STARRS Podcast

STARRS Podcasts includes the series STARRS & Stripes which interviews military veterans, talks about their careers and military service, and their concerns about what is happening in today's military. See our website, starrs.us, for more information.

STARRS Podcast is a government podcast hosted by STARRS, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

STARRS hosts STARRS Podcast, a government show with 38 episodes published.

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  Episode #38

  Navy Captain Jerry Rovner's Firsthand Experiences Responding to 9/11 in the New York City Area

  Sep 10, 20261h 7mS5

  A canceled meeting at World Trade Center Building 7. A view across the harbor as two towers burn. Then a phone call at 11 AM that flips a civilian life into a mission. STARRS and Stripes host retired Navy Commander Al Palmer sits down with STARRS Vice Chairman of the Board of Advisors, retired Navy Captain Jerry Rovner. A longtime deep sea diver and salvage officer, Rovner discusses what the 9/11 response looked like from the greater New York City/New Jersey area when every road was locked down and every hour brought a new unknown. They walk step-by-step through the real mechanics of disaster response and homeland security: getting activated at Fort Dix, finding trucks and licensed drivers to move medical gear, integrating with the Air Force and National Guard, and using Liberty State Park and a refurbished boat to move supplies when bridges and tunnels were closed. Jerry also shares the kind of details history books skip, like the blunt warning to wear masks because of asbestos, how chaplains became essential support, and why security patrols expanded to protect critical infrastructure. The conversation turns personal when Jerry’s family story comes forward through a letter written by his daughter years later, capturing what it feels like to watch a parent put on a uniform and drive into the unknown. We close on the lessons: volunteer leadership, less red tape in true emergencies, the danger of forgetting 9/11 too quickly, and why teaching civic memory matters. 0:00 Welcome And Why 9/11 Matters 2:05 From Draft Lottery To Navy Diving 6:50 Rebuilding The New Jersey Naval Militia 11:50 The Morning The Towers Were Hit 17:30 Activated Fast And Sent For Trucks 22:50 Liberty State Park Boat Supply Runs 27:40 Opening Bridges And Managing Chaos 33:30 Guarding Weapons Sites And Lakehurst 41:30 Briefing The Pentagon Then Emergency Landing 46:50 Dog Food Convoys And Fresh Kills Reality 53:20 The Family Cost And A Daughter’s Letter 59:20 Service Culture Education And What We Forgot 1:05:40 Final Thanks And Sign Off _______________________________________ 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.

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  Episode #37

  The Long Red Road from Marxism to Communism

  Jun 19, 20261h 8mS5

  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. _______________________________________ 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.

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  Episode #36

  How the Chinese Communists Target American Freedom: Interview with Casey Fleming, author of “The Red Tsunami”

  May 27, 20261 hourS5

  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 _______________________________________ 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.

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  Episode #35

  Interview with STARRS Board of Advisors Chairman Col. Bill Connor, USA ret - Military Recruiting, Retention and Readiness in a Culture War

  Apr 22, 202659 minS5

  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 _______________________________________ 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.

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  Episode #34

  Interview with Maj. General Bentley Rayburn, STARRS Chairman of the Board

  Feb 12, 202643 minS5

  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. _______________________________________ 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.

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