Stars and Stripes Daily Headlines

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August 31, 2021

 

North Korea warns of ‘preemptive strike capabilities’ following US-South Korea military drills North Korean officials have railed against a recent joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea, calling it "the most vivid expression” of a “hostile policy.” READ MORE

US military says troops disabled equipment before abandoning it at Kabul airport About 70 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, 27 Humvees and 73 aircraft were “demilitarized” by the U.S. at Hamid Karzai International Airport before they left Kabul for the last time, said Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command. READ MORE

‘We’re here; we’ve got their back’: US service members injured in Kabul blast on road to recovery All 20 U.S. service members who were injured in the terrorist attack last week in Afghanistan and later were treated in Germany have returned to the United States for further care, military officials said Tuesday. READ MORE   Guard troops rescue more than 350 in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida National Guard troops have helped rescue 359 people and 55 pets in Louisiana as search and rescue efforts remain a top priority after Hurricane Ida left a path of destruction across the eastern half of the state, the Louisiana National Guard said. READ MORE   ‘Don’t you ever forget that name’: Biden’s meeting with grieving relatives President Joe Biden's life experiences, which so often have provided the connective tissue to help him reach those immersed in grief, at times seemed to fall flat. For the first time, Biden was meeting with relatives some of whom held him responsible for the death of their loved ones. READ MORE

‘There’s a lot of survivor guilt’: Army steps up to help vulnerable Afghans transiting through Germany An Afghan woman sat alone in a warehouse at a barracks in Kaiserslautern that had been transformed into a processing center for evacuees.  It may have been hunger or pain that caused her to double over every once in awhile. Or it could have been a mental health issue facing many evacuees at the camp. READ MORE   Veterans ‘devastated, just gutted’ over allies left behind after US withdrawal Volunteers served as conduits between at-risk Afghans and the U.S. government during the evacuation. Some even flew to the Kabul airport to help. READ MORE   Japan seeks record $50 billion defense budget to counter an increasingly aggressive China Japan’s defense budget has risen each year for nine consecutive years as it faces challenges including assertive claims by China over the Senkaku Islands. READ MORE   Fort Riley mandates counseling sessions for every soldier to help battle suicide, stigma of seeking help Shortly after arriving at Fort Riley in August 2020, Maj. Gen. Douglas Sims announced a division policy that every soldier must attend at least one counseling session a year — no matter their rank or position. It’s part of a program known on base as “Victory Wellness,” which also requires soldiers forgo physical training every other Tuesday to participate in mental fitness training. READ MORE   Veterans Crisis Line sees ‘significant increase’ in texts from veterans since Afghanistan evacuations Calls to the Veterans Crisis Line increased 7% and online chats increased by nearly 40% during the same time period, from Aug. 13 to 29. Department of Veterans Affairs officials attribute the increase to multiple factors, including the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and the upcoming 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. READ MORE   US war veteran wins Paralympics road cycling gold at speedway near Mount Fuji Shawn Morelli, who competes in a class for people with lower limb impairments, is taking home her third Paralympic cycling gold medal. READ MORE

 

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