Jan. 12, 2026 / Greg Jaffe / New York Times - Greg Jaffe spent eight days in The Dalles, Ore., with a recruiter from the Oregon National Guard. She believed that the key to being a good recruiter was not just selling the military and its benefits, but herself. Sgt. First Class Rosa Cortez wanted potential recruits to notice the pictures of her smiling children, her college diploma and the awards she had earned in the course of her nearly 20 years with the Oregon National Guard. Her goal was to “radiate positivity,” she said. “People will see it and want to align with you.” Lately though, she, along with hundreds of other recruiters around the country, had been offering something else: protection from the government she served.