Episode 66: COL Curtis Lee, USMC (RET)

🎙️ Episode 66: From Battlefield to Heartsville: A Marine Colonel’s Mission to Resettle Ukraine’s Best and Brightest

In this gripping episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks, host Adam DeRito sits down with Colonel Curtis Lee, USMC (Ret.), a decorated Marine with 29 years of service spanning Operation Provide Comfort, OIF, and OEF. But his mission didn’t end with retirement—it evolved into a fight for hope, dignity, and opportunity for families fleeing war.

As Chair of Carolinas for Ukraine (C4U) in Hartsville, SC, Col Lee has led a groundbreaking grassroots effort to resettle 30 Ukrainians—integrating them into a rural American town of just 7,500. In a candid conversation, Col Lee unpacks how this tight-knit community welcomed these families with open arms, and how Ukrainians became thriving neighbors, workers, entrepreneurs, and contributors to local schools, churches, and charities.
But the clock is ticking. Col Lee exposes the unintended crisis brewing as the expiration of humanitarian parole and work authorizations looms—threatening to cast these hardworking newcomers into undocumented limbo, or force them to flee once more. He argues for a common-sense extension of legal protections that would keep America’s door open to talented, vetted refugees—bolstering communities across the country.

🪖 Key Highlights:
How a Marine colonel leveraged his civil affairs and logistics experience to build a model for successful refugee resettlement

Why bipartisan support is essential for a blanket extension of Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) humanitarian parole

Lessons learned from Afghanistan’s chaotic evacuation—and what they taught Col Lee about resettling people from war zones

The economic and cultural benefits Ukrainians have brought to rural South Carolina—and why America should replicate this success story nationwide

A frank discussion on immigration policy, conservative principles, and balancing compassion with security

🌎 Why It Matters:
With 240,000 Ukrainians resettled across the U.S. under U4U, the stakes are high not just for these individuals—but for America’s identity as a nation of opportunity. Col Lee makes a powerful case that extending their legal status isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing.

🔥 About Our Guest:
Col Curtis Lee is a retired Marine colonel who commanded logistics and civil affairs units across three decades of service, including combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. A veteran of charitable missions in Africa and Asia, he now channels his leadership into transforming rural communities at home—proving that service doesn’t stop at the uniform’s edge.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite streaming platform—and learn how one Marine’s post-service mission is reshaping America’s heartland.