WRL’s counter-recruitment work provides young people and their allies with the resources and training necessary to agitate against military recruitment in their schools and communities.
We work with a number of national organizations and coalitions, including Ya-Ya Network (Youth Activists Youth Allies Network), and Project YANO (Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities).
WRL is a sponsoring organization of NNOMY, the National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth). NNOMY is a national networking body that has assembled the best counter-recruitment materials and updated information available at www.NNOMY.org
NNOMY's Back‐to‐school Kit for Counter‐recruitment and School Demilitarization Organizing includes basic material useful to educating young people and school personnel about the realities of military enlistment and war, and encourages people to use the above WRL resources. The kit includes some information on alternatives to enlistment, as well as items written for organizers seeking to reach out to local schools.
We offer counter recruitment workshops and trainings for students, activists, and educators. Email wrl [at] warresisters.org for more information.
GI Resistance
Since our founding in 1923, the War Resisters League has been committed to supporting conscientious objectors, GI resisters, and military families.
Currently, our work on this issue is done primarily through the GI Rights Hotline and through collaborative and coalition work with veteran's organizations to support the growing movement in CO's and resisters to the current wars.
About Face | Veterans Against The War
We work closely with About Face (About Face: Veterans Against The War, which was formerly the Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Veterans for Peace
We also work with many Veterans for Peace, military veterans and allies who are involved in a number of projects.
RESOURCES
The GI Rights Hotline, 877.447.4487, provides free, confidential, and accurate information on US military regulations and practices to servicemembers, veterans, potential recruits, and their families. It is a network of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations.
Conscientious Objection
For ongoing work on conscientious objection, please see the great work of the DC-based Center on Conscience and War, which works to extend and defend the rights of conscientious objectors. CCW supports all those who oppose their participation in war, including those members of the US military who, following a crisis of conscience, seek discharge as conscientious objectors.
Our counter-recruitment resources include:
What Every Young Woman Should Know About the US Military
(And what you can do about it). If you are thinking about joining the military, you should know about the sexism, racism, and white supremacy; about being sex and gender diverse in the military; about what military life is like for women; and how military experiences change people. Includes stories, info on alternatives, and links to more info.
Know Before You Go, 'Cause There's No Reset Button
Know Before You Go is a collaboration with the Ya-Ya Network, a youth of color-led antimilitarist organization based in NYC. The leaflet breaks down the enlistment contract and life in the military and provides new stats about sexual assault in the military, racial disparities in becoming an officer, and stop-loss.
The Military is Not Just a Job, It's 8 Years of Your Life/
¿Solo un empleo? ¡No!... Son ocho anos de tu vida!
This essential counter military recruitment pamphlet, produced by Project YANO (Youth and Non-Military Opportunities) includes information that should be seen by every person considering joining the military. Activists across the country distribute this flyer in schools, at job fairs and community gatherings.
Questions to Consider Palmcard
Written for high school students who may be considering going into the military or have friends who are. Good for mass leafletting and as an eye-catching handout at a counter-recruitment table. Information taken from brochure “The Military's Not Just a Job... it's Eight Years of Your Life”, this full color glossy palmcard includes a link to that leaflet and to information on student's rights to distribute the palmcard in school.
DMZ: A Guide to Taking Your School Back from the Military
DMZ is a comprehensive counter military recruitment organizing manual for youth activists and their allies. This 48 page magazine-style handbook includes everything you need to know about organizing to keep military recruiters out of your school, including detailed legal information, concrete campaign suggestions, and key statistics. Originally published in 2008, DMZ comes with a sheet of updated information.
Not Your Fodder: Organizing Against the Militarization of Youth
WRL’s 2011 Peace Calendar, edited by Oskar Castro & Judith Mahoney Pasternak is a directory of counter-military-recruitment projects around the country. The calendar serves as colorful documentation of this vibrant grassroots movement as well as an organizing resource.
Beyond Border Patrol amplifies the truth about a career as a Border Patrol agent, takes apart the lies of Border Patrol recruiters, uplifts the names and lives of people killed by Border Patrol, and encourages people considering this career to pursue livelihoods that build true community safety - not carceral, racist ideas of safety.
So You Wanna Be A Cop? / ¿Piensa usted que quisiera ser policía?
So You Wanna Be A Cop? questions recruiter lies, debunking them with the truths of policing and police careers, and encourages visions of young people pursuing careers and lives that build actual community safety, not carceral, racist and classist versions of safety.
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