Volume 6, No. 30 ©SS 2014
FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014
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COVER STORY
PETER D. L AWLOR /Courtesy of the U.S. N AV Y
ABOVE
AND ON THE COVE R:
SE CRE TARY
OF THE
NAVY RAY MABUS, LE FT, AND WAYNE COW LE S, HUSBAND OF ADM . MICHE LLE HOW ARD , P UT FOUR-STAR SHOULDE R BOARDS WOM E N IN MILITARY SE RVICE FOR AM E RICA ME M ORIAL.
ON
HOW ARD ’S
UNIFORM DURING HE R P ROM OTION CE RE M ONY AT THE
Howard makes Navy history with promotion BY JON H ARPER Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Adm. Michelle Janine Howard became the highest-ranking female officer in the history of the U.S. Navy on July 1 when she was given a fourth star and assumed the role of vice chief of naval operations. “Her accomplishment is a direct example of a Navy that now, more than ever, reflects the nation it serves — a nation where success is not borne of race, gender or religion, but of skill and ability,” Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said during a ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery,
according to a Navy press release. This isn’t the first time that Howard has been a trailblazer. In 1999, she became the first black woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy when she took command of the USS Rushmore, a dock landing ship.
She has also commanded Amphibious Squadron Seven from May 2004 to September 2005; Expeditionary Strike Group Two from April 2009 to July 2010; Task Force 151, a multinational counterpiracy effort, and Task Force 51, Expeditionary Forces in 2009; and the Maritime Task Force for the BALTOPS multinational exercise in 2010. Howard served in Opera-
‘ Her accomplishment is a direct example
of a Navy that now, more than ever, reflects the nation it serves — a nation where success is not borne of race, gender or religion, but of skill and ability.
’
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus
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tions Desert Shield and Desert Storm as the chief engineer on board the USS Mount Hood ammunition ship. She was executive officer of the dock landing ship USS Tortuga while the vessel supported Operation Joint Endeavor, a peacekeeping effort in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. Howard is relieving Adm. Mark Ferguson III as VCNO,
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the No. 2 officer in the Navy. She will be the first black person to hold that position. She was previously the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy. Howard graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982. She also holds a master’s in military arts and sciences from the Army’s Command and General Staff College. She has received several prestigious awards given to women and minorities, including the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award, 2011 USO Military Woman of the Year and the NAACP Chairman’s Image Award. harper.jon@stripes.com Twitter: @JHarperStripes
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PACIFIC
‘I just want to ensure it’s done properly’ Fight continues over US veterans’ remains in Philippines graves B M B ‘ I feel conflicted trying to stop them after ATT
URKE
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Defense Department’s accounting agencies have agreed to disinter and conduct DNA testing on the remains of 10 World War II servicemembers who were buried as unknowns in the Philippines, after years of fighting against unearthing the bodies. But now the relative of one veteran believed to be buried there might block the exhumation over fears that the Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command, Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory are not equipped to properly test the remains. For years, John Eakin has fought with JPAC/DPMO to exhume the remains for identification. Eakin’s cousin Pvt. Arthur “Bud” Kelder was one of the 10 moved to the Manila American Cemetery from the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp in Luzon. Records show that Kelder survived the Bataan Death March in April 1942, but succumbed to malaria, pellagra and diphtheria in the camp on Nov. 19. The 26year-old Army medic was buried with 13 other Americans who died that day in communal grave 717. Just last year, JPAC/ DPMO — which has been under intense scrutiny following a series of missteps — said there was not enough Family members of Pvt. Arthur “Bud” Kelder believe he is buried in unknown grave A-12-195 at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
working so hard to get them to do it. I think we have to get control of the situation here.
’
John Eakin cousin of Pvt. Arthur “Bud” Kelder who was one of 10 moved to the Manila American Cemetery from the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp in Luzon
ONLINE:
STRIPES.COM/GO/JPAC
conclusive evidence to warrant disinterment of the remains. On Jan. 28, 2013, the scientific director of the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory, Thomas Holland, drafted a memorandum that could have closed the case on Kelder and the other nine. In it, Holland wrote, “the existing and available data do not meet the level of scientific certainty required by current DOD disinterment guidance.” Earlier this month, the lab reversed its decision. “Based upon forensic and historical input … from JPAC and DPMO, this month the Army concurred with the recommendation to disinter unknown remains referred to as ‘X-816’, as well as the other unknown remains previously interred in Common Grave 717, given the probability the remains are commingled,” Defense Department spokeswoman Navy Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost wrote in a statement to Stars and Stripes. “The disinterment decision was based upon a forensic and historical review by JPAC and DOD that included a number of factors, to include the development of new techniques not available in the 1940s and 1950s (e.g. osteometric sorting, DNA analysis, etc.) and the possibility of
multiple identifications if all ten Unknowns are disinterred.” Despite what appears to be a hard-fought victory with JPAC/DPMO, Eakin said he may now have to go back to court to stop JPAC/DPMO because he is worried that the Defense Department’s testing methods are outdated and will not produce results. “I feel conflicted trying to stop them after working so hard to get them to do it,” Eakin said during a telephone interview from his Texas home. “I think we have to get control of the situation here.” According to DPMO’s website, its lab uses mitochondrial DNA to test remains. But Eakin said he believes nuclear DNA testing provides the best chance to identify the remains of his cousin. Ed Huffine, vice president of international development for forensic DNA firm Bode Technology Group Inc. and a former AFDIL DNA chief, said mitochondrial DNA is less precise than nuclear DNA and is best used to support a presumptive identification. Nuclear DNA provides a definitive ID and can stand on its own, but it’s also a far more difficult test, Huffine said. Inexperienced analysts often have a hard time getting a complete DNA profile from a sample due to environmental factors, which could include the acidity of the soil or remains being buried with metal objects. SEE PAGE 4
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It takes about a year and more than 100 tests for an analyst to learn how to listen to a sample and set their extraction parameters properly, he said. If analysts aren’t careful, a sample will come back as having no available DNA, he said. “It’s almost an art to get nuclear DNA from skeletal remains,” Huffine said. Huffine said that the FBI uses nuclear DNA testing to identify the remains of missing persons. He wasn’t sure why the Defense Department didn’t as well. AFDIL was not asked for comment.
