The Oath

Introduction

For those of us who serve or who have served in the military, we seek to garner a deeper appreciation for the Oath of Office that we took when we entered the Academy as cadets and that we took again upon our commissioning as officers in the U.S. military.  The Oath of Office is the final rite of passage for those who would aspire to join the venerable ranks of officers serving in our nation's defense forces.  In this Oath, you "solemnly swear (or affirm) that [you] will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

The Oath

I, (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 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 on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

The Oath of Office

A Historical Guide to Moral Leadership

by Kenneth Keskel, Colonel, USAF (Retired), USAFA ‘83