practice joint air defense interoperability and incorporate lessons learned. Roving Sands was an exercise from 1989 to 2005 and has since resumed in 2018 as the world’s largest air and missile defense exercise. The exercise focuses on joint theater air and missile defense and joint tactical air operations while integrating Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps command and control nodes and associated air and missile defense systems. Roving Sands involves a large contingent of the 51st ESB. Secure and non-secure internet protocol network access points, Joint Network Nodes, and Single Shelter Switches are being tested as operators secure connections with the regional hub node to make ready for the coming exercise. The total force committed by the 51st ESB to Roving Sands includes 145 Soldiers and 112 pieces of rolling stock. This accounts for two thirds of the battalion, making this support request the largest the 51st ESB has conducted in history. The size of the exercise allows leaders of the 51st ESB to practice large scale deployment operations. The rolling stock and signal communications equipment were transported by air and rail from JBLM to Fort Bliss requiring each piece to pass inspections and weigh-ins. “Roving Sands is a good opportunity to test the expeditionary capacity of the battalion to deploy in support of other exercises,” said Maj. Jeremey J. Fox, 51st ESB executive officer. “Coming from Washington all the way to Texas, it’s a great exercise for our companylevel leaders – especially the company Elements of 3-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bliss, Texas, executive officers and platoon leaders to plan are in place and ready to provide coverage. The Soldiers continue to work and train. a deployment of troops and equipment.”
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Tips for having a ball at the military ball by Laura Levering | Fort Gordon Public Affairs Office
FORT GORDON, Ga. – Military ball season is upon Fort Gordon. If you have never attended a military ball, you probably have a lot of questions like what to wear, what is proper protocol, and what to expect. If you have attended more military balls than you can remember, it might be helpful to review topics such as proper etiquette. Bernadette White, Mobilization and Deployment Specialist, Army Community Service, said that military balls are centered on celebration and tradition. “It really is to recognize the branch and to continue to celebrate those traditions that we have,” White said. “It is a celebration.” For many attending a ball, the biggest concern comes long before the celebration. It is the question of “what do I wear?” Military balls are considered formal white tie events, which means the Servicemember will wear his or her dress uniform with bow tie. Male civilian guests should wear a tuxedo. For females, a long dress is appropriate. A fancy short dress, cocktail dress, and evening trousers with a dressy top are also options. Ann Morrison, wife of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon commanding general, said to choose something respectful and that you will be comfortable in. “There are lots of ‘don’ts out there online; you don’t want to be on those sites the next morning,” Morrison said. “And now with social media, those pictures that a few years ago were only printed out now live on in cyberspace.” On the day of the ball, give yourself ample time to get ready and arrive on time. Before the formal portion of the ball begins, guests are expected to go through a receiving line. This is an opportunity for you to be introduced to the event’s honored guests such as the hosting unit’s commander and higher ranking officials, along with their spouse. As couples join the line, the male should stand on the side closest to the receiving line. The first person in the receiving line is not actually part of the line, but rather the “announcer.” The announcer is there to hear your name and introduce you to the first person in the receiving line. Do not shake the announcer’s hand. Once your name is given, ladies should step ahead of the man and go into a single line. Once through the receiving line, mingle with others, find your table and seat, and get in line to have your professional photo taken. Guests should not take their seats until the formal portion of the ball begins, at which time there will be an announcement. From that point, listen and follow any instructions carefully. Much of the military ball is centered on tradition, so observe what others are doing if you are uncertain of proper protocol. “Take a look at the senior spouses around the tables,” White said. “One day you might be that senior spouse that someone’s looking to for clues and pointers for what to do and what not to do.”
“If you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world, so don’t be stressed out,” said Tina Chu, wife of the 706th Military Intelligence Group commander. Most military balls have a program, so that will also be helpful in letting know guests what to expect. Keep in mind that even the most seasoned spouses had questions at some point in their spouse’s career and had to begin somewhere. “For instance, I learned to ‘follow the American flag’ with my eyes and body when the color guard enters and exits the ballroom by following the example of others around me at a ball many years ago,” Morrison said. The formal portion of the ball will wrap up after dinner, and the dance floor will open up. Feel free to join others in having fun on the dancefloor, but be mindful that it is a work event. “There are great stories and pictures that come out of going to balls and fun times out on the dance floor,” Morrison said. “Remember it’s a work event for your Soldier though … respect your spouse, respect the event, and respect yourself.” If you are planning to attend your first military ball, Morrison suggests reaching out to ACS and ask other spouses who have experience with military balls for advice. “Bernadette White has developed a great set of resources she’s uploaded on the Fort Gordon Mobilization Deployment & SSO Program Facebook page, including military ball etiquette,” Morrison said. “Many of the things you’ll learn on the Facebook page or on websites pertain to formal functions in the civilian world also, such as table place settings.”