Journey continues Derrick-Frost, the DOD spokeswoman, said planning for the disinterment is underway and a timeline is still being worked out. Eakin said the DOD has denied families’ request to travel to the Philippines and accompany the remains to JPAC/DPMO’s lab in Hawaii. DPMO declined to be interviewed for this story. For Eakin, the odyssey to bring Kelder home started in 2009 when he began pouring over declassified records pertaining to the 14 unknowns from grave 717, he said. He traced their journey from Luzon to Manila. Four of the individuals were identified using prisoner-maintained burial records, identification tags and military dental records. Kelder’s file indicated that the Army knew he was one of the 10 remaining unknowns. Eakin then contacted his family members and discovered that Kelder had gold inlays in his teeth, courtesy of his dentist brother. Two of the 10 unknowns had dental patterns that matched Kelder, yet only one had gold inlays. Those remains, designated Manila #2 X-816, were buried beneath the white cross in grave A-12-195. Yet, the DOD “denied the remains were Bud,” Eakin said. Johnie Webb, JPAC’s deputy to the commander for external relations and legislative affairs, verbally denied Eakin’s request for disinterment saying
there was no evidence to support continued investigation. But Eakin fought on. His conclusions were backed by two forensic dentists, both of whom have consulted with JPAC in the past. In 2012, Eakin sued the American Battle Monuments Commission and Defense Department to have the remains disinterred for identification. The case has been working its way
through the courts, and Eakin said he believes a judge was about to compel the U.S. government to produce the remains for testing. Eakin said his family was floored by the call from the Army’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center saying the disinterment would take place. However, he said the exhumation looks like a ploy to gain control of the
remains so they can be brought back to Hawaii where JPAC can do the testing without scrutiny, on their own terms, on their clock. Eakin fears that could lead to a wait of many years or worse yet, a botched DNA test. “I just want to ensure it’s done properly,” he said. “I just want my cousin’s remains returned.”
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MILITARY
DOD stands pat on pot STEVE RINGMAN, SEATTLE TIMES/MCT
Mark Arnold, assistant grower for pot producer AuricAG in Seattle, cuts the center hearts off of marijuana plants to increase growth to the buds. Washington state has begun issuing licenses to sell pot, but officials are warning DOD personnel that marijuana is still outlawed by the federal government.
Washington state-based troops are reminded not to partake BY CHRIS CARROLL Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — After legalizing recreational marijuana in 2012, Washington state on July 1 began issuing licenses to sell it. But it’s a pastime that stops at the gates of military installations, and officials are warning troops and Department of Defense civilians that indulging, on or off base, in a drug that’s outlawed by the federal government can result in serious consequences. For servicemembers, that could range from a general discharge for a positive drug test all the way up to dishonorable discharge and jail time
for possession. “Drug abuse is incompatible with military service,” the staff judge advocate for the 62nd Airlift Wing reminded troops at Joint Base LewisMcChord in a recent article on the base newspaper. DOD civilians face potential job loss and federal prosecution for possession. Dependents aren’t under the same rules for use off-post, but possession or use on a military installation is illegal. Colorado’s legal recreational marijuana trade began Jan. 1. A Fort Carson official speaking on condition of anonymity said that since the law was changed, there has been no
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discernible effect on drug arrests or prosecutions on post, adding that those who wanted to smoke pot could easily get it in Colorado prior to legalization. Colorado state coffers look to be benefiting from the change. Estimates vary, but the Denver Post reported that current predictions are for $30.6 million in pot taxes for the fiscal year that began July 1. Washington state voters are hoping for a similar boost. DOD personnel won’t be allowed to add to that revenue, according to a Facebook post in recent weeks from Joint Base Lewis-McChord officials. “The short version: Despite
changes to Wash. state laws, marijuana possession and use remains illegal under federal law,” the Facebook post said. “Military family members and visitors to the base should be aware that despite the state laws, possession/sale/use of marijuana *on JBLM property* will be prosecuted in accordance with the federal laws that remain in effect. “Additionally: Marijuana use by service members is prohibited under the UCMJ, regardless of where they are located (on- or off- base). “Finally, use of marijuana by federal employees is prohibited as a condition of employment (Executive Order
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12564: “Drug Free Federal Workforce”).” The posting generated some predictable response, with one Facebook user commenting that “George Washington, founder of the US Army had 700 acres of marijuana at Mount Vernon and according to his journal he smoked it too.” Others discussed legal limitations on search and seizure by military authorities. But Facebook user Tom Schmidt wrote, “[I]f they are stupid enough to use it, they will only be facilitating the drawdown ... via the express lane ... buh bye ...”
