The Dark Sabre Podcast

Cadet Brad Wudby experienced an extrodinary experince at the United States Military Academy, better known as West Point. He was a football player who experienced significant difficulties and was retaliated against by his chain of command. Despite completeing requirements for graduation, then Cadet Wudby was kicked out and forced to pay back his tuition. What did he do? He filed suit against West Point and applied to the Army Board of Corrections for Military Records.

In May of 2007, the board ruled to reinstate his degree, but the Secretary of the Army overruled the Boards decision. The importance of this case is showing the unprecedented power that these arbitrary military board of corrections have, and despite ruling in favor of service members, the Service Secretaries can overrule these decisions. They should not have these ultimate authorities that disregard the Constitutional Rights of our service members. In the end, Brady Wudby was awarded his "equivalent completion" degree, but it did not come without personal mental health consequences when he became a Narcotics and Organized Crime Detective for the New Jersey Port Authority as a law enforcement officer.

Melissa and Anthony have a compelling story of perseverance, service, and love. Melissa was sexually assaulted as a Cadet at the Academy, and found comfort in a fellow Cadet Anthony. After falling in love with each other at the United States Air Force Academy while each of them competed in NCAA Division 1 Athletics, they discovered that they had an unplanned pregnancy.

Melissa was shamed for being pregnant while she was a Cadet, most notably by Col (Ret) Gail Colvin, who was one of the first women to graduate from the Air Force Academy. Melissa, being a Catholic, refused to have an abortion and wanted the responsibility of being a mother. Col (Ret) Colvin encouraged many women at the Air Force Academy to have abortions during her tenure there because it wasn't deemed as being "professional". Melissa recognized when she came back to be an instructor at USAFA that many Cadets struggled with unplanned pregnancies and were terrified of USAFA leadership because they felt they had no options. Melissa and Anthony have dedicated over ten years of their lives to changing that stigma at our Federal Service Academies.

Melissa and Anthony shared the strong desire to serve their country as commissioned officers, and give back to the Air Force Academy as instructors. While navigating the archaic rules of our Federal military academies, Anthony and Melissa had to endure significant hardship in order to keep their family together…all while upholding their oath as military service members. Join Melissa and Anthony on this special two part episode where we will discuss the challenges, legal implications, and story of exceptional resilience that led to the creation of the CADET Act, and why this important reform for our federal military academies effects us all.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

Airman Melina Kessler was a GEOINT imagery analyst before she went to the Air Force Academy Prep School, and eventually to the Air Force Academy, Class of 2011. Melina was raped, but the only reason her case was handled correctly was the Colorado Springs Police Department handled her case, not the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). We will discuss the reason why Cadets should NEVER use AFOSI when they are sexually assaulted/raped. We also discuss reforms that should be implemented at the Academy to increase the quality of those who come to the Air Force Academy overall. She was a a poster child of what a good Cadet should be. She bled blue, and then had to leave. Why? The Academy wanted her to give up her parental rights or have an abortion. Later in this season we will talk to former Cadets and Grads who founded the CADET Act in Congress concerning these very important issues.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

In this Chapter of Dark Sabre, we bridge the gap with another sister service Academy: Annapolis. The first interview is with Cameron, who was wrongfully accused of fratinerzation by a fellow midshipman. The vindictive nature of how Cameron was treated by the Permanent Party of Annapolis is astounding, nevermind his fellow shipmates who had an axe to grind and used Cameron's future career as a bargaining chip.

Throughout the second interview, we will talk to Christian. As a naval midshipman who came from a Naval Academy family, he was astounded at how he was treated when he needed help the most. Christian was possibly drugged while on a summer integration "cruise" with the United States Navy to Rota, Spain. He didn't even remember how he got back to the Naval Academy.

With pounding headaches and deteriorating health, he took a semester off. The Navy ignored his medical conditions, and instead, improperly diagnosed him with schizophrenia and dangerously medicated him for a condition he didn't even have. The result? He was medically discharged with no recourse. We discuss the implications of Parker vs. Levy and falsified mental health records where, despite several professional doctor opinions that he did not have any mental health issues, this once proud midshipman who just wanted to serve his country was destroyed by the Naval Academy when he just sought out help after experiencing an injury from a "Cruise". We discuss leadership, retaliation, and survivial throughout his career before he too, was removed because of poor leadership when he needed help the most.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

What is the legacy of a General officer that serves as a commandant, dean, or superintendent? The levels of corruption seen upon retirement speak from themselves, and have led future Academy graduates into a cesspool of forever wars.

In this chapter we will talk to Tara Harris. Tara was a Freshman (Doolie) when DeRito was a senior Cadet and was her Cadre during Basic Cadet Training. She gives a first hand account of her experiences and how she saw leadership treat DeRito; even through the infamous "Marine Bulldog Pin" incident.

