Do I need to have experience in S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) in order to sign the pledge? 

Yes. Anyone who is majoring in S.T.E.M., who has a degree in S.T.E.M., or has worked in a technical field is welcome to sign the pledge.

What about grants? 

It is okay to sign the pledge and still take grants from the military. The pledge is about employment, not grants. 

Won’t someone else take the job if I don’t? 

When a significant fraction of S.T.E.M. workers join the campaign, the labor pool that defense companies sample from will be significantly smaller and this will translate to lower quality workers. Even people who have not taken the pledge will feel social pressure to avoid the military. That is when companies and governments make concessions. Strikes work: you just need enough people.

Won't another country come in to fill the power vacuum if the U.S. military downsizes? 

This is a worldwide campaign. S.T.E.M. workers and students from all countries are invited to sign on.