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code breaker In these Code Quotes from America’s history, each letter given is a code consisting of another letter. To solve this Code Quote, you must decode the puzzle by replacing each letter with the correct one. An example is shown. A ‘clue’ is available if you need extra help. Example: G E O R G E W A S H I N G T O N Is coded as: W J A M W J G I T C X Z W F A Z
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Hint: This person went to Harvard at the age of sixteen, and taught school after graduation. After choosing a career path, he went back to Harvard to become an attorney. Last week’s answer: Constitutions should consist only of general provisions; the reason is that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible change of things. Alexander Hamilton
sudoku
word search
U.S. Presidents Previous week’s answers
Washington J Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe JQ Adams Jackson VanBuren Harrison
Tyler Polk Taylor Fillmore Pierce Buchanan Lincoln Johnson Grant
Hayes Garfield Arthur Cleveland Harrison McKinley T Roosevelt Taft Wilson
Harding Coolidge Hoover F Roosevelt Truman Eisenhower Kennedy Johnson Nixon
Ford Carter Reagan G Bush Clinton GW Bush Obama
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>> EXPLORE ALASKA
River rafting in Alaska a great way to spend a long summer day There are numerous options for rafting trips throughout the State, from mild to wild. It is good to know in advance what you are looking for in a raft experience.
There are two different types of raft experiences available: float trips and raft adventures. Float trips, ideal for all ages, spend two or more hours floating down a wide river, often stopping on an island or sand bar for lunch. These trips generally include wildlife sightings, and can even include some fishing. Rafters are outfitted with rain coats and rubber boots, and cameras are a must. Raft adventures are for those looking for whitewater, rapids and excitement. The rafting company’s guides know the river and how quickly rivers can change. These are not photo excursions, but thrill rides. These trips generally have age and physical ability requirements. There are also two versions of rafting: “paddle rafting” and “oar rafting”. Paddle rafting trips place the guide in the stern, calling out paddle commands to maneuver the raft. Passengers participate in a coordinated team effort, going “forward”, “back-paddle”, as well as left and right turns. Oar rafting places the guide in the center of the raft, seated within a rowing frame secured to the raft. The raft is then controlled solely by the guide. Rivers are rated on an international scale of I (moving, unobstructed current) through IV (extreme hazard). A variety of factors combine in the river’s final classification, adding together difficulty of river features, including rocks, rapids, hydraulics or holes, and waves; water volume and speed; water temperature; and difficulty of rescue. Higher river levels generally increase the intensity of all other factors. In Alaska, “ambient temperatures” and “remoteness of location” are also considered, as most of our rivers are glacial-fed, water temperatures are cold. Float trip providers will fit each passenger with protective rain gear and boots. For Class IV and V rivers, drysuits are the predominate choice of protective river gear for rafting, kayaking and canoeing in cold water environments. A drysuit is a technical piece of river apparel designed specifically for protection from the dangers of hypothermia. These suits include latex gaskets at the neck and wrists, latex socks, a waterproof zipper, and rain hood. The suit is designed to maintain dryness on all but the hands and head, and is ergonomically-designed to allow good range of motion for swimming. Unlike a wetsuit, the drysuit is designed to allow layers of clothing to be worn underneath for insulation. For
a rafting adventure that includes a drysuit and extreme runs, rafters must prove their ability to swim while wearing the drysuit, both in an eddy and in the river itself, prior to the trip. All trips will include a Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD). A helmet will also be a part of your Class V trip. The Alaska Rule of Dress mandates layers, and this rule applies to rafting. Shed layers as the day warms up, and then add layers back as needed. Remember that warm socks are vital, and it is always a good idea to have an extra pair of warm socks in your daypack. Wool or fleece hats and gloves complete your dress. Sunglasses, camera, binoculars, insect repellent and sunscreen are also recommended, but if you are on a rafting adventure, make sure your camera is waterproof. Once you decide if you are looking for “mild” or “wild”, the next decision is your direction. Rafting tours are available from Denali to Kenai, Talkeetna to Chickaloon. Alaska Rivers Company has been sharing the Upper Kenai River with visitors for over 35 years. Headquartered at riverside facilities in Cooper Landing, they offer two tours: a float trip down the beautiful turquoise waters of the Kenai, and a full-day Canyon Excursion through the Kenai Wildlife Refuge. Rafters generally see eagles, moose, Dall sheep and bears. The Canyon Excursion includes the exhilarating rapids of the Kenai Canyon. This trip ends with either
a boat ride across Skilak Lake or a nature walk up Hidden Creek Trail. Alaska Wildland Adventures, in Cooper Landing, begins their float trips at the last private eddy on the river, which means that passengers get to start and end their trips in the wilderness along the beautiful Kenai River instead of neighborhoods. The serene two-hour float along the Upper Kenai River goes through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a wonderful opportunity to get photos of moose, eagles, Dall sheep, salmon, beavers and bears. The full day trip starts with the scenic float before entering the Class II rapids through the Kenai River Canyon. They also enjoy creating custom safari trips of five to 11 days in a variety of locations. Chugach Outdoor Center guides rafting excursions on the Talkeetna, Six Mile Creek, and the Nenana, as well as multi-day expeditions on the Tana, Chulitna, Talkeetna and Copper Rivers. For families and others who cannot decide on a float or whitewater trip, Chugach Outdoor Center offers the opportunity for one group to do a float trip in Turnagain Pass or Granite and Bertha Creeks, in the Six Mile Creek headwaters, while those desiring whitewater can experience Six Mile Creek itself. Six Mile Creek, near Hope, is generally regarded as Alaska’s most thrilling Class IV and V whitewater trip. There, three canyons, each progressively more challenging, offer narrow routs, steep drops, beautiful pools and adrenaline-pumping rapids, all in a gorgeous semi-rain forest setting.
