1934, 1984, and America in 2022
In his essay 1934, 1984 and America in 2022, 93 year-old Col. William Rutledge Ret. USAF shares his wisdom and…
Col. Bill Rutledge
Veteran
Media/Journalist
Advocate
Colorado
Retired United States Air Force Colonel, 97 years old, with 26 years of military service. A regular contributor to the Kim Monson Show and America's Veteran Stories, sharing historical perspectives on American history, military heritage, and founding principles.
Biography
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Colonel Bill Rutledge is a 97-year-old retired United States Air Force officer with 26 years of distinguished military service. He served as a bombardier and navigator on B-47 and B-52 bombers, receiving Air Medals for his service in Operation Redwing nuclear testing program in 1956 and for leading B-52 bomber strike forces on combat missions over Vietnam in 1966. His military career also included service at Thule Air Base in Greenland during the International Geophysical Year and experience as a budget officer.
A lifelong student of history, Colonel Rutledge has developed deep expertise in American military history, the Revolutionary War era, and notable historical figures. He has traveled extensively throughout the world, including a memorable 1988 trip through the Soviet Union that informs his perspectives on liberty and governance. His knowledge spans from the Founding Fathers to World War II operations to Cold War military strategy.
Colonel Rutledge is a regular contributor to the Kim Monson Show on KLZ 560 AM in Denver and co-hosts America's Veteran Stories. His appearances feature vivid storytelling about historical figures including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Eddie Rickenbacker, John Paul Jones, and Charles Lindbergh. He connects historical lessons to contemporary issues, drawing on nearly a century of personal experience.
Colonel Rutledge lost his wife of 69 years to COVID-19 in 2022 and has since become an advocate for veterans, sharing information about VA cemetery benefits and speaking on issues affecting military families. His personal experiences from the Great Depression through the present day provide unique firsthand perspectives on American life and values.
A former Boy Scout since 1937, Colonel Rutledge continues to share his passion for history, education, and the foundational principles of American liberty with audiences on the Kim Monson Show.
Articles by Col. Bill Rutledge
Episodes
51 appearancesJune 12, 2026
The Flag, the Border, and the Fight for Colorado’s Classrooms
Crime, Policing & Public Safety
Col. Bill Rutledge explains flag protocol, Chris Harris on border enforcement, and Molly Lamar on Cherry Creek's budget crisis. June 12, 2026.
“I think that the American flag throughout the world is the best representative of freedom.”
May 25, 2026
Real American Heroes: Eddie Rickenbacker and Joe Foss
Community Stories & Local Heroes
Col. Bill Rutledge tells the stories of Medal of Honor recipients Eddie Rickenbacker and Joe Foss on this Memorial Day broadcast. May 25, 2026.
“Within four months, Eddie had become the squadron commander and had shot down 26 German aircraft.”
“But Joe hid out eight airplanes in his flight and he put them out into the jungle around the perimeter of the airfield.”
March 23, 2026
Land Policy Reversals, Election Corruption, and Parental Rights Under Siege
Climate Policy & "Green" Mandates
BLM policy reversals, election integrity, and Colorado's conversion therapy legislation in focus. Monday, March 23, 2026.
“The new leadership must not be a cleric. He must declare an exact separation between any kind of religious faith and political actions.”
March 16, 2026
Election Integrity Through HAVA, the Danger of Credit Card Price Controls, and Iran’s Path to Separation of Church and State
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
Harry Haury on HAVA election challenges, Phil Kerpen on credit card rate caps, and Colonel Bill Rutledge on Iran. March 16, 2026.
“The most important decision he made was that the leadership in a new republic should have a complete separation between church and state. That way the people are involved in electing their political leaders.”
March 2, 2026
Iran Strikes, Transmission Line Land Grabs, and Colorado’s 96 Percent Voter Roll Churn
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
Carter's secret order to the Shah, Southwest Power Pool land grabs, and 96 percent voter roll churn in Colorado with Dr. Douglas Frank. March 2, 2026.
“President Carter said, you are to go to Iran, and when you get to Iran, you are to speak to the Shah directly and confidentially, and you are to tell him that my administration will no longer back his play and his support, and I feel he should abdicate and leave the country.”
January 29, 2026
Greenland Defense, Election Justice, and Legislative Watchdogs
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
Bill Rutledge on Greenland's strategic value, John Case and Peter Ticktin on a clerk's appeal and prison assault, Mary Janssen on CUT Engaged. January 29, 2026.
