STARRS Podcast

A three-minute video from a military academy lit the fuse for a bigger question: how did ideas tied to Marxism and collectivism become so normal inside American culture, education, and even the armed services? 
STARRS & Stripes host CDR Al Palmer, USN ret, sits down with a panel of veterans, scholars, and former Soviet bloc survivors to follow the trail from slogans to systems, and from institutions to everyday life. 
STARRS President Col. Ron Scott, PhD, USAF ret, USAFA '73 who served a long career in the Air Force, is a retired college professor and served as a Principal Scientist with Applied Research Associates
James Atticus Bowden, a retired Army officer, writer, 1972 West Point graduate and member of the MacArthur Society
Stan Ridgley, PhD, a college professor and author of "Brutal Minds: The Dark World of Left-Wing Brainwashing in Our Universities" and "DEI Exposed: How the Biggest Con of the Century Almost Toppled Higher Education"
Mihaela Fletcher, who grew up under brutal communist Romania, but escaped. She is a doctor in nursing practice and is a STARRS ambassador
Alex Markovsky, an emigre from the Soviet Union who holds degrees in economics and political science from the University of Marxism-Leninism, and is the author of "Anatomy of a Bolshevik: How Marx and Lenin Explain Obama's Grand Plan" and "Liberal Bolshevism: America Did Not Defeat Communism, She Adopted It"
What starts as a conversation about activism quickly becomes a blunt look at power, legitimacy, and how “soft” language can hide hard outcomes.

We wrestle with the definitions that trip people up: socialism vs communism vs Marxism, and why the wording matters if you’re trying to persuade ordinary Americans, not win an academic debate. 
The panel digs into the long march through the institutions, critical theory, and why campuses often treat “social justice” as a moral good while avoiding the economic and historical record. 
We also examine the vacuum created when K-12 stops teaching the American Creed clearly, leaving younger generations to inherit a story about America that is mostly grievance and very little civic literacy.

Then the conversation turns personal and practical. Guests who lived under Romanian and Soviet communism describe ration cards, bread lines, surveillance, propaganda, and the slow tightening of control over food, housing, transportation, and speech. 
We end by asking what actually works: rebuilding culture upstream of politics, reforming education and teacher pipelines, and re-articulating the founding principles of individual rights and limited government in a way that makes sense in today’s economy and media environment. 
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For more information about STARRS, go to our website: https://starrs.us which works to eliminate the divisive Marxist-based CRT/DEI/Woke agenda in the Department of Defense and to promote the return to a warfighter ethos of meritocracy, lethality, readiness, accountability, standards and excellence in the military.

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In this episode of STARRS & Stripes podcast, host CDR Al Palmer, USN ret, talks with cybersecurity leader Casey Fleming, author of the new bestseller, "Red Tsunami" which warns America faces “unrestricted warfare” from the Communist People's Republic of China that is designed to erode our freedom without a conventional fight.
Casey Fleming’s background in IBM cybersecurity, global risk consulting, and threat research
The Chinese Communist Party framed as the central actor behind a long-term “unrestricted warfare” strategy
COVID discussed as an example of engineered chaos and narrative control
Domestic division and emotion-driven politics discussed through “useful idiots” and activist movements
Schools, Confucius programs, and ideological influence in education
TikTok and social media described as cognitive warfare and a data and influence weapon
Biological and drug warfare claims, including DNA targeting concerns and fentanyl as a mass casualty issue
Consumer supply chain risks, from electronics to vaping devices, tied to privacy and health
America 2.0 as a civic reset built on the Constitution and individual responsibility
Why the book is a practical survival guide for all citizens and what to do to fight back
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For more information about STARRS, go to our website: https://starrs.us which works to eliminate the divisive Marxist-based CRT/DEI/Woke agenda in the Department of Defense and to promote the return to a warfighter ethos of meritocracy, lethality, readiness, accountability, standards and excellence in the military.

Join our Mailing List for our weekly newsletter on this issue.

Follow STARRS:
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Support the Mission: Make a tax-deductible donation to STARRS.

In this episode of STARRS & Stripes, host Commander Al Palmer, USN ret, talks with the Chairman of the STARRS Board of Advisors, Colonel Bill Connor, USA ret, whose family members have served in the Army for five generations.