Free Dresses! The Military Intelligence Corps Association is sponsoring “Operation Take a Dress for Free” today from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fort Gordon Christmas House, Building 39109 (located behind the Main Exchange). If you are going to a military ball or high school prom, you are invited to pick out a dress for free. Dresses are available on first come, first serve, so arrive early. This event is a continuation of “Operation Donate a Dress.” “These are very nice dresses,” said Tina Chu, military spouse. “They are not old hand-medowns.”
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Legionella bacteria found in Baumholder housing BY WILL MORRIS Stars and Stripes
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — At least 20 buildings in Baumholder, including two family housing units and six barracks, had to be decontaminated after officials found high levels of the waterborne bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. Although base doctors say that no one at the base has tested positive for Legionnaires’, a severe type of pneumonia, the potential for illness has forced soldiers to leave their barracks to shower and has left base residents concerned for their safety. The disease is characterized by flu-like symptoms that appear within 10 days of exposure to the bacteria by inhaling water vapor. Severe cases lead to hospitalization, and 10 percent of cases end in death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Army officials outlined the risks the bacteria pose to the public and the efforts to decontaminate the buildings March 7 at Baumholder’s Wagon Wheel Theater. Workers are doing everything neces-
WILL MORRIS/Stars and Stripes
Tap water from a unit at Wenzel Housing, Baumholder, tested positive for Legionella bacteria. sary to protect the health of everyone living on the base, said Col. Keith Igyarto, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz. The Army tested 124 buildings in the Baumholder military community for Legionella bacteria in February to comply with German requirements. Twenty buildings had levels high
enough to require decontamination, though six buildings were unoccupied. Ninety buildings were not contaminated or had contamination levels so low they required no action. The rest tested inconclusively and will have to be retested. Water with the bacteria is considered safe to drink. But showering in water with high levels of Legionella bacteria is considered risky. After discovery of the bacteria in five buildings in Baumholder’s Smith Barracks, soldiers living in buildings 8211, 8225, 8226, 8234 and 8235 were instructed to shower at the base’s athletic facilities. Residents in one contaminated family housing unit, building 8024, were given keys to other buildings for showering. Families were also allowed to stay at a hotel at government expense during the cleaning process. Cleaning involves flushing out pipes with water heated between 150 and 158 degrees Fahrenheit. Filters have also been placed on showers to strain out the bacteria if it returns. The base is now awaiting test results for final confirmation the
bacteria were eliminated. The disease was identified in 1976 when 130 people were hospitalized and 25 died after attending an American Legion conference in Philadelphia. Legionella bacteria was discovered in the hotel’s air conditioning system. In most instances, the contaminated buildings at Baumholder were cleaned within the week of March 5. The cleaning procedure left some residents worried about further contamination and led to an outpouring of dissatisfied comments on social media. Residents of family housing units posted photos they said were of water that came out of the tap brown after the cleaning process. Army officials said the water may be unsightly but it is safe, and the color should disappear after leaving the tap running. Lisa Smith, an Army wife in living in one of the buildings that tested positive for the bacteria, said she believes the danger is being downplayed. “They are doing a hard sell to show it is safe,” she said. morris.william@stripes.com Twitter: @willatstripes
EUCOM chief concerned by Russian moves in the Balkans BY JOHN VANDIVER Stars and Stripes
The top U.S. military commander in Europe said Thursday that he is worried about the potential for new unrest in the Balkans, where there are signs that Russia is stepping up influence operations as the U.S. has lost focus on the region. “The area I am concerned about today is the Balkans, actually,” U.S. European Command’s Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said. “Russia is at work in the Balkans and we have kind of taken our eye off the area.” Scaparrotti, who testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Russia is posing challenges in several regions. Areas of intense focus for the U.S. and NATO in recent years include the Baltics and Poland, where NATO has deployed more forces in its largest reinforcement since
‘ Russia is at work in the
Balkans and we have kind of taken our eye off the area.