“It's not just the location. It's access to mining of minerals, all sorts of minerals that are available on this massive island. And there are so many minerals that we use in our production in America and in many other countries around the world that depend upon the Chinese.”
December 23, 2025
Offensive Faith and Revolutionary Resolve: Christmas Reflections on Standing Firm
Culture, Community & Civil Society
“And I said, God saved Washington to save America.”
“And I said, I feel the same thing has happened today.”
December 12, 2025
The Life and Legacy of John Heisman
Colorado Politics & Policy
“We've all heard the term renaissance man, a person who has many, many talents and excels in almost all of them.”
December 8, 2025
Congress Must Codify Trump’s Executive Orders Before Democrats Retake Power
Colorado Politics & Policy
“Every single officer, every single enlisted member, all take an oath that they will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.”
December 4, 2025
Citizens Challenge Government Overreach from Local Zoning to Military Authority
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
“I do not believe that any 18-year-old enlisted person is qualified to discern whether an order is lawful or unlawful.”
November 28, 2025
How Does One Define Benjamin Franklin? A Deep Dive into America’s Most Versatile Founding Father
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
“when you're young and you have an opportunity to take a job, you should do it.”
November 10, 2025
Your Car Is Tracking Your Every Move and First Grade Lessons from 1934
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
“But our first priority was to concentrate on the alphabet because reading was the first element that's so essential.”
November 5, 2025
Election Integrity Concerns, Global Beef Herd Crisis, and First Grade Education in the 1930s
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Kim Monson examines 2025 election results, global beef concerns, and 1930s education with Trent Loos and Colonel Bill Rutledge. November 5, 2025.
“And as far as the autism, I went to six different schools in three different states. And not only did I observe my classmates, but also so many of the schools I went to were first grade through 12th grade, all in the same building or immediate complex. I never saw one child at any of those schools that had any indication of autism.”
September 4, 2025
The Great Galveston Hurricane and Colorado’s Tax Crossroads
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Colonel Bill Rutledge recounts the 1900 Galveston Hurricane while experts discuss Colorado taxes on September 4, 2025.
“Every time I think of a whole world and the economy being dictated by a teenager from Sweden, it blows my mind. It's so irrational.”
August 4, 2025
States Rewriting Land Use Codes Threaten Property Rights
Colorado Politics & Policy
Sophia Georges exposes property rights threats, Ann Lowe shares wind turbine health impacts, Bill Rutledge compares Typhoid Mary to COVID. August 4, 2025.
“I learned that we had been lied to by the pharmacists and by the doctors, and they were under pressure by their accrediting agencies where they were threatened to lose their jobs or lose their license if they didn't comply.”
July 28, 2025
The Asymptomatic Carrier: Typhoid Mary and Lessons for Public Health Policy
Community Stories & Local Heroes
Bill Rutledge explores Typhoid Mary's story. Karen Levine and Lorne Levy discuss housing market opportunities. July 28, 2025.
“Well, I do, and she held out for five years, but I think she never felt really that they knew what they were talking about.”
July 23, 2025
Denver’s Billion Dollar Bond Scheme, Healthcare’s Corporate Takeover, and Globalist NGO Agendas
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Wendy Warner exposes Denver's $935M bond, Dr. Jill Vecchio warns of managed care, Trent Loos reveals globalist ties. July 23, 2025.
“I feel that people should have a good attitude and work hard and be kind to people that they associate with.”
July 2, 2025
Silence Equals Consent and the Divine Providence Behind America’s Founding
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
Bill Federer and Bill Rutledge explore silence equals consent and George Washington's divine providence on July 2, 2025.
“If it had not been for George Washington, we would not have had independence for decades. And the fact that Washington led, and although he'd lost far more battles than he ever won, he finally prevailed at Yorktown in 1781.”
June 27, 2025
Federal Legislation or State Solutions in the Battle for Cultural Values
Civic Engagement & Grassroots
“If you're going to get it in a duel, don't do it with a soldier.”
May 26, 2025
Stories of Heroism and Sacrifice Shape America’s Character
Community Stories & Local Heroes
Bill Rutledge recounts WWI ace Eddie Rickenbacker's story while Drew Dix reflects on Memorial Day's true meaning. May 26, 2025.
“But all these people did not have formal educations, but they were leaders in their field.”
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About Bill Rutledge
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