Many STARRS people attended in-person or watched online Thursday's meeting of the USAFA Board of Visitors held at the Air Force Academy. USAFA removed the video of the meeting with the link that we sent out to everyone that morning, but we made a copy and it's on our website, Rumble and YouTube channels.
STARRS Chairman Lt Gen Rod Bishop, USAF ret, USAFA '74, was there at the meeting and wants to relay to all this message:
"What a wonderful week to be a supporter of STARRS! The August 2025 meeting of the USAFA BOV="progress on steroids." First, many thanks to all of you for your support! Without that support, our messages would not have been heard. Secondly, our sincere gratitude to the Board of Visitors. From Representative August Pfluger's opening comments about "resetting the BOV" and putting some teeth back into the Board, to Stoli's closing comments about "eradicating DEI," STARRS' influence was clear and present. Special thanks to BOV members Dan Clark and Charlie Kirk as well for their motivational and "on point" messaging. Below is a sampling of some of the feedback I have received. Again, sincere thanks for all of your support!
"Gen Bishop, (Dr Scott),
I saw most of the BOV meeting today flying back from Vegas. In one word. Congratulations!
All the seeds you have sewn in District 1 (Hunger Games reference for the Capital) for the last three years have taken root and along with choking out DEI in the military and the Academy, has grown a group of patriots on the BOV that just didn’t sit there in vertical scan and watch briefing, but are ready to help the Supe complete the job of returning meritocracy and the war fighter ethos to the Academy. And maybe get the chapel completed by 2027 instead of 2029.
Sit back and enjoy a Weller 12 year old whiskey and if inclined a good cigar. You did great!!"
The new Boards of Visitors of the military service academies are thankfully no longer "dog-and-pony shows". Here's our coverage:
Full video of the August 7, 2025 meeting of the US Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors.
Well USAFA pulled it:
But we have it:
And the slides that you can’t see watching the video:
BOV Meeting 7 Aug 2025 FINAL (pdf, 15 MB)
Background and members:
USAFA Board of Visitors member Charlie Kirk, appointed by President Trump, asked the Air Force Academy Superintendent about the removal of the CRT/DEI agenda at the Academy during today’s Board of Visitors meeting.
USAFA Board of Visitors Vice Chairman Col. Doug “Stoli” Nikolai, USAF ret, USAFA ’89 gave these closing remarks at today’s Board of Visitors meeting:
“I just want to say thanks to General Bauernfeind, General Evans, General Marks. Appreciate the hospitality. Tours yesterday were very revealing. They’re very encouraging.
And, I like the direction, we’re moving in the tactical environment.
As Vice Chairman of the Board of Visitors, I’m 100% behind the Chairman and his opening remarks. I want to affirm that I can only support his efforts, but I want to be the engine that powers his vision vector and oversight. It’s also my desire that every member of the board fully support and are committed to supporting his mission. I think we’re all there.
That said, support and oversight go hand in hand. The board is devoted to detailed, rigorous oversight coupled with insightful, constructive advice.
We expect not only transparency, but also timely and forthright responses to our questions and requests for information. This is not to hinder leadership. It is to uphold accountability, ensure alignment with our national defense priorities, and reinforce the trust to the public and to USAFA alumni.
This is why I firmly believe that “Trust But Verify” is not just a cliché, but it’s a guiding principle. I’m deeply honored to have received the presidential appointment of the Board of Visitors, and I fully embrace the vision laid out by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth—a vision to restore America’s fighting force to greatness and combat effectiveness through merit and adequate resources.
That being, I want to prioritize the eradication of DEI, not just on the surface, but underneath. I also want to prioritize merit-based admissions.
I want to recommend that we combine with Annapolis and West Point to establish a blue ribbon commission entitled “Duty, Honor, Country Commission” to deep dive into those areas in support of this effort.
We are not here to preserve broken and failed ideology. We are here to repair, reform, and reinvigorate this Academy with the timeliness, principles that have always made America exceptional and that defined our Republic, what some patriots have called the American Trinity:
- In God We Trust.
- Our moral compass and recognition of a higher calling: liberty—the hard won freedom that we fight to preserve.
- And E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one.
The enduring truth is that unity, not diversity, is our strength. These ideals are not abstract. They’re actionable. They must be lived, taught and defended. Especially here at USAFA where we forge the next generation of warrior leaders
In closing, this Board of Visitors is not here to mimic past behavior and simply observe. We are here to lead, to hold accountable and to safeguard the future of this Academy and by extension, our air and space forces.
We will be the board that stands firm with eyes wide open, strong backs and resolve unshaken in service to a nation that still believes in its founding truths. Thank you, and may God bless the United States Air Force Academy and the country it so nobly defends. Thank you.”
