Oath of Enlistment for Military Service

The oath of enlistment is taken by everyone who joins the Armed Forces as a recruit, or on reenlistment. It is a binding oath that all officers take that places them under the constitution, meaning they have to fight for the good of the country and constitution.

Everyone interested in joining the military cannot avoid taking the oath of enlistment, and it is one of the most important aspects of enlistment. This is something that you commit to for the rest of your career, so it’s something you should take seriously. From the oath, it is clear that your career is dedicated to the constitution and not a single person. It describes what your purpose is as a military officer.

The oath of enlistment is taken during the swearing-in of recruits, and it can be administered by any commissioned officer. Federal law states that it should be taken in front of the various flags of the U.S., the state, the flag of whichever military branch in which they are enlisting, and any other essential flags such as the unit guidon.

OATHS TAKEN BY THE DIFFERENT MILITARY BRANCHES

The oath of enlistment may differ slightly based on the military branch that you are enlisting into. The regular one is taken by all military branches, excluding the National Guard, and it is the most popular. It goes as follows:

“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, orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me, God.”

As most oaths go, the lines will be read out by a superior officer, and then the recruit taking the oath repeats after them and inserts their name where necessary. This oath also makes you subject to the provisions of the UCMJ.

For officers, the oath goes a little differently. It is still administered by a superior officer, but the oath is structured differently. The officers’ oath goes as follows:

“I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the _____ (Military Branch) of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations 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.”

Army and Air National Guard

The National Guard has a different oath of enlistment because they not only swear to the US constitution; they have to swear allegiance to the constitution of their assigned state. So they take this oath instead.

“I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of (STATE NAME) 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 Governor of (STATE NAME) and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to law and regulations. So help me, God.”

WHO TAKES THE OATH OF ENLISTMENT?

All recruits and reenlisting members of the Armed Forces, including commissioned officers, are expected to take the oath of enlistment. They take the oath at the time of enlistment, during the commissioning of officers, and promotions. Reenlisting members also take this oath whenever they reenlist.

This oath represents the bedrock of your career in the military. It represents the spirit of what you fight for and the importance of your position. Every member of the military is bound by that oath, and it guides every action in the force.

WHO ADMINISTERS THE OATH OF ENLISTMENT?

According to the US code, not every service member is authorized to administer the oath. The President, Vice president, the secretary of defense, and other commissioned officers and persons approved by the secretary of defense are the best options for administering the oaths of enlistment and the oath for commissioned officers.

In the absence of the President, vice president, and the secretary of defense, the next in line of superiority usually administers the oath. These include members of the reservation components of all the military branches. Typically, the administering officer will be of superior rank and a higher rank than the officer or recruit taking the oath.

HISTORY OF THE OATH OF ENLISTMENT

The oath of enlistment has a long history that dates back to the officers fighting in the Continental army during the revolutionary war. The Continental Congress came up with an enlistment oath for the newly created continental army in June 1775. It read:

“I _____ have, this day, voluntarily enlisted myself, as a soldier, in the American continental army, for one year, unless sooner discharged: And I do bind myself to conform, in all instances, to such rules and regulations, as are or shall be, established for the government of the said Army.”

A year later, the wording was changed to reflect the new Articles of War that got approved that same year. It was replaced by Section 3, Article 1 which read:

“I _____ swear (or affirm as the case may be) to be trued to the United States of America, and to serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies opposes whatsoever; to observe and obey the orders of the Continental Congress, and the orders of the generals and officers set over me by them.”

In 1789, the Act of Congress approved the first oath that was under the constitution. This two-part oath covered all officers, commissioned or not, and members in service to the US. The first oath goes as follows:

“I, _____, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the constitution of the United States.”

The second part goes as follows:

“I, _____, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) to bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and to serve them honestly and faithfully, against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever, and to observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States of America, and the orders of the officers appointed over me.”

This version of the oath of enlistment was used from then on till the year 1959, by which it was modified to its current form.

Oaths for officers

The first set of oaths for commissioned officers was passed in 1776, and it came in two versions. The first one read:

 “I _____, do acknowledge the Thirteen United States of America, namely, (insert states), to be free, independent, and sovereign states, and declare, that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience to George the third, king of Great Britain: and I renounce, refuse, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him: and I do swear(or affirm) that I will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain, and defend the said United States against the said king, George the third, and his heirs and successors, and his and their abettors, assistants, and adherents; and will serve the said United States in the office of _____, which I now hold, and in any other office which I may hereafter hold by their appointment, or under their authority, with fidelity and honor, and according to the best of my skill and understanding. So help me, God.”

The second one was revised in 1778, and it read:

“I _____, do acknowledge the United States of America to be free, independent, and sovereign states, and declare, that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience to George the third, king of Great Britain: and I renounce, refuse, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him: and I do swear(or affirm) that I will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain, and defend the said United States against the said king, George the third, and his heirs and successors, and his and their abettors, assistants, and adherents; and will serve the said United States in the office of _____, which I now hold, with fidelity, according to the best of my skill and understanding. So help me, God.”

While the oath for officers remained the same until 1950, it underwent some minor changes in 1830, 1862, and 1884. In 1959, the final and current form was adopted.

CONCLUSION

Regardless of what branch of the military you find yourself enlisting in, you will have to take the oath of enlistment. This oath guides you throughout your military career, and it is a crucial part of your journey as a service member.

For commissioned officers, the wording of the oath is different, but it stands just as strong as the oath of enlistment. Any violation of the constitution is regarded as a violation of the oath, and you will be subject to any penalties under the UCMJ.