A Senate amendment added to the FY 2009 Defense Authorization bill would require secondary schools to include JROTC within their curriculum or be cut off from federal funds at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense. This amendment was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). (1)

JROTC violates the spirit of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict which was ratified by the United States in January of 2003. This protocol prevents children from being recruited or trained for war. The absolute minimum age at which a child can be recruited, as set forth by this Protocol, is 16, which the U.S. voluntarily raised to the minimum age to 17. This was after the U.S lobbied against the United Nations proposed absolute minimum age of 18. (2)

JROTC is solely a secondary school program for children in grades 9-12. JROTC was originally designated as a recruitment tool, although the enabling statute of JROTC now calls JROTC a "citizenship" program. Interestingly, a 1-year participant in JROTC can enlist in the military as an E-2, while a 3-year participant in JROTC can enlist as an E-3, thus enlisting a higher rank with greater pay. Clearly, this is one of many examples that JROTC is about recruitment.

This amendment would also allow for the federal government to override the welfare of a community and the decision making power of school administrators, teachers, parents, and children.

The Center on Conscience & War is asking all supporters to immediately e-mail your name, organization, and address to: j_e@centeronconscience.org as well as contact their Senator to ensure that this amendment is removed from the FY 2009 Defense Authorization bill. Your support is needed.

And for USAmerica's younger children not to feel left out--

Through a licensing deal signed with the U.S. Army, Sears, Roebuck & Co. will begin selling clothing from All American Army Brand's First Infantry Division collection. The clothing, for men, woman, and BOYS, will be available in October. This is a first, as the U.S. Army has never before officially licensed its marks and insignias. (1)
J.E. McNeil, executive director of the Center on Conscience & War, views this first as yet another sign that our government is looking to recruit children under the age of 17. "We see yet again the military targeting younger and younger children, particularly young boys, as they aggressively seek to ensure more bodies for our current military conflicts and conflicts of the future. This is an illegal tool in the recruiting arsenal. This is unacceptable for our country, and it is in violation of international law. We signed the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and we should honor that. We can pretend that marketing isn't recruiting, but the reality is that recruiting is marketing, and marketing is recruiting." McNeil said.
The Center on Conscience & War (CCW) calls upon all supporters to boycott Sears, Roebuck & Co until they stop marketing the military to children. As an organization dedicated to extending and defending the rights of conscientious objectors, it is the Center's position that children should be free to develop their consciences without the military bombarding them through targeted marketing campaigns.
Please help us stop the illegal recruitment of children by boycotting Sears and signing our online petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/No_to_illegal_recruitment/
Also, please contact Sears' headquarters directly at 847-286-2500. Let them know you are opposed to a boy's clothing line illegally recruiting children into the military.