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When each of us entered into the service of our military branch we all took an Oath of Enlistment... At my age, I still retain and honor that Oath... However, as I look around I find many who either have forgotten their Oath or no longer Honor it... In that Oath we affirm that we will SUPPORT and DEFEND Our Country and the Constitution of the United States... So what has happened? Why do some fail to honor their Oath... Is not our Country worth it anymore, or our Constitution? or are we so divided as a people that our Oath has two sides? I don't know the answer to these questions, but what I do know is that the majority of men and women who have served still hold true to the Oath taken many years ago... We must continue to honor that Oath In my view...
I have copied the Oath of Enlistment and the Oath of Commissioned Officers only as reference... and the video I share with all of you today is one by the USAF as I am a Veteran of this Branch of Service and I still hold true to the Oath that I took on May 30, 1961...
Oath of Enlistment
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).
Oath of Commissioned Officers
I (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. (Title 5 U.S. Code 3331, an individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services)
God Bless the United States of America!
I have copied the Oath of Enlistment and the Oath of Commissioned Officers only as reference... and the video I share with all of you today is one by the USAF as I am a Veteran of this Branch of Service and I still hold true to the Oath that I took on May 30, 1961...
Oath of Enlistment
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).
Oath of Commissioned Officers
I (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. (Title 5 U.S. Code 3331, an individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services)
God Bless the United States of America!
Oath
Service
Constitution
Military service
United States
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 18
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There are many who forget their oath to the constitution and focus on the "obey the orders of the president" ..... but when the president gives an order AGAINST the constitution, we are to stay loyal and faithful defenders of the constitution, not the man behind the desk. Too many people are afraid of what they personally, will lose if they disobey their orders, when what we will lose as a nation is so much more.
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LTC Stephen C.
Here’s some clarification, Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen, and it’s consistent with what I have always been told:
“Both officers and enlisted service members swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, but in the Oath of Enlistment, service members swear they will ‘obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over [them], according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.’
Officers do not include this in their Oath of Office.
Instead, they swear to support and defend the constitution and ‘well and faithfully discharge the duties of [their] office.’
Why are the two oaths different and what does it mean that officers do not swear obedience to the president or higher ranking officers? This concept traces back to the intentions of the Founding Fathers who created our governing system with a separation of powers and series of checks and balances between the three branches. This ensures no single branch or person gains too much power and becomes corrupted. By swearing allegiance to a set of ideals and laws, our military is not bound by the orders of a single person, but are dedicated to the defense of the people and their way of life.”
Sgt (Join to see) SPC(P) (Join to see) SSG Stephen Rogerson Cpl Robert Russell Payne CWO3 (Join to see) SSG Byron Hewett SSG Franklin Briant Maj Robert Thornton SFC William Farrell SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SGT Mark Anderson CPT (Join to see) Wayne Soares CWO3 Dennis M.
https://www.quantico.marines.mil/news/news-article-display/article/611510/the-difference-between-oath-of-office-oath-of-enlistment/
“Both officers and enlisted service members swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, but in the Oath of Enlistment, service members swear they will ‘obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over [them], according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.’
Officers do not include this in their Oath of Office.
Instead, they swear to support and defend the constitution and ‘well and faithfully discharge the duties of [their] office.’
Why are the two oaths different and what does it mean that officers do not swear obedience to the president or higher ranking officers? This concept traces back to the intentions of the Founding Fathers who created our governing system with a separation of powers and series of checks and balances between the three branches. This ensures no single branch or person gains too much power and becomes corrupted. By swearing allegiance to a set of ideals and laws, our military is not bound by the orders of a single person, but are dedicated to the defense of the people and their way of life.”
Sgt (Join to see) SPC(P) (Join to see) SSG Stephen Rogerson Cpl Robert Russell Payne CWO3 (Join to see) SSG Byron Hewett SSG Franklin Briant Maj Robert Thornton SFC William Farrell SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SGT Mark Anderson CPT (Join to see) Wayne Soares CWO3 Dennis M.
https://www.quantico.marines.mil/news/news-article-display/article/611510/the-difference-between-oath-of-office-oath-of-enlistment/
The difference between Oath of Office, Oath of Enlistment
Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson willingly disobeyed a commander’s orders and even threatened to open fire on American troops when he saved the lives of at least 10 Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
LTC Stephen C. Once again proof that the Founding Fathers were very wise.
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC Stephen C. - Still have a photo in a box somewhere from commissioning. Thanks for the *briefback.*
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SGT Mary G.
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen - I more or less figured that unless the president is the only officer out in the field leading troops as commander in chief, that the part of the enlisted oath mentioning the president is irrelevant . . . because enlisted obeying orders of officers means enlisted are supporting and defending the Constitution since the officers are sworn to do so too but *without* mention of the president.
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Great post, like you I still honor and respect that oath. One also needs to note that none of those oaths mention political parties.
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Sgt (Join to see)
Nor should they, and the politics needs to be left out of it... Country and Constitution only...
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Sgt (Join to see) Absolutely but that seems to be a grey area for some these days.
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