Don’t be fooled by Trump’s pronouncements that he’s pulling the military back from killing around the world for the U.S. empire.  There may be some re-configuring going on but:

• Trump’s implementation of the Space Force; breaking the nuke treaty with Russia; nuclear threats to Iran & Korea, and amping up U.S. nuclear arsenal are very real.
• More U.S./Nato bombs were dropped in Afghanistan in the last year than over the last decade; he plans to refocus U.S. military there on murderous “special forces.”
• America First = Manifest Destiny.  The Trump/Pence regime is practicing the Monroe Doctrine, having tried a coup in Venezuela, the regime may invade or use proxies to do so.
• Trump is married to Saudi Arabia and nuke-owning Israel, both of which are deeply involved in war-fighting in the region with U.S. backing.

Should another generation of youth living here be sucked into war for empire, the way two million+ have sacrificed their humanity and lives in the so-called “war on terror?”  We say NO, and are actively working to stop the lying recruiters for the U.S. armed forces.  Should another generation of youth in this country be unaware of what is being carried out around the world in their names?

We Are Not Your Soldiers organized several weeks of class visits to high schools and colleges in fall 2018 with recent military veterans, a Vietnam veteran and a Vietnam resister. We start again this month with 7 days of class visits in NYC, including classes composed mostly of immigrants.  During the fall semester alone, we spoke with 1000 students.

In October, Miles responds to a student.

In November, Lyle explains what happened in Afghanistan during Obama’s “surge.”

These presentations are in depth conversations with students where the veterans not only present but respond directly to issues or questions raised.  Student post-visit comments said the veteran “spoke from his heart” and that “as a man, he wasn’t afraid to show emotion.”  One student wrote, “I enjoyed his brutal honesty with no filters whatsoever. I especially liked how he didn’t try ‘hiding’ the complete truth as if we were children which I greatly appreciate.” When asked on a questionaire if the presentation had changed their views on the military, common responses ranged from “yes, I didn’t know the extent of the brutality” and “it was the opposite of what I thought and my expectations” to “while I was aware of the nature of the U.S. military, this strengthened my negative views” and “although I was never interested in joining now I don’t think anyone else should go either.”

Some students would like to participate in the anti-war movement: “I’d like to stand up for what’s right, inspire others and convince them that wars are wrong.”  One student responded, “If young people can receive more education based on history, mainly focusing on the causes of wars, then the chances of war will decrease.”

To continue the We Are Not Your Soldiers project and bring more of that desired education – which another student pointed out is not the typical information given out in schools – we need your help so we can provide stipends to the veterans who take time off from their jobs to spend a solid week at a time going from school to school.  We need funds to cover the transportation needs of the veterans who come to NYC where we have such demand for them to speak although they live in other parts of the state or country.

It is not at all easy to speak out as these veterans do – which is why so few veterans are willing and able to do so.  The veterans need your support to get to the places to which they are invited and share information with young people to which those students will not otherwise be exposed. Please take out your checkbook or your credit card and help us with this outreach today.

And, of course, please spread the word of what we are doing.  If you know educators, students, parents – please let them know what we are doing and suggest they invite us to their schools.