The Day Due Process Died in the Military with Clarence Anderson III | S.O.S. #254

Send us a text

A decorated Air Force logistics officer. A collapsing marriage. A system that prized appearances over proof. We sit down with Major Clarence Anderson to trace his path from special operations success to a 42‑month sentence—despite no civilian charges and a later-recorded admission of a $100,000 payment tied to perjury and motive. This isn’t a salacious true-crime detour; it’s a clear look at how political pressure, unlawful command influence, and lopsided resources can bend military justice away from evidence and toward outcomes that “look” tough.

We walk through the key beats: Anderson’s leadership roles and deployments, the domestic incidents he documented to protect himself, and the moment investigators pressed forward even as family court and local police found no case. You’ll hear how a media gag order muted his side while headlines spread, why a judge-alone trial still ended in conviction, and what happened when a post-trial hearing confirmed the payment and conflicting timelines yet declined to act. Inside the brig, Anderson became a lifeline for other inmates, drafting briefs as new case law emerged—proof that resilience can grow even in confinement.

Beyond one case, we dig into readiness, morale, and trust. When Article 32 becomes a rubber stamp, when prosecutors feel pushed to file without probable cause, and when accused service members lack parity of counsel and support, the force bleeds credibility and talent. We talk practical reforms: separating prosecution from command, enforcing evidentiary standards at charging, ensuring resource parity for the accused, addressing media gag asymmetry, and creating a short-term task force to audit convictions from the high-pressure years. Anderson lays out a bold ask—reinstatement and a SecDef-directed review team—to restore both justice and confidence.

If you care about fairness, unit cohesion, and national security, this conversation will challenge assumptions and offer a way forward. Listen, share with a friend in uniform, and tell us what reform should come first. Subscribe for more stories that put accountability, due process, and mission readiness back where they belong.

Support the show

Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER
Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/
Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com
Watch episodes of my podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76