I, (state your 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.
~ Oath of Enlistment for all Enlisted Military Personnel
I, (state your 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 upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.
~ Oath of Office for all Military Officers
In my twenty years in the United States Marine Corps, I was honored to have taken both the oath of enlistment as an enlisted Marine and the Oath of Office for Military Officers. But it was not until 1986 that I came to understand the significant difference between these two oaths.
I was a Chief Warrant Officer, W2, and I was deployed with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 on board the USS Guadalcanal with the very first special operations capable Marine Amphibious Unit. Our MAU Commanding Officer was Colonel Myatt (who would go on to become a general and lead the Marine Expeditionary Unit assigned to Operation Desert Storm). During the deployment, two Staff Sergeants from the Landing Battalion had been selected for promotion to Warrant Officer and would be promoted at sea by the Colonel. There were three Chief Warrant Officers assigned to the Squadron and we had all requested permission to attend this important event in the lives for our fellow Marines because we had been through the same process. So, on the day of their promotion, we gathered together in the Colonel’s office/stateroom. Before Colonel Myatt administered the oath, he asked the two Staff Sergeants if they knew the difference between the enlisted and officer’s oaths. They answered that they did not. So, the Colonel explained.
“In the enlisted oath, the person taking the oath swears their allegiance to the Constitution of the United States, but by their very oath, must obey the legal orders of the President of the United States and the Officers appointed over them. In the oath you are about to take as a Military Officer, you are only swearing your allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and only to the Constitution. Therefore, should the President, the Congress, the Courts, or senior officers issue orders or edicts that are designed to remove the Constitution as the foundation of our government, as a military officer, you must resist and overthrow those trying to end our freedoms established by the Constitution and reestablish a Constitutional Government.”
I stood there in awe. Oh, how I wish someone had told me this when I was promoted to Warrant Officer. Not because I would not have taken the oath, but because this information made taking the oath of office so much more important and it carried the weight of an obligation to preserve our Nation as established by our Founding Fathers through a document that will forever be considered unique and precious – our Constitution. Before our deployment ended, I was selected for promotion to First Lieutenant as a Limited Duty Officer and would be required to take the Oath of Office for Military Officers again. It was with great pride that I raised my right hand and repeated these words – and I would never forget the obligation I made to our Nation. I would have two more opportunities to take this oath – when I was promoted to Captain as a Limited Duty Officer and when I was re-designated as a regular commissioned officer at the rank of Captain in the United States Marine Corps. Because I retired with a regular commission, I am technically bound to my oath of office until the day I die.
Today, I am truly afraid of the things I am seeing politicians do and say that are absolutely contrary to the Constitution of the United States.
- We have avowed socialists in the Congress and running for President who use the term “Democratic Socialist” but the comments they make are contrary to the Constitution such as eliminating the Electoral College System to give areas with the largest populations complete control over all future elected Presidents.
- We have states passing laws to keep a name off the ballot for President if five years of income tax returns are not released – completely against the Constitution which clearly sets out the only requirements for someone to run for President and would never have had this requirement since income tax was illegal at the time this document was passed.
- We have Congressional delegates wanting to stack the Supreme Court so that all decisions are made in the favor of their liberal/socialist agenda.
- Political correctness is being used to stifle free speech by claiming any statement made that is contrary to the liberal agenda is hate speech and not allowed despite the Supreme Court clearly stating that even hate speech, as ugly as it is, is covered by the First Amendment. And even worse, the media seems to have forgotten their role to be independent and to report the exact facts so that each citizen can decide for themselves what they think about any subject.
- The right to bear arms, the right to freedom of religion, state’s rights – all are under attack while our schools, colleges, and universities demand our children learn to accept the liberal ideas as the new norm or they will fail the course.
- And the very worst thing I see is that the citizens of the United States could not be more divided – a division created by politicians just to garner votes. The only thing we can seem to agree upon is we need faster internet speed – but we can’t agree on cable or a telecommunications company. We have no time to really care about what is really happening to our Country.
So, I have just one question for the men and women who were sworn in as officers in today’s military – Do you know just how important your oath of office is? Are you ready to live up to your sworn allegiance to our Constitution to ensure the government of the people and for the people continues to lead our Country? Do you have the courage to step in should the need arise to re-establish a Constitutional government should the President, Congress, or Courts try to dissolve Constitutional rule? Will you preserve the United States of America as set up by our Founding Fathers under the Constitution of the United States? Remember, you took an oath.
Alas, true leadership has taken a back seat where the constitutional framework is concerned. Politicians have mastered the art of manipulation so well the common man is left with hardly any option. All we have is a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Given the above situation, abiding by the Solemn Oath is a tall order indeed.
Thank you, Dear Len Sir, for bringing out the reality.
Bharat – That is the scary part of the current situation we are in – if the time every comes, will those who took the oath have the courage or understanding to do what is in the best interest of the Nation instead of preserving their own place in the new order. I am truly concerned. Thank you for your comment.
The unfortunate part is the ‘scary’ reversal of roles where ‘Country Before Self’ has turned into ‘Self Before the Country,’ Len Sir.
We need revolutionary leaders that perform what they profess, and inculcate the feelings of camaraderie for the country in the generations to follow.
We need to enlighten the public about the painfully rapid, as well as rampant erosion of moral values in the present-day politicians of all hues and colors, bar none.
Bharat – I absolutely agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, those in the elected positions of today only care about keeping their power so they pander to the voters to keep their seats. It has been a long time since we had a Country Before Self leader. Thanks for continuing the conversation.