Tara experienced significant tragedy at the Academy after the Class of 2010 graduated. From experiencing a career ending injury in Division 1 sports as a gymnast, to the death of a significant other, racisim, and being raped as a Senior Cadet (Firstie), Tara tells her harrowing tale of resilence and steadfastness as she entered the operational Air Force. There she realized as a black woman her true worth after being mistreated by her Air Force leadership when she applied to Air Force Special Operations Command as one of the first women to try out but was denied by her commander because she was a woman. She decided the Air Force was stunting her growth and left the military as a junior Captain. She now is happily married and has a highly successful career working for Facebook.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

Within the first part of Chapter 8, we will discuss for formation of the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation; now known as the "Falcon Foundation". Lt Gen Michael Gould was the Superintendent who founded the institution, and set himself up for a pretty nice position within the Association of Graduates as the CEO after leaving the Mountain West Conference Advisory Board when he retired from the Air Force. Lt Gen Michael Gould continues a legacy of corruption with the Falcon Club and the Association of Graduates to this day, and is responsible for dozens of Cadets never recieving justice in their cases of rape, sexual assault, and harassment. Why? Money and Football are simply more important.

Throughout the second half of the episode, we will speak with "Cadet Y" who was hopeful at the arrival of Lt Gen Richard Clark that USAFA would begin to change for the better. As we will see later in the season, this was not the case. As a founding member of the USAFA Teal Rope Program, this Cadet was hopeful that after two Cadet Suicides and multiple cases of rape were reported during the COVID-19 Pandemic that USAFA would begin to change and become the great institution that it once was.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

In this episode we will talk about Adam's experience at the Class of 2010 Reunion at USAFA, and how many people have come back to support the efforts of the Dark Sabre Project. You know who else came back to greet the Class of 2010? Former Superintendent LTG Michael Gould and the "Cadet" (now Major) who left Adam at Colorado State University where he was sexually assaulted.

During the second half of the episode, we will talk with Mario Calabro who was kicked out of the Air Force Academy during his senior year due to an "Honor Violation". However, it is much deeper than that. It's an important discussion to have about our broken Honor Code at the Air Force Academy, and how it's now being used as a weapon against Cadets, versus a system to develop our young officers into ethical and moral leaders.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

In this episode, we will first discuss the emotional cost of the DeRito vs. USA Case. Over nearly 13 years, the USAF Academy continues to drag on this case by insisting on doing the wrong thing. Lt Gen Clark is more involved than most people know; when he came back to the Academy initially as the Commandant he worked under Lt Gen Michael Gould as a 1-Star between 2010-2012. During this time, Operation Grid Iron was in full swing, and Adam DeRito's medical records were falsified.

In the next interview we will hear from a Cadet who identifies as transgender. They explain from their personal experiences their views on racism, homophobia, and transphobia during their time during the COVID-19 Pandemic at the USAF Academy.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

This episode starts out with more actions that the Air Force Academy did to intentionally hide evidence. They did this by purposefully creating more perceived "administrative processes" in order to continue to clog up the justice system. The case precedent used by the Air Force Academy is known as Parker v. Levy. We will discuss that in more detail during the episode.

The rest of this episode contains a discussion with Matthew Kaye; a former member of the class of 2010 who is a now firefighter and Army combat veteran. Matthew discusses how he was sexually assaulted as a freshman by another male Cadet, experienced retaliation from his chain of command where mental health was used to punish him, as well as the extensive anti-semitism that he had to endure from his former roommate/classmate.

At the time LTG Regni tried to appeal to Matthew's family by discouraging them from filing a lawsuit against the Academy for allowing these levels of antisemitism, and to allow this other Cadet to continue on with their career without any punishment; all while Matthew made the decision to leave the Academy the sexual assault and mental health retaliation he received. With the Air Force Academy determined to avoid another lawsuit in open court, Matthew tells his story of survival, resilience, and determination to live a fulfilling life, while trying to make USAFA a better place.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears

While the Air Force was being subjected to 10th District Federal Court, there was a suspicious break in at the home of Adam DeRito. Throughout the legal proceedings, more odd things began to happen; including electronic interference and hacking. Why is the U.S. Air Force putting so much effort into interfering with Adam DeRito, and silencing the Dark Sabre Project?

In the second half of the episode we will interview a Cadet who experienced the pandemic first hand at the Academy, and the difficult decision they had to make. The COVID-19 Pandemic forced many Cadets, espeically in the Class of 2024, to make a difficult discussion: Get the shot, or get kicked out. In this episode we will talk to "Emma" a former member of the USAFA Class of 2024, who was already an accomplished aviator, who resigned from the Air Force Academy; giving up a life long dream of being a pilot because she believed in her principles. Principles that our Air Force Academy used to believe in. Standing up to do the right thing in the face of adversity and what was supposed to be a non-political environment.

Instagram: Adam.DeRito

Website: www.adamderito.com

Music: YetiTears