STARRS New Position Papers for Capitol Hill and Pentagon

STARRS leaders were part of a successful joint delegation with leaders of the MacArthur Society to visit elected officials, their staff and other government official on Capitol Hill and the Pentagon last week.

Here are the Joint Position Papers we gave out:

Joint Position Papers June 2026  (pdf)

AI Summary:

This is a joint position paper by the veterans organizations—STARRS, the MacArthur Society, and the Calvert Task Group—focused on restoring purpose, unity, and trust in the U.S. military.

The paper addresses what it identifies as the infiltration of radical ideologies (such as Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives) into the military and service academies, and advocates for legislative and policy reforms to counter these trends.

Key Points

Opposition to Radical Ideologies

• The organizations argue that CRT/DEI and related ideologies undermine American values, national security, and military effectiveness.
• They call for Congress to permanently ban these ideologies from the military through statutory law, not just executive orders.
• They recommend incentives for civics education based on the American Creed
  and statutory disincentives for DEI practices.

Recruitment and Retention Crisis

• The paper highlights a severe recruitment and retention problem in the all-volunteer force, citing a shrinking pool of qualified and willing candidates due to societal issues (obesity, poor education, lack of discipline).
• Recommendations include establishing a joint pre-basic training system, expanding youth programs like JROTC, and increasing congressional support for military end strength based on national security needs rather than budget constraints.

Vaccine Mandates and Veterans’ Care

• The document claims that mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations were implemented unlawfully without proper informed consent, resulting in adverse health outcomes for some service members.
• It calls for the Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize vaccine injuries as presumptive conditions under the PACT Act, ensuring affected veterans receive care.
• It also urges Congress to require written, signed informed consent for any
  Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) vaccines administered to service members.

Merit-Based Policies and Service Academy Reform

• The paper advocates for exclusive use of merit in all military personnel actions and admissions to service academies, prohibiting race-based preferences except in narrowly defined operational circumstances.
• Proposed legislative amendments would standardize and increase transparency
  in academy admissions, ensuring the best-qualified candidates are selected
  and improving class quality and graduation rates.

Transparency and Accountability

• The organizations criticize federal agencies for failing to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), citing delays, excessive redactions, and lack of transparency.
• They recommend legislative updates to FOIA and increased congressional
  oversight to enforce compliance.

Overall Purpose

The document seeks to influence Congress and military leadership to:

• Eliminate identity-based preferences and radical ideologies from the military.
• Restore a focus on merit, equal opportunity, and traditional military values.
• Address recruitment and retention challenges with practical, phased reforms.
• Ensure transparency, accountability, and proper care for veterans.

The paper is structured as a series of position papers, each with background, discussion, and actionable recommendations, aiming to shape future legislation and policy for the U.S. military.

Joint Position Papers June 2026  (pdf)