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>> EXPLORE ALASKA r a fting , p a g e 2 Denali View Raft Adventures is a family owned and operated guided raft tours business located in Talkeetna. All float tours offer spectacular scenery, mountain vistas, and excellent opportunities to sight wildlife including moose, bear, beaver and eagles. On a clear day the view of the majestic Denali is magnificent. Guided float tours include transportation, rubber boots, rain gear, snacks and water. Nenana Raft Adventures, located in Denali National Park, offers a variety of float trips suitable for all ages. The Nenana flows north through the heart of the Alaska Range, and the Nenana is the most popular whitewater river in the State. NOVA River Runners offer half day and wilderness trips from scenic to class V whitewater, both north and south of Anchorage. In business over 40 years, Nova pioneered the first river rafting day trips in Alaska on the Matanuska River, and the first class V whitewater trips in Alaska on Six Mile Creek south of Anchorage. Their Glacier Run Trip begins at Chicaloon, near the Matanuska Glacier, the source of the Matanuska River. It is predominantly Class II with some Class III rapids. The Lion’s Head trip is Class III and IV, with several miles of rapids between the glacier lateral moraine and Lion’s Head, a massive basalt rock wall from an ancient volcanic plug. NOVA offers their clients free RV and tent camping where the river trip ends at Hicks Creek facility. NOVA also offers a chance at challenging Six Mile Creek, including a Two Canyon Run, with predominately class IV rapids, and the Three Canyon Run including Class V rapids.
Raft Denali offers several paddle raft and oar raft trips, including the Nenana, Six Mile Creek, and Talkeetna Rivers. At Denali there are several rafting options, from peaceful sections to Class IV whitewater, and both oar rafts and paddle rafts are available. Nenana Raft Adventures also offers helicopter rafting that includes a 20 mile, Class II, III and IV whitewater. For those serious about exploring Alaska, Raft Denali offers a multi-day Talkeetna raft trip that begins with a bush plane flight into the heart of the Talkeetna Range. There, the waters offer a peaceful float through outstanding scenery before entering the Talkeetna Canyon. At the Canyon, the river drops 30 to 40 feet per mile and runs through 10 miles of continuous Class IV whitewater. Sixty miles later the trip ends in the town of Talkeetna. Experienced rafters who want to design their own trip can utilize the services of Alaska Raft and Kayak Rentals in Anchorage. They rent catarafts, rafts, canoes, sea and river kayaks, and NRS inflatable drift boats, as well as trailers and gear necessary for a safe trip including helmets and dry suits. Whichever experience you decide to enjoy, it will be guaranteed to be a highlight of your Alaska summer.
Alaska Raft & Kayak Rentals (800) 606-5950 www.alaskaraftandkayak.com Alaska Rivers Company, Cooper Landing (888) 595-1226 www.alaskariverscompany.com Alaska Wildland Adventures, Cooper Landing (800) 478-4100 www.alaskarivertrips.com Chugach Outdoor Center, Hope, (866) 277-RAFT www.chugachoutdoorcenter.com Denali Raft, Mile 238 Parks, (888) 683-2234 www.denaliraft.com Denali View Raft Adventures, Talkeetna (907) 957-1391 www.denaliviewraft.com Nenana Raft Adventures (800) 789-7238 www.raftdenali.com Nova River Runners (800) 746-5753 www.novalaska.com Raft Denali, Denali, Hope, and Talkeetna (800) 789-7238 www.raftdenali.com
crossword TH-THAT’S ALL! By Mary Jersey
called sevens 55 Obeys the dentist, in a way
107 Shackle
30 Tina of “30 Rock”
75 Highlanders, e.g.
110 Intellectually lacking
32 Mary of “The Maltese Falcon”
76 Slightly angled
34 WWII conference site
77 Say no to
ACROSS
56 Barker and Rainey
112 Isle of Capri attraction
1
Arboreal apes
57 Miscellanies
113 Alarm
35 Type of asst.
78 Children’s author Blyton
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Relating to heat
58 Flora and fauna
114 Place to store food
37 Accident mementos
79 Not old
14 Caressed, in a way
59 Surreptitious sound
115 Initial start
38 Chop finely
81 Most sugary
20 Shark clinger
61 Storm noise
116 Pointed lunges
39 Many Punjabis
82 Scrawny one
21 Jet-set destination, sometimes
64 Slow-paced exercise
117 Most arid
41 Brown shade
85 Brings into sync
22 Having a worse case of the flu
42 “Beg pardon!”
