Another in a series of letters to the USAFA superintendent by Col. Ron Scott, PhD, USAFA ’73 and STARRS President:
Dear General Clark,
This is my fourth attempt to engage with you on nontrivial matters. Ignoring cancer does not cure or mitigate it. Marxist-based ideology is a cancer. More egregiously, it is a domestic enemy we swore an oath to our Constitution to defend against.
Since we (and I speak for others) swore an oath to the same Constitution, I will make public this communication as a matter of transparency and accountability to “we the people,” the sovereign of our Constitutional Republic.
In my first email, dated November 4, 2023, I requested confirmation that books donated to the Diversity and Inclusion Reading Room at McDermott Library were actually included in the collection. This was intended to promote balance not censorship. I received no response.
In my second email, dated February 4, 2024, I requested a response, expressed concerns about the NCLS theme and speakers, and offered another book title for the Diversity and Inclusion reading room at the McDermott Library. Again, I received no response.
In my third email, dated February 24, 2024, I provided feedback on the selection of speakers for the NCLS. Again, no response.
Thus, in this my fourth attempt, I am being more frank and direct about America’s domestic enemy.
In my last email, I wrote: “narratives can unjustly exploit the notion of systemic racism, making it profitable.”
The Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC; chartered without debate by the Congressional Black Caucus in the FY 2009 National Defense Authorization Act) announced this “exploitation” (i.e., intent to “leverage”) on page 18 of their final report, issued in March 2011:
“Diversity management calls for creating a culture of inclusion . . . Creating this culture will involve changing the way in which people relate to one another within a single unit, within a particular military branch, and throughout the DoD.
In particular, although good diversity management rests on a foundation of fair treatment, it is not about treating everyone the same.
This can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially for leaders who grew up with the EO-inspired mandate to be both color and gender blind.
Blindness to difference, however, can lead to a culture of assimilation in which differences are suppressed rather than leveraged (see Thomas & Ely, 1996)” (p. 18; emphasis added).
The complete report is available here: (https://www.dhra.mil/Portals/52/Documents/DMOC/DACODAI/MLDC_final-report_sm.pdf)
This statement explicitly argues FOR discrimination and AGAINST assimilation. Assimilation is critical to forming a united, cohesive unit. The importance of assimilation is enshrined in our national motto: E Pluribus Unum—out of many one.
Having successfully instantiated DEI within the Department of Defense (DoD), President Obama issued Executive Order 12583 in August 2011, establishing a massive diversity and inclusion infrastructure throughout the federal government.
Recognizing the “indoctrination” taking place within the DoD, President Trump issued Executive Order 13950 on September 22, 2020, to “cease and desist” the CRT/DEI training.
On January 20, 2020, President Biden overruled EO 13950 with EO 13985.
To further institutionalize DEI within the DoD, the Secretary of Defense established the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (DACODAI) in 2022.
During its December 14, 2023, session (https://www.dhra.mil/DACODAI/Reports-Meetings/), presentations included language such as “mandatory unconscious bias training,” “diversity competence” as a prerequisite for promotion, command, assignments, and so forth.
Many senior officers are completely unaware of MLDC and DACODAI activities—they have been operating under the radar. Yet, the transformation they drive is, by MLDC’s admission, akin to the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986.
STARRS has filed three dozen FOIAs with the Air Force Academy. Most remain open, ignoring the law. None have met the statutory 20-day requirement to produce records.
Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit on behalf of STARRS, which requested a copy of an assessment of systemic racism mandated by then Superintendent Lt Gen Silveria on July 8, 2020. A federal judge directed the release of the requested records nearly three years after the initial request. The outcomes?
• A 167-page document, representing the assessment, with every page inappropriately labeled “For Official Use Only,” apparently to shield it from the general public.
• Over 50 pages were completely redacted.
• A close review of the unredacted pages revealed no evidence of racism, let alone “systemic racism”.
• In an apparent example of “leveraging” race, in Appendix D, Cadet Squadron Air Officers Commanding (AOC) and their Academy Military Training (AMT) noncommissioned officers are extensively indoctrinated into CRT/DEI. Here is a quote from p. 91:
“[name redacted] is spearheading an initiative for AOC and AMT education around race and racism. In order to be an AOC or AMT at this Academy, AOCs and AMTs should be willing to facilitate and actively engage in discussions surrounding racism at this Academy and around the world. If AOCs and AMTs cannot display their willingness to actively be an ally in this fight against racism, they do not belong at this Academy.” This is a direct theme from a core CRT text: Ibram Kendi’s 2020 book How to Be an Antiracist.
During the time STARRS was stonewalled on the assessment, 90 cadets were trained as diversity and inclusion officers and NCOs, two per unit at the squadron, group, and wing levels. They wear purple arm ropes and have a parallel reporting chain of command.
A STARRS advisor, a former Professor of Military Strategy and Operations at the National War College and a Columbia University Ph.D. in Soviet Studies reminded us of political commissars—zampolits—in both the Red Army and the PLA.
STARRS’ awareness of the domestic threat began with the July 7, 2020, Academy football coaches’ 3-minute video chanting “Black Lives Matter,” an expression coined by Marxist-trained founders of the BLM movement.
Since then, we have discovered an overwhelming body of evidence as to the breadth and depth of the threat. We also learned how individuals in leadership positions fit into the five categories J. Edgar Hoover describes in his book Masters of Deceit: card carrying members, concealed members, fellow travelers, opportunists, and dupes.
No one can solve an unseen problem. But once we have seen it, “bearing true faith and allegiance” to our Constitution morally obligates us to shine a light on it in order to solve it.
The corporate world is waking up to this problem: See “Corporate America’s retreat from DEI has coincided with increased legal risk and political animosity toward systemic efforts to boost racial equity.”
In conclusion I must ask, “What does all this divisive indoctrination of DEI into academy cadets have to do with preparing them to be successful leaders upon graduation”?
Why is our beloved USAFA not focused on warfighting and instead instituting a culture of division based on race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation as evidenced most recently with the speakers in the National Character and Leadership Symposium.
Why are there no combat experienced warfighters talking to cadets in this forum about leadership and the character traits needed to be effective leaders?
It appears our USAFA has lost its way and forgotten the reason why it exists and that is to graduate competent lieutenants prepared to lead their enlisted members as cohesive teams into combat if and when required.
We look forward to your response.
V/r,
Ron
Ronald J. Scott, Jr., Ph.D.
Colonel, USAF (Ret)
President and CEO
Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, Inc.
https://STARRS.us
Ability NOT Appearance
Unity NOT Division
Service NOT Self
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