WASHINGTON -- May 20 -- While, the U.S. Army Recruiting Command is conducting an “Army Values Stand Down Day” across the country organizations like Military FreeZone.org, Veterans For Peace, Code Pink, and Leave My Child Alone will be actively campaigning to keep recruiters honest in the days ahead

As the military “Stands Down" actions around the country will be focused on “Standing Up” against predatory recruiters, “Standing Up” for Money for College, not Combat, “Standing Up” for our troops in Iraq and helping bring them home, and “Standing Up” for students’ right to keep their information private.

Today’s so called "stand down" follows over 480 allegations of impropriety by recruiters since Oct. 1, 2004. As the improprieties increase, more organizations have formed to focusing attention to stop recruiters from lying, misleading, and harassing students.

"It’s about time the military admit that there is a serious problem with recruiters lying to unsuspecting recruits. Kids sign up because recruiters portray the military as a road to a brighter personal future and that they can earn $70,000 for college- only to find that they have fallen victim to a bait and switch routine.” said Justin Sane co-founder of MilitaryFreeZone.org and lead singer of punk band Anti-Flag.

Other recent improprieties include a Houston Army recruiter's threat to arrest a local young man if he didn't report that day to the army recruiting station. As well as the shocking reporting by Colorado teenager, David McSwane, who proved how military recruiters were willing to fake diplomas for students and even help recruits get around drug tests and physical fitness requirements.

“In the Pentagon’s desperation to recruit citizens for the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, the armed forces have been reduced to employing unethical tactics. We take the opportunity of this so called “stand down” to highlight the fact that the war is based on lies and that signing up to fight in it is counter to real America values.” Gael Murphy, co-founder of Code Pink, Women For Peace.

The military has even used No Child Left Behind legislation and education funding to assist in recruitment efforts and move kids private information into military recruitment offices. For more information on how to keep student information private visit http://www.militatryfreezone.org/ and http://www.leavemychildalone.org/.

I look forward to the day when all schools are truly military free zones- when the military stands down not for one day- but every day." -Justin Sane, Co-Founder Military Free Zone, lead singer of Anti-Flag concluded.

###