They discussed a wide range of topics regarding military recruiting, retention, and readiness and how these rise or fall with trust in leadership and a real commitment to merit based standards. 
Vietnam era perspective on warrior skill and professionalism
Military families as a stable recruiting base
Military discipline and long term service produces steadier citizens and stronger communities
Recruiting collapse under the Biden administration
Extremism stand down fallout under former SecDef Austin and how it hit morale
Meritocracy versus DEI in promotions and jobs
Combat arms realities and physical standards
Shrinking eligibility rates among 18 to 24 year olds
Obesity, mental health, and the case for stronger school PE
Lowered entry standards creating nondeployable troops
Military spouse burdens
Lost club traditions, camaraderie, and coping after trauma
Training realism, lawful orders, and hesitation in combat
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For more information about STARRS, go to our website: https://starrs.us which works to eliminate the divisive Marxist-based CRT/DEI/Woke agenda in the Department of Defense and to promote the return to a warfighter ethos of meritocracy, lethality, readiness, accountability, standards and excellence in the military.

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Support the Mission: Make a tax-deductible donation to STARRS.

A fighter pilot’s logbook tells one story; the culture that shaped the pilot tells the rest. STARRS & Stripes host CDR Al Palmer, USN ret, sits down with the new STARRS Chairman of the Board: retired Air Force Major General Bentley Rayburn—F‑4 and F‑16 veteran, former USAFA cadet wing commander (class of 1975), and Air Force Doctrine Center leader—to explore how a lifetime in uniform forged Gen. Rayburn's views on leadership, character, and what truly sets a service academy apart. From early days flying the Phantom over the Mediterranean to directing joint operations and shaping doctrine, Gen. Rayburn shares lessons that connect cockpit decisions to classroom standards and the oath we all take.

We get specific about what builds officers who thrive under pressure: a 24/7 military culture, not just lectures; mentors who model integrity; and training that keeps warfighting at the center. Gen. Rayburn makes the case that selection metrics like GPA and test scores are easy to count but miss the trait that predicts the most—character. We talk about how to cultivate and assess it, and why Academy faculty composition and daily squadron life matter more than campus amenities. The conversation moves from the Academy’s changing culture to the practical realities of today’s force: recruiting shortfalls, fitness and academic gaps, and how prep pathways can raise readiness without lowering the bar.

We also discuss DEI, politicization, and the fallout from COVID-era policies in the military through a simple lens: merit, mission, and trust. That’s where STARRS "The American Creed Threatened by Radical Indoctrination" presentation comes in, grounding service in a shared understanding of the US Constitution and civic principles. When troops know what their oath means, decision-making under stress gets clearer, and cohesion improves.

If you care about military readiness, officer development, and how to rebuild trust without buzzwords, this one’s for you. Hear a seasoned commander explain what to fix, what to keep, and how to align training, talent, and teaching with the mission. If the message resonates, consider being a part of STARRS--read articles on our website, sign up for our mailing list, and financially support our ongoing mission.
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For more information about STARRS, go to our website: https://starrs.us which works to eliminate the divisive Marxist-based CRT/DEI/Woke agenda in the Department of Defense and to promote the return to a warfighter ethos of meritocracy, lethality, readiness, accountability, standards and excellence in the military.

Join our Mailing List for our weekly newsletter on this issue.

Follow STARRS:
X   |  Facebook  | LinkedIn  |  Rumble  |  YouTube  |  Truth   |  Gettr  |  Gab

Support the Mission: Make a tax-deductible donation to STARRS.

In this powerful and eye-opening STARRS Town Hall, guest speaker John Guandolo (USNA '89 grad, former Marine officer and FBI Special Agent) outlined his path from FBI counterterrorism work to training government and local entities on the “Red-Green Axis” — the collaboration between Islamist and Marxist movements. He talked about how the U.S. is engaged in a non-kinetic war primarily in the information and counterintelligence space. He explained how Islamist and communist networks operate together at the local level across the country and view themselves in late-stage victory.

John discussed how Sharia is the doctrinal basis for jihad and governance in normative Islam, is taught consistently to Muslim youth, and that Western leaders mischaracterize Islam due to influence operations and deceptive language use. He says U.S. policy fixates on “violent extremism” (a term he argues has no legal meaning) rather than legally defined enemies (e.g., jihadis, communists), which blinds institutions to the true threat and leads to strategic failure.

John said Islamic Sharia-based movements seek to replace the US Constitution, so anyone who swore an oath to the Constitution has a duty to defend it against such efforts--foreign and domestic.

For more information about John as a speaker and the training he offers, go to JohnGuandolo.com. Follow him on X @JGuandolo54271
_______________________________________
For more information about STARRS, go to our website: https://starrs.us which works to eliminate the divisive Marxist-based CRT/DEI/Woke agenda in the Department of Defense and to promote the return to a warfighter ethos of meritocracy, lethality, readiness, accountability, standards and excellence in the military.

Join our Mailing List for our weekly newsletter on this issue.

Follow STARRS:
X   |  Facebook  | LinkedIn  |  Rumble  |  YouTube  |  Truth   |  Gettr  |  Gab

Support the Mission: Make a tax-deductible donation to STARRS.