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This episode of Amped Up featured a wide-ranging, deeply substantive conversation with Bree Fram , a retired Air Force and Space Force colonel, a trailblazing transgender service member, and a newly announced candidate for Congress in Virginia. Cliff Schecter and David Shuster moved the discussion deliberately from personal service to national security to democratic renewal.
1. A Life of Service — and a Forced Exit
Col. Fram described her 23-year military career, including service in Iraq and senior leadership roles in Air Force Space Command and the Space Force.
She explained how a Trump administration executive order led to the forced removal of transgender service members—despite spotless records and court findings that the policy was rooted in animus, not readiness.
The cost, she emphasized, wasn’t just personal—it was strategic: the loss of thousands of experienced, mission-ready personnel weakened U.S. national security.
2. The Reality Inside the Military
Fram powerfully countered right-wing myths about transgender service, describing overwhelming support from colleagues, commanders, generals, and admirals.
She recounted moments of quiet solidarity—handshakes, words of respect, and shared grief—as her forced departure became real.
The military, she argued, has often been ahead of civilian society on inclusion—and is now being dragged backward by political extremism.
3. National Security, NATO, and the Trump Doctrine
The panel examined Trump’s erratic foreign policy—from Greenland threats to tariffs—and how they’ve pushed allies into defensive postures against the United States itself.
Fram dismantled the rationale behind Trump’s claims that U.S. sovereignty over Greenland is necessary for missile defense, calling it strategically nonsensical and diplomatically destructive.
She warned that this administration views power only through force and money—undermining decades of alliance-based security.
4. Why Congress — and Why Now
Fram framed her congressional run as a continuation of her oath to the Constitution, not a career pivot.
She outlined the leadership skills she brings: managing billion-dollar programs, long-range security planning, and delivering results under pressure.
With Virginia undergoing redistricting, she stressed the urgency of starting early to give voters a clear choice grounded in competence and values.
Please find out more about Bree’s campaign here: [link removed] [ [link removed] ]
5. Democracy, Accountability, and Renewal
The conversation broadened to ICE abuses, executive overreach, and the erosion of constitutional norms.
Fram supported accountability—from impeachment to structural reform—and argued for re-imagining institutions to restore public trust.
Her closing message was steady and hopeful: democracy survives only if people engage, show up, and do the hard, sometimes boring work of self-government.
A serious, clarifying, and quietly inspiring hour—one that reminded listeners what principled leadership looks like, and why it still matters.
Read More Blue Amp Media
Want to go deeper? These Blue Amp Media stories explore the same themes of accountability, courage, and democratic renewal from different angles.
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