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the end of the Cold War. In the Arctic, Russia is building up and could be in a positon to control northern sea transit lanes in a matter of three years, Scaparrotti said. “We are not keeping pace,” Scaparrotti said. Meanwhile, Scaparrotti said the Balkans have been a tinderbox since the wars that followed the breakup of the Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. NATO still has peacekeepers in Kosovo, where they have operated since NATO’s
Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti U.S. European Command
1999 bombing campaign that forced the withdrawal of Serbian troops. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, but tensions persist because Belgrade has refused to recognize it. In recent years, Moscow has made a concerted effort to boost its influence in the Balkans, primarily by using Serbia and the Serb entity in neighboring Bosnia, which share religious and historical ties with Russia, as a foothold. Moscow has sought to
prevent other Balkan nations from joining NATO and the European Union, and was accused of trying to foment a coup in tiny Montenegro last year when it became part of the western military alliance. Scaparrotti said he is concerned Russia seeks to stoke unrest across the Balkans through misinformation campaigns directed at local populations. “That is an area we could have problems with in the future,” Scaparrotti said. For the U.S. military in Europe, countering Russia has largely centered on beefing up its conventional forces to deter potential aggression. The Pentagon plans to spend $6.5 billion in 2019 to enhance operations in Europe, nearly $2 billion more than the previous year. Scaparrotti said another challenge is countering Russia in areas short of conventional
conflict, such as cyberattacks and information operations that seek to undermine U.S. and NATO. EUCOM is also working to build up its own cybercapabilities, Scaparrotti said. “Russia is carrying out a campaign of destabilization to change the international order, fracture NATO and undermine U.S. leadership around the world,” Scaparrotti said. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, echoed those concerns in written testimony read to Scaparrotti. “The United States faces a new strategic reality in Europe … We must be prepared to face the world as it is, not as we wish it to be,” McCain wrote. vandiver.john@stripes.com Twitter: @john_vandiver
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MILITARY
Data raise questions about US efforts in counterterrorism BY CHAD GARLAND Stars and Stripes
KABUL, Afghanistan — Data the Pentagon issued last year to spotlight the success of operations against militant groups in Afghanistan were inaccurate, raising questions about the real progress of the secretive counterterrorism campaign being conducted by the U.S. and Afghan military. Key figures in the by-thenumbers look at U.S. and Afghan counterterrorism missions in the second half of 2017, which have been published by prominent news outlets, were wrong, defense officials confirmed after Stars and Stripes pointed out discrepancies. The incorrect data — including a breakdown of independent and joint raids and a body count of enemy fighters — were released in an unclassified December report to Congress titled “Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan.” A corrected report was quietly issued in late January, though it also appeared to include errors, such as missing or conflicting data. Weeks later, the cause of the mistakes remains unclear — at least some could be the result of editing mistakes — but the episode highlights increasing difficulties in obtaining data about U.S. and Afghan operations, even from records meant to hold the military accountable to the 16-year war’s congressional overseers. “There are no precise numbers in Afghanistan,” said Jonathan Schroden, a researcher at CNA in Arlington, Va., and director of the nonprofit research organization’s special operations program. “It’s the nature of what you’re dealing with over there.” Schroden has crunched Afghanistan numbers for years.
For a breakdown of the numbers, go to www.stripes.com/go/addup
In this case, he said, the information may be off because the Pentagon relied on “notoriously inaccurate, delayed, miscategorized, mislabeled” Afghan military reports. “Trying to make sense of all that is a very challenging prospect.” Lt. Col. Kone Faulkner, a military spokesman in Kabul, acknowledged that something was “lost in translation” when raw figures were formulated into a two-paragraph snapshot of the battle against terrorists. However, weeks after Stars and Stripes raised questions about the supposed fixes, officials in Washington have been slow to make further changes. The report’s two versions were on the Pentagon’s website March 6, and there appear to be no markings identifying the revised one. Only by delving into the data do the differences become apparent.
