Before enlisting, think carefully about what it means to be a soldier for eight years. Every member of the military, from the medic to the mechanic, is trained to fight and to kill, and the ongoing conflicts prove that fighting and killing can begin very suddenly. You may enlist to get job training or money for college, but eventually you may be faced with war. You owe it to yourself to think seriously about when you believe it is justified to kill another person. - Learn more
U.S. citizens that are proactive in opposing war must help shape the tone of anti-war and peace conversations to be more inclusive of the counter-recruitment analysis.
"The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) is integral in bringing local, regional, and national peace and human rights groups together to help the nation understand that providing ALL youth with peaceful and viable alternatives to achieve success in life is an important sign of a civilized society." Source: NNOMY National Call
The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) is a network of organizations that stand up against the militarization of schools and young people in the USA.
"The U.S. military is deeply embedded in public schools, shaping children’s futures long before they’re old enough to understand the consequences — and parents were never meaningfully asked."
NNOMY was founded in the aftermath of the 2004 national counter-recruitment conference "Stopping War Where it Begins" in Philadelphia.[1] It is intended to be a decentralized and flexible structure that helps national, regional and local activists and organizations by promoting communication efforts and by stimulating collaboration between network members. NNOMY organizes actions and campaigns against militarism in order to raise awareness and to increase education on the topic.

Students

Parents
Not so long ago, joining the military was a way out and a way up for lots of young Americans. It helped them grow up, get a start in life, maybe learn a skill, defend their country, and be part of a noble cause. If you have kids today, recruiters will be around to see them. Maybe we already have, telling that familiar story. But today, less and less of it is true. I hate to say it, but that's the fact. - Learn more

Teachers
To envision a culture of teaching peace precludes a society that supports, funds and appreciates the rich global history of nonviolence through an explicit pedagogy and practice of peace. In essence, the learning environment fosters an outlook of global interdependence, ecological accountability and cultural sensitivity. The community places peace at the center of the content and processes, embracing all learning styles and environments, as well as supporting a participatory and shared learning environment between teachers and students. - Learn more
The Consensus Behind Militarism
Jeff Cohen -
While the U.S. media has some spirited debate over politics and social issues – i.e. Fox News vs. MSNBC – there remains a broad consensus about foreign adversaries whose behavior is almost always cast in the harshest light, a reality that colors how America reacts to the world, as Jeff Cohen writes.
Theological Reflection on Counter-Recruitment
Matt Guynn -
These reflections were created and shared in the context of counter-recruitment networking calls organized by On Earth Peace, 2003-2007. On Earth Peace is an agency rooted in the Church of the Brethren, committed to confronting violence with God's love.
The Paths that Lead to Life
"You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Acts 2:28
Support Our Work Nationally
Please send a check to support the work of NNOMY in 2026!
Your donation works to balance the military's message in our public schools.
Ninth CIRCUIT COURT RULING: CONFRONTING MILITARISM BY USING EQUAL ACCESS TO HIGH SCHOOLS
Rick Jahnkow -
When the military comes to your local high school, you have a legal right to give students an opposing view.
Teachers of Garfield High School in Seattle Say No!
By unanimous vote, the entire faculty at Garfield High School in Seattle voted not to administer the MAP test of reading and mathematics.