87 “Most Wanted” org.
70 Maximum bet
DOWN
43 Listed books?
71 ___ capita
1
44 English race place
88 Like bad milk, in London
72 D and C, in D.C.
45 Charlie Chaplin character
93 Artfully dodge
75 Horse’s gait
2 Betty Ford Center program, e.g.
77 Via ___ (Rome’s “Rodeo Drive”)
3 Acids of proteins
46 Storytelling dances
96 Assess
4
47 Gather up
97 Rorschach test image
23 Casual wear 24 Made true, as tires 25 Off the wall (var.) 26 ___ Diego 27 Excites 29 “Otherwise ...” 31 Constrictor 33 Didn’t fast 34 Eli’s school 36 Doctrines 40 Neptune, e.g. 43 In an ill manner
68 Cold War concern
80 Pageant toppers 81 Lustrous fabric 82 Ladies in Spain 83 Milk dispenser 84 Dams 85 Call up, as reservists 86 Water nymph, in mythology
44 Character set for computers
87 Topples
45 Major predecessor
89 Shapeless hunk
48 Alabama march site 49 Was offensive, in a way 50 Spread, as gossip 51 “___ Pizza” (1988 film) 52 Burn 53 Old-style call to arms 54 Card game also
88 Walked triumphantly 90 Most suitable 91 Bake sale sponsor, often 92 Assumed command 95 Circumnavigate from above 98 Idea 102 Remove, as branches 104 Real
Tolkien creatures
“Smoking or ___?”
5 Poetic spelling of 112-Across
48 Assembly of church officials
6 Window part
51 Large pipe
7
52 Hog food
Judas, for one
8 Like the sides of many valleys
54 Blunder
9 The dark side 10 Fixes, as fights
57 Electrical resistance units
11 Restroom door sign
58 Radar image
12 Hot temper
60 Near that place
13 Detroit’s founder
61 Little ones
14 Unwitting tool
62 Makes angry
15 Bounce back, as sound
63 “Follow me!”
16 “What I meant was ...”
66 Insinuate
17 ___-tac-toe
55 Decree
65 Puccini genre 67 Middle of Stein’s line 69 Santa Claus feature
18 Scream at a mouse sighting
72 Attacked by a wasp
19 Put in a kiln
73 Kind of wave
28 Spoke with fury
74 AM/FM device
94 Radiation quantities
98 “No ___ traffic” 99 They go over your part 100 Business phone button 101 A winter lift 103 Smart-mouthed 104 “Long, Long ___” 105 Grand ___ (vintage) 106 Just one 61-Down 108 To the ___ degree 109 Auto 111 Prefix with “cycle”
Last week’s answers
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July 11, 2014
July 11, 2014
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‘Bogus as hell’ False service record introduced during sentencing for murder BY JON H ARPER Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Former Marine Charles Allen Chavous was facing prison for his role in a decades-old murder. His attorney portrayed him as a Vietnam War hero who deserved leniency, telling the court he was a POW who escaped captivity and was awarded numerous combat valor medals, including the prestigious Navy Cross. When the judge handed down his sentence, Chavous, 63, walked away a free man. But in a case of stolen valor, none of the claims turned out to be true. The proceedings in Augusta, Ga., were first reported by The Augusta Chronicle. After Chronicle readers expressed skepticism about the alleged war record, Stars and Stripes tried to verify attorney Scott Connell’s unchallenged claims. The Defense Department and other experts’ databases have no record of anyone named Charles Chavous being a prisoner of war. Only 684 Americans were held as POWs in Vietnam and returned alive. Of those 684, only 37 escaped captivity on their own. Chavous was not one of them, according to the DOD. When contacted by Stars and Stripes, Connell provided a copy of the DD-214 military service record allegedly belonging to Chavous. “The information [presented in court] was confirmed by a vast array of information I reviewed from the VA and other historical military documents. This includes his DD-214,” Connell said in an email. He declined further comment. The validity of the documents was not questioned in court. Stars and Stripes sent the DD-214 to Doug Sterner, a leading military records expert and the chief archivist for the Military Times Hall of Valor website. Sterner is a Vietnam veteran who has spearheaded efforts to protect the integrity of the military awards system, including the Stolen Valor Act, which would have made it a crime to falsely take credit for unearned medals. The Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional, saying it violated the right to free speech.
SEE THE DOCUMENTS AT STRIPES.COM
Sterner noted “very serious discrepancies” that suggested the DD-214 was phony, including: � Parts of Block 24 (Awards) and Block 25 (Education and Training) clearly are in a different font than the rest of the DD-214. � The word “Gallantry” is misspelled “Gallentry” in Block 25. � The “Navy Cross Medal” and the “Silver Star Medal” — as they appear in the document — are referred to simply as “Navy Cross” and “Silver Star,” without the word “Medal” appearing after them. � Block 30 (Remarks) states that Chavous served in Vietnam “30 Jan 1970-1 December 1970” and then again from “15 Jan 1971-6 July 1971.” But the font listing the second tour is different from the text above it, which indicates it came from a different typewriter. � Block 30 (Remarks) states that Chavous was “(Missing in Action) November 21-24, 1970,” but the (month/ day/year) date format is different from the date format used just above it, and it is not the proper (date/month/year) format used by the military. That suggests the “Missing in Action” part was added later by someone else. � In Block 5a & 6 (Rank), his rank is shown as “Sgt.” with a date of rank of Jan. 3, 1970, but the “g” in “Sgt” is in a different font than the “g” in “Augusta,” which indicates that “Sgt” was written with a different typewriter. “That DD-214 is BOGUS AS HELL,” Sterner said in an email. Stars and Stripes contacted the Marine Corps’ records department in Quantico, Va., and an official there who pulled Chavous’ service record confirmed that the DD-214 given to
‘ The war hero story, I think, would function
pretty heavily in this calculation of what’s his just desert. ... it kind of serves as a counterweight to the wrongdoing of the crime.