‘Significant growth’ The original data showed, for example, that despite years of close U.S. mentoring, Afghanistan’s most-elite units conducted missions on their own only about 17 percent of the time. The later version upped that share to 53 percent, suggesting a more capable force, but it, too, included contradictory numbers. The mix-up comes as the military withheld details in January’s quarterly Special Inspector General report on U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, such as security forces casualty and attrition data. Measures of insurgent-held territory were also redacted, though officials later said that was done in error. The U.S. commander in the country, U.S. Central Command’s top general and other defense officials signed off on
C ONNOR MENDEZ /Courtesy of the U.S. Army
Afghan commandos assigned to 1st Special Operations Kandak clear a training compound during breaching training in Laghman province, Afghanistan, on Feb. 13. the December report, which Congress has required twice a year since 2015. It provides detail on U.S. strategy, outlines threats and assesses the Kabul government’s security forces. A detailed summary of counterterrorism operations was added this time to highlight the recent operational success of Afghan special security forces — elite U.S.-trained army, police and air units — said Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman. They “demonstrated significant growth and increased capability (and) defeated the enemy during every one of their combat engagements,” he said. That was the “impetus” for expanding U.S. training and advising efforts, part of the Trump administration’s more aggressive regional strategy announced in August. But the original data understated the presumed success story of those special units, which the report said made up “a small fraction” of the country’s security forces but conducted the bulk of the offensive operations last year. Initially, data showed they operated on their own on just one in six missions between June and December. About
1,200 operations have been omitted, though, casting doubt on that ratio’s accuracy. The corrected report nearly tripled the number of independent Afghan operations. Despite that better ratio, the numbers mean that U.S. special operations troops were still assisting their most capable local partners on the battlefield nearly half the time. Most of the 14,000 Americans deployed here support NATO’s Resolute Support train, advise and assist mission, largely away from the battlefield. Under a separate counterterrorism mission, a special operations task force of about 2,000 troops trains the elite government forces and accompanies tactical-level units on “certain missions,” the report said. Officials believe it cements security gains and builds better partnerships, the report said. They believe similar methods soon to be adopted within the broader Resolute Support mission will “replicate our past success with the Afghan special forces.” Some observers doubt the long-term success of that approach, which will put advisers closer to fighting than most
have been in recent years. “All it’s doing is pushing American enablers forward,” said Jason Dempsey, an adjunct senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security in Washington. The former Army officer was doubtful it would do more than give a false picture of Afghan competence, while leaving them dependent on U.S. capabilities. Faulkner, the military spokesman in Kabul, said operational data such as those in the December report had not been collected during earlier periods, making it difficult to measure progress in weaning Afghans off U.S. assistance.
‘Not particularly illuminating’ The Pentagon’s later tweaks to the data, meanwhile, have introduced new errors and confusing gaps, making it hard to draw firm conclusions. It says U.S. special operations troops “advised or enabled” 2,450 Afghan ground operations, contradicting another line that says the Afghans conducted 1,301 of those 2,450 operations without SEE PAGE 14
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Friday,March March09, 16, 2018 Friday, 2018
MILITARY
F-35 program faces critical year of tests BY CLAUDIA GRISALES Stars and Stripes DOUGLAS ELLIS/Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force
Afghan 8th commandos clear compounds in Kapisa province, Afghanistan, on Feb. 17. The commandos continue to place military pressure on the Taliban across Afghanistan. FROM PAGE 12
help. That line also lists a lower number of ground operations without explaining the reason for conflicting tallies. In another case, counts are off by 400 operations in a line breaking down how many of the total ground raids and supporting U.S. strikes targeted each of four groups: an Islamic State affiliate, the Taliban, the Haqqani network — an especially brutal arm of the Taliban — and “other insurgent networks.” More than 20 such groups operate in the region. “The difference in the numbers is the fact that there are other enemy in Afghanistan besides (ISIS, the Taliban and the Haqqani network),” Andrews said of about 135 missing U.S. strikes. The list of ground operations was off by almost 280 from the total. “Within the operational reporting there are some missions that do not designate the (targeted) organization.” The report did have a category for “other” enemies but not one for unspecified targets. After several inquiries for more than a month, Andrews confirmed or clarified a few key figures in late February, including that the
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Afghans conducted 2,450 ground operations, fewer than half with the U.S. task force’s support. The task force also conducted about 560 precision strikes to support them. Pentagon officials have not said whether the report will be corrected again for clarity. Beyond being erroneous, the numbers don’t say much about progress in defeating the militant groups, analysts said. The data are not “particularly illuminating,” Schroden said. Both versions list 450 enemies killed and more than 300 captured but lack context, such as the size of the enemy force or its ability to regenerate after such losses. “I don’t think the numbers that they cite are any more useful than body counts were in Vietnam, for example,” he said. They’re “indicators of activity,” not measures of progress. Kill counts give the “illusion of success,” Dempsey said, but he wouldn’t discourage disclosure of those and the other numbers in the report. “The public deserves to know what’s being done in their name,” Dempsey said. garland.chad@stripes.com Twitter: @chadgarland
