No Conclusive Proof of Direct Intelligence Surveillance of Counter‑Recruitment Groups, though Related Movements Have Been Monitored Historically

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February 21, 2026 / NNOMY staff / National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth -  The question of whether U.S. intelligence agencies have investigated or monitored civilian counter‑military‑recruitment activism requires an examination that moves beyond simple yes‑or‑no answers and into the deeper historical and institutional structures that shape domestic intelligence practices. Counter‑recruitment activism occupies a distinctive position in American civic life. It challenges the policies, narratives, and institutional mechanisms that sustain military enlistment, and it often does so in spaces—public schools, community centers, and digital platforms—that intersect with federal interests in military readiness and national security. This proximity raises legitimate questions about whether such activism has ever drawn the attention of intelligence agencies.

Based on currently available evidence, there is no public documentation demonstrating that U.S. intelligence agencies have directly targeted counter‑recruitment organizations for investigation. No declassified files, FOIA releases, or official reports identify counter‑recruitment groups as subjects of intelligence scrutiny. However, the absence of direct evidence does not exist in a vacuum. It must be understood within the broader historical context of U.S. domestic surveillance, which has repeatedly encompassed peace movements, anti‑war organizations, and other forms of dissent that challenge military or national‑security policy.

Schools’ responses to student protests must be viewpoint neutral

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February 05, 2026 / Evie Blad / Education Week - Students around the country have staged school walkouts in the last month to protest federal immigration enforcement tactics—drawing concerns about their safety from school administrators and criticism from conservative leaders opposed to their cause.

The student protests follow the killing of two civilians by federal officials in Minneapolis, where a surge of confrontational enforcement actions have attracted national attention.

The biggest wave of action came Jan. 30, when thousands of middle and high school students in communities large and small walked out of school. It was part of a “National Shutdown,” during which immigration advocates urged people to walk out of school, stay home from work, and avoid spending money. But individual schools in states from Minnesota to Texas have seen smaller walkouts before and since.

The activities put school and district administrators in the center of heated national political battles, logistical challenges, and broader concerns about how to respect students’ First Amendment rights.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who is running for Senate, said Feb. 2 that his office would investigate the Austin school district to determine whether schools “facilitated” the student protests, whether public funds were spent, and whether any laws were violated.

  https://nnomy.org/RecruitersOut/

Dear Friends:

These are trying times. DHS agencies and the military are invading our communities. Our military is waging war or threatening war on multiple fronts.

Meanwhile, in order to maintain such an active presence on the world stage, the military needs more recruits. Recruiters are appearing at our schools, community meetings, social  media, on our phones, everywhere it seems.

At the same time, the number of groups actively involved in counter military recruitment has plummeted. The National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) hopes to push against that trend and spark activist groups into action. We cannot wait three years for a change. Too much is at stake.

We are planning a webinar March 21 and we invite you to participate. This will be a round table discussion of ways in which you can become involved in counter recruiting. We will be talking about tabling at high schools, speaking to high school classrooms, forming peace clubs, leafleting at schools, community involvement, peaceful career opportunities, the need for social media campaigns. Each area will be presented by people that have been deeply involved in this work for a significant period.

We hope you can join us: Saturday, March 21, 11 – 12:30 PST/12 – 1:30 PM MST/1 – 2:30 CST/ 2 – 3:30 EST.

Your attendance is vital. Big or small, everything we do helps prevent a young person from making a decision they may regret (and often do).

Please RSVP for this event:

RSVP link: https://tinyurl.com/demilitarize2026

How gendered imagery builds militarized identity, shapes culture, and targets youth insecurities

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February 15, 2026 / NNOMY staff / The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth - Militarism survives not only through weapons and budgets, but also through the stories it tells about who we are supposed to be. These stories are deeply gendered. They determine how young people imagine adulthood, how they understand strength, how they interpret desire, and how they decide what future awaits them. At the heart of this narrative architecture is the sexualization of women: a mechanism so normalized that it often goes unnoticed, yet powerful enough to shape the entire emotional logic of military recruitment.

The military recruitment machine relies on a very specific version of masculinity. It is a masculinity defined by toughness, emotional control, physical dominance, and a willingness to use violence in the name of the nation. This is not an accidental cultural consequence; it is a cultivated identity. Recruitment campaigns promise transformation: the insecure boy becomes the self-assured man, the invisible youth becomes someone who inspires respect, the social outcast becomes the admired protector. The institution is presented as a forge of manhood, and the imagery surrounding it constantly reinforces this promise.

Women appear in this story, but rarely as fully realized subjects. Instead, their bodies and presence are orchestrated to validate the masculine identity that the military sells. Sometimes they appear as smiling civilians whose admiration confirms the soldier's appeal. At other times, they appear as stylized soldiers, strong enough to signify progress, but still framed in ways that assure male viewers that traditional gender hierarchies remain intact. Even when women are portrayed as empowered, camera angles, posture, and narrative context often subtly sexualize them, reminding the viewer that femininity is still defined in relation to male desire.

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February 09, 2026 / NNOMY staff / The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth - When the war in Ukraine erupted into global headlines, many young people in the United States saw images of drones buzzing over trenches, soldiers coordinating attacks through phone apps, and cyber teams defending entire cities from digital sabotage. It looked like a different kind of war—high‑tech, fast‑moving, and unpredictable. What’s less visible is how closely the U.S. military has been watching these developments, and how the lessons drawn from Ukraine are now shaping the strategies, budgets, and recruitment messages aimed at American youth.