’
Kay Levine professor, Emory University Law School
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Connell is phony in many respects. The former Marine was never awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Joint Service Commendation, Presidential Unit Citation or Meritorious Unit Citation. He never completed Reconnaissance School, Jump School or Jungle Survival School. He never received a battlefield commission to first lieutenant, nor did he retire at the rank of sergeant, as the doctored DD-214 states. (He was discharged as a lance corporal.) According to the Marine Corps, Chavous did serve in Vietnam as a rifleman, but he served only one tour. The Marine Corps has no record of him being missing in action or a prisoner of war. Retired Navy Capt. Mike McGrath is a historian and the former president of Nam-POWs, an association of Vietnam-era POWS. He was a POW for nearly six years after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam. “We’re a very strong social and fraternal organization of all the POWs of the Vietnam War,” McGrath said. Chavous “was never with any other POW in the Vietnam War, and we’ve never heard of him.” There is also strong reason to doubt that the former Marine was repeatedly wounded or seriously injured in Vietnam, as his lawyer claimed. He never received a Purple Heart, which the military awards to all servicemembers who are wounded in combat.
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Charles Allen Ch avous He has not claimed any disabilities stemming from his one verified tour of Vietnam in 1970, according to the Veterans Administration. Chavous receives $2,852.24 each month in VA disability benefits, according to the VA, but officials would not disclose what service-related disabilities he has claimed, citing patient confidentiality rules. Efforts by Stars and Stripes to contact Chavous for comment were unsuccessful.
The murder and its aftermath Chavous went to the Augusta home of Bronzi Leon Peppers with three other men on the night of Feb. 3, 1975. His associates had hatched a plan to abduct Peppers because of a dispute over illegal drugs. When Peppers fought back, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot him dead. The four men fled the scene and none of them contacted law enforcement. The case went cold until 2009, when new information came to light. In 2010, Chavous, Mark Hill and William Coffey III were indicted on murder charges. Chavous ultimately pleaded guilty to concealing a death and hindering the apprehension of a criminal and was sentenced to five years of probation and a $1,000 fine. The two other surviving defendants received much stiffer sentences. One got a five-year jail sentence for the same reduced charges. A second pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a weapons charge and drew a seven-year prison sentence. SEE PAGE 12
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MILITARY
US, Philippines finish CARAT exercise amid China tension BY SETH ROBSON Stars and Stripes
Some 1,500 U.S. Marines and Philippine sailors wrapped up a five-day exercise July 1 that included maneuvers in the South China Sea, simulated beach assaults and other training aimed at getting the forces used to working alongside one other. The war games — known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Philippines — were held amid an escalating maritime dispute between China and several Southeast Asian nations over control of a number of small islands and reefs in the region. The guided-missile destroyer USS McCain, rescue-andsalvage ship USNS Safeguard, amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland and 1,000 U.S. personnel took part in the exercise. CARAT, in its 20th year and part of a series of engagements between the Navy and its counterparts in nine Asian nations, is growing in size and
complexity, said Capt. Paul Schlise, commander, Destroyer Squadron 7, who oversaw U.S. forces taking part. During the event, U.S. sailors and Marines conducted simulated naval engagements with about 500 Filipinos and two Philippine Navy frigates, officials said. Helicopters practiced takeoffs and landings from the McCain for the first time, and U.S. and Philippine marines conducted a beach assault in amphibious vehicles launched from the Ashland, Schlise said. The combined forces, which included riverine troops, explosive ordnance disposal experts, Navy Seabees and divers, practiced search and seizure of vessels on the high seas, tactical maneuvering and salvage operations, he said. The Philippines, one of the nations embroiled in the territorial dispute with China over resource-rich islands, is negotiating an agreement that aims to increase the presence of U.S. rotational forces in the country.