This publication is a compilation of stories from Stars and Stripes, the editorially independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military community. The contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Defense Department or the military services. The U.S. Edition of Stars and Stripes is published jointly by Stars and Stripes and this newspaper. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DOD or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
© Stars and Stripes, 2018
WASHINGTON — The F-35 program, the Pentagon’s most expensive weapon program ever, will face a series of critical tests this year. After 17 years of costly development and engineering efforts, the program will enter into an operational test period this fall. For the first time, the Marine Corps recently deployed a detachment of F-35B Lightning IIs aboard the USS Wasp, a Navy amphibious assault ship. “We are on track for another productive and challenging year,” Vice Adm. Mathias Winter, director of the F-35 joint program office, said March 7 during a congressional hearing. “It will be a year of growth and transition.” Last year, the Department of Defense requested 70 F-35s. Pending a request this year, the department aims to see an additional 77 of the fighter jets. By 2023, the services are planning to see the addition of 99 F-35s each year. The F-35 will complete its baseline development program by May of this year and then enter an operational test period phase in September, said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. This comes after the F-35 program completed developmental weapons testing, and the deliveries of F-35s to U.S. and foreign military services. “Last year marked several notable accomplishments for the F-35 program,” said Turner, chairman of the
House Armed Services subpanel on tactical air and land forces. “But the F-35 program continues to face challenges ahead.” The program, which has been marked by extreme cost overruns, a series of restructuring efforts and audits to draw down spending, has finally seen procurement costs for F-35s steadily declining in recent years, he said. In 2017, Turner’s subcommittee included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that requires the Government Accountability Office to review the F-35 program’s continued costs and provide recommendations to address affordability issues. A GAO report in September noted the F-35 program is facing challenges involving repairs, shortages of spare parts and delays in development of a related computer and network-based Autonomic Logistics Information System, also known as ALIS, Turner said. “The F-35 is DOD’s most expensive weapon system, with estimated sustainment costs of about $1 trillion,” the GAO report stated. “With the military services planning for the ability to deploy and maintain the F-35 within four years, DOD is working to develop a sustainment strategy that will be both affordable and executable for the program’s life cycle.” In the past months, the F-35 program has made strides addressing the concerns, but much work lies ahead, military leaders and lawmakers agreed recently. grisales.claudia@stripes.com Twitter: @cgrisales
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7:30pm Under the Big Top The Ballroom Dance Center Repeats at 7:30 p.m. March 17, 23 and 24. A mix of dance and theater by the staff and students of the Ballroom Dance Center, “Under the Big Top” is in the style of a 1920s traveling circus show featuring death-defying stunts, showgirls, clowns, acrobats and more. $27, adults; $24, military with ID; $20, youths under 18. Call 706-854-8888 or visit augustaballroomdance.com.
Sat Mar 17
8am - 5pm The General GNCC Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV Race
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4pm - 10pm ShamROCK the Miller Miller Theater Performers include Tara Scheyer & The Mudpuppy Band, Ceol Alainn featuring Lillie Morris & Friends, the Shaun Piazza Band and the Kenny George Band. $10, general. $35, VIP; free, kids 12 and under before 5 p.m. Visit millertheateraugusta. com or call 706-842-4080.
6pm - 10pm Shamrocks N Sirens Concert Jackson Square, North Augusta Featuring Cody Webb and Doug McCormick, this concert is a fundraiser for the nonprofit group Support 1 CISM Organization, which helps firstresponders before, during and after traumatic events. $10; food trucks will be there. Visit eventbrite.com or facebook. com/events/197922590792006, or email info@support1.org.
Aonia Pass MX, Washington Continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 18. $20, general (ages 12 and up); $10, kids 6 to 11; free, kids 5 and under. Admission covers both days. Call 304-284-0084, visit washingtonwilkes.org or email info@ Wed Mar 21 7pm BANFF Mountain Film Festival gnccracing.com. Imperial Theatre $10. Call 706-722-8341 or visit 2pm - 11pm St. Patrick’s Day imperialtheatre.com. Festival Augusta Common Presented by Friends with Benefits, the Thu Mar 22 Irish-American Heritage Society and 7pm - 11pm Winter Jam 2018 the city of Augusta, this family-friendly James Brown Arena community event will feature a parade Christian music’s largest annual tour at 2 p.m., Irish Dancers at 4 p.m., Eryn features Skillet, Kari Jobe, Building 429, Eubanks at 5 p.m., Taylor and the Swans comedian John Crist, KB, NewSong at 6:30 p.m., the Scarlet Begonias at 7:45 and more. $15 requested donation p.m., and Black Dawg at 9:30 p.m. Free. at door. Call 855-484-1991, visit Email ymarshall@augustaga.gov call augustaentertainmentcomplex.com or 706-821-1754. jamtour.com.
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