United States Uniformed Services Oath of Office

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is orphaned as very few or no other articles link to it. A member of Wikiproject Orphanage tried to de-orphan this page in June 2008, but was unable to do so. Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (June 2008)

The Oath of Office is a solemn oath taken by officers of the United States Uniformed Services on commissioning. It differs slightly from that of the oath of enlistment that enlisted members recite when they enter the service. It is statutory (i.e. required by law) and is prescribed by Section 3331, Title 5, United States Code^[1]. It is traditional for officers to recite the oath upon promotion but as long as the officer's service is continuous this is not actually required.^[2] One notable difference between the officer and enlisted oaths is that the oath taken by officers does not include any provision to obey orders; while enlisted personnel are bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice to obey lawful orders, officers in the service of the United States are bound by this oath to disobey any order that violates the Constitution of the United States.

==Text of the Oath==

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.)

Note that the last sentence is not required to be said if the speaker has a personal or moral objection, as is true of all oaths administered by the United States government.

Note also that this is not an oath to defend any specific territory or persons or property. This is an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States.

Note also that there is no duration defined in the Oath, once taken it a lifetime affirmation.

Officers of the National Guard of the various States, however, take a different oath:

I, [name], do solemly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___ against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___, that I make this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of [grade] in the Army/Air National Guard of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___ upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.

While Federal officers are commissioned under the authority of the President of the United States, National Guard officers are commissioned under the authority of the Governor of their state. In order to receive Federal pay, they must first be federally recognized.

[edit] References

1. ^ Section 3331, Title 5, United States Code [1]
2. ^ Section 626, Title 10, United States Code [2]

v • d • e Military of the United States Portal:Military of the United States Leadership Commander-in-chief • Secretary of Defense • Deputy Secretary of Defense • Joint Chiefs of Staff • Senate Committee on Armed Services • House Committee on Armed Services • Active duty four-star officers • Highest ranking officers in history • Goldwater-Nichols Act Organization Departments Department of Defense: Army (Secretary) • Navy (Secretary) • Air Force (Secretary) Department of Homeland Security: Coast Guard (Secretary) Branches U.S. Army (Chief of Staff) • U.S. Marine Corps (Commandant) • U.S. Navy (Chief of Naval Operations) • U.S. Air Force (Chief of Staff) • U.S. Coast Guard (Commandant) other Uniformed Services: U.S. PHS Commissioned Corps (Surgeon General) • NOAA Commissioned Corps (Director) Reserve components Reserves: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) • National Guard: (A · AF) Civilian auxiliaries Military Affiliate Radio System · Merchant Marine · Maritime Service · Civil Air Patrol · Coast Guard Auxiliary Unified Combatant Command Northern • Central • European • Pacific • Southern • Africa • Joint Forces • Special Operations • Strategic • Transportation Structure The Pentagon • Bases • Budget • Units: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) • Logistics • Media Operations & History Current Deployments • Conflicts • Wars • History • Historical Events Personnel Training MEPS • ASVAB • Recruit training: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) • Officer Candidate School: (A · MC · N · AF) • Service Academies • Junior/Reserve Officers' Training Corps: (A · MC/N · AF) · Other Education Uniforms (A · MC · N · AF · CG) • Awards & Decorations • Badges ranks Enlisted: (A · MC · N · AF · CG) • Warrant Officers • Officer: (A · MC · N · AF · CG · PHS · NOAA) other Oath: (Enlistment · Office) • Code of Conduct • Military Occupational Specialty/Rating/Air Force Specialty Code • Pay • Uniform Code of Military Justice • Judge Advocate General's Corps • Military Health System / TRICARE • Separation • Veterans Affairs Equipment Land Individual Weapons • Crew-Served Weapons • Vehicles (active) Sea All watercraft • Ships: (A · N (active) · AF · CG · MSC) • Weapons: (N · CG) • Aircraft: (N · CG) • Reactors Air Aircraft (active) • Aircraft Designation • Missiles • Helicopter Arms Other Electronics (designations) • Flags • Food • WMDs: (Nuclear · Biological · Chemical) Legend: A=Army MC=Marine Corps N=Navy AF=Air Force CG=Coast Guard PHS=Public Health Service NOAA=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration MSC=Military Sealift Command