FROM PAGE 11
The alleged triggerman, Tony Ouzts, was killed about 10 years after the crime in a car crash. Judge Michael Annis, of the Richmond County, Ga., Superior Court, did not respond to queries about whether Chavous’ purported service record played any role in his sentencing decision, handed down in April. Assistant District Attorney John Markwalter said he did not recommend any particular sentence as part of the plea agreement. Markwalter said the punishment was left to the discretion of the court, and he would not speculate as to why Annis chose not to give the man any prison time. Kay Levine, a professor at Emory University Law School in Atlanta who specializes in criminal law, said that a defendant’s history often plays a big role in sentencing, especially their criminal history. Unlike Hill and Coffey, Chavous appears to have had no criminal record (excluding traffic violations). Hill was on probation for felony theft when he
Schlise didn’t directly address that issue in an interview July 1. “We have shared maritime security interests in the region,” he said. “This exercise is about relationship building and interoperability.” Officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines could not be reached for comment. However, retired U.S. Navy captain Jan van Tol, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said some of the activities that the U.S. and Philippine forces were practicing, such as amphibious landings, sea patrols and surveillance, would be relevant to operations near various islands in the South China Sea. “These are assuredly in keeping with the objective of enhancing regional state maritime security capabilities,” he said. America is interested in strengthening the capabilities of friendly states in Southeast Asia for peacetime missions such as antipiracy and in in-
was arrested for his involvement in Peppers’ killing. In 2004, Coffey was arrested and charged with a felony count of criminal attempt to manufacture methamphetamine. He later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless conduct and was sentenced to 12 months incarceration. The criminal histories of Hill and Coffey could explain why they received much heavier sentences than Chavous, according to Levine. But Levine said Connell’s portrayal of his client as a war hero could have been a major factor in him avoiding prison. “The war hero story, I think, would function pretty heavily in this calculation of what’s his just desert,” Levine said. “There are all of these things that [suggest that] the past is this record of heroism, and also tragedy … to the extent that he was injured in Vietnam fighting for the country. ... That factors into how much punishment does he deserve now, because it kind of serves as a counterweight to the wrongdoing of the crime. Somebody who doesn’t have that, there is no counterweight.”
G ILBERT A. BOLIBOL /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
U.S. Marines and Philippine sailors conduct amphibious landing exercises during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Philippines. creasing their ability to defend their own security interests, he said. Schlise said he expects CARAT Philippines to keep growing in years to come, although he did not provide details of what that might involve. CARAT exercises have also
A pattern of stolen valor Chavous’ legal defense wasn’t the first time that his war record was exaggerated. The Heroes Overlook in Augusta honors local veterans who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross or the Distinguished Service Cross — three of the nation’s highest awards for combat valor. Chavous — or someone connected to him — convinced the Augusta-Richmond Country Historical Society that he had received the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross by providing award citations describing in detail the actions that he allegedly carried out to earn the awards. Stars and Stripes obtained copies of the citations that were given to the historical society. They are nearly identical to the Navy Cross citations for Vietnam veterans Dieter Dengler and Joseph Crockett Jr., which suggests they may have been plagiarized. Dengler and Crockett’s citations appeared in books years before the historical
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been conducted in Malaysia and Indonesia this year. Additional CARAT events will be held this year in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore and East Timor, according to a Navy news release. robson.seth@stripes.com Twitter: @SethRobson9
society received the ones allegedly belonging to Chavous. The former Marine never received the Navy Cross or the Distinguished Service Cross, according to the Marine Corps. But in 1994, two bronze plaques were created for him and were slated to appear on the Heroes Overlook. However, some challenged whether he received the awards, and just days before the plaques were to be unveiled, a representative of Chavous asked that they be removed from the monument, according to Jack Widener, who spearheaded the Heroes Overlook project. There is, however, a brick in Augusta’s Memorial Walkway dedicated to Chavous. The inscription says he was a Vietnam POW. Individuals are able to purchase bricks and have them inscribed for $75. Information on the bricks is not vetted, according to Widener. Widener does not know whether Chavous purchased the brick or whether a relative bought it for him. harper.jon@stripes.com Twitter: @JHarperStripes
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Sexual assault panel: Keep chain of command in charge BY JENNIFER HLAD Stars and Stripes
Congress should not remove court-martial convening authority from the chain of command, a nine-member panel appointed to study how the military investigates, prosecutes and punishes sexual assault crimes said in its report. The panel “heard testimony from a number of victims” indicating that it is “often subordinate leaders who perpetrated the sexual assault itself, ignored it when it was reported, or engaged in retaliation towards the victim afterwards,” according to the panel’s report to Congress; however, seven of the nine panel members agreed that removing prosecution authority from the chain of command would not reduce the number of sexual assaults, increase reporting of crimes or improve the quality of investigations and prosecutions, according to the report. Published last month by the Response Systems to Adult Sexual Assault Crimes Panel, the report is a blow to advocates of a plan proposed last year by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., which would have removed the authority to prosecute sexual assault and other major crimes from commanders and given it to military lawyers. But Nancy Parrish, president of victim advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, said she was not surprised the panel supported the status quo.
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“This panel sadly became a tool to further delay needed reform,” she said, noting that the members of the panel were chosen by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and members of Congress who opposed the Gillibrand bill. “The fact that there was any dissent is remarkable.” One of the voices of dissent was panel member Elizabeth Hillman, a professor of law at University of California Hastings College of Law. In a dissent posted on Gillibrand’s website, Hillman wrote that she believes “trained, experienced prosecutors” should make the decision on whether to prosecute rape and sexual assault. While commanders “must lead the way in changing military culture,” they are ill-suited to make prosecution decisions, Hillman wrote. Though the panel determined that prosecution authority should stay with commanders, it recommended dozens of other changes and initiatives, including: � That Congress repeal sections of recently passed legislation that require higherlevel review of commanders’ decisions not to refer some sexual assault cases to trial. � That the Defense Department develop a new survey to measure the scope of unreported sexual assaults. � That the services standardize the way they track the outcome of sexual assault cases. � That the services stan-
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dardize the process for determining if a case is declared “unfounded” at the investigation stage. Currently, the military measures and records conviction data differently than civilian authorities, and different groups cite different conviction rates when discussing the challenge of prosecuting sexual assault crimes. In the report on sexual assaults from fiscal 2013, the DOD said commanders took disciplinary action in 73 percent of cases in which there was sufficient evidence to consider doing so. However, only 373 people were convicted of any crime in cases related to sexual assault, out of more than 2,100 who could have been considered for legal action — making the conviction rate closer to 17 percent. The panel also recommended the services correct the resource imbalance between the defense and prosecution in sexual assault cases, and that services develop specific programs to prevent male-onmale sexual assault, among other changes. Maj. James Brindle, a DOD spokesman, said the department will consider “all aspects of the report, including the views of those who did not agree with the panel’s recommendations.” hlad.jennifer@stripes.com Twitter: @jhlad
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.
