The National Socialist Movement (NSM) is paramilitary in structure; its members claim to be lieutenants, sergeants, or other military-themed ranks. One of the most openly Nazi-like of the various neo-Nazi groups in the United States, its members frequently wear uniforms patterned after those of the Third Reich. Jeff Schoep, the head of NSM, is its “Commander,” and the various chapters of the groups are termed “units.” In just a few years, the NSM has grown from a few chapters to dozens. However, most of its chapters are quite small, and many tend to be very short-lived.

Not only is the NSM paramilitary in structure, but its members also engaged in armed paramilitary training. In issues of its various periodicals over the years, the NSM has advocated weapons training for whites and has published the recipes for explosives such as fertilizer bombs.

The membership of the NSM tends to be young; many members are current or former skinheads. However, the NSM also has a number of older members whose neo-Nazi involvement stretches back to the 1960s and the time of George Lincoln Rockwell.

Of the 55 units currently claimed by the NSM, over 40 percent are located in the Midwest. The most active units in the Midwest are located in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.