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Fighting for caregivers behind wounded warriors Jessica Allen doesn’t hesiprocess.” tate to speak her mind, and Jessica said she has been her mind is often on those pleased with her husband’s who, like her, are caregivers care from the military and the for wounded warriors. VA. Talking to her, it’s hard “They are totally neglected to believe she’d settle for anyand totally ignored,” she said thing less. She emphasizes the of caregivers. Jessica’s husneed for caregivers to know band, Chaz, lost both legs and whom to ask, what to ask and the use of his right elbow to a how to ask for it. bomb in Afghanistan in 2011. “I always encourage them to Doctors were able to save contact the VA caregiver coorhis arm, but the bones of his dinator. That’s their job. That’s elbow had to be fused. He was what they’re supposed to do,” medically retired from the she said. Other resources she Army in 2013. suggests include the Army “I can’t tell you how many Wounded Warrior Program, times I’ve been with my the Federal Recovery Coordihusband, standing behind his nation Program at the VA and wheelchair, and people don’t nonprofits like Yellow Ribbon even look at me — won’t even Fund. acknowledge me when I’m Jessica is one of about 100 standing right there,” she said. SPOUSE CALLS caregivers “It’s a hard job.” nationwide And it’s not her only job. selected as Jessica home-schools the an Elizabeth couple’s two daughters, ages Dole fellow 9 and 11, runs her own tax by Caring business and is an advocate For Military for caregivers and wounded Families: warrior families. the ElizaFrom their home in Fort beth Dole Campbell, Ky., she serves Foundation. as the director of the famThe fellowTerri Barnes ily caregiver ship proprogram for Join the conversation with Terri at gram was Yellow Ribbon stripes.com/go/spousecalls created to Fund, based in bring attenMaryland. tion to the She reaches out to local caregivers through challenges of caregivers. “The Dole Foundation is activities and respite probringing nationwide attention grams and also fields phone these caregivers need,” Jescalls and questions from sica said. “The Dole Foundafamilies nationwide. In her Yellow Ribbon Fund tion is going out there and position, she said, “What I do getting all the research and is find families just like mine advocating for what we need. and offer help. ... I spend way We figure out how to apply it.” too much time on the phone,” She agrees with Dole’s she said with a laugh. description of caregivers as She’s heard her share of “hidden heroes” and doesn’t horror stories about lost have much patience for those paperwork, delayed care and who don’t understand how poor treatment at the Departessential a caregiver is in the ment for Veterans Affairs. life of an injured veteran. “When I talk to families Jessica said she is glad to be who say, ‘You’re not going to a part of the Dole Foundation believe this,’ I say, ‘Try me.’ to raise awareness about the That’s kind of sad.” sacrifices of the families of Families and caregivers wounded warriors and hopes can become disoriented when the initiative will consolidate their servicemember leaves resources and simplify the the military and moves to the journey for many families. VA system. “I hope I’m serving our “If your paperwork is not country in a different way,” right, trying to get it straightshe said. “I’m not as heroic ened out can be overwhelmas my husband, but it’s good ing,” she said. “Families to have someone say, ‘You’re need counselors and advisers to guide them through the doing a good job.’ ”
FREELANCE WRITERS Stars & Stripes U.S. Edition – Alaska is looking for freelance writers to add a local flavor to our newspaper. Two specific areas of interest are “Veteran Spotlights”, focusing on Alaska Veterans, and “Explore Alaska” focusing on Alaska adventure. Other topics will be added as well.
If you have a desire to help tell our readers about our local Veterans, Alaska’s outdoors, and other newsworthy topics, please email SteveA@AK.net. Please include some writing samples.
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Can you:
Volunteers needed
Meet and greet guests, data entry, and give tours? Schedule volunteers & directors for duty each month?
Alaska Veterans Museum
Write press releases, call media organizations, and/or design ads? Coordinate with schools, Scouts, etc to arrange tours and other events?
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Brief VFW’s, American Legions, AMVETS & DAV Chapters on AVM activities ? Help collect oral histories; work directly with our Veterans to document their experiences? Help by donating Military uniforms & artifacts form WWI, Korea, Vietnam & the Gulf Wars? Help raise money to continue and expand our programs, and ultimately move to a larger space?
Please call: Suellyn @ (907) 696-4904 to offer any help you can.
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Veteran Owned Businesses A-1 Copy Systems LLC
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