The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TogetherWorks Southern Utah.
There has been much talk about The Oath servicemen and women take on joining the Armed Forces. “Defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” That one. In fact, there are two different oaths: one for enlisted personnel and another for officers.
Consider the Army:
This is the enlisted oath:
I, __, 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.
And this is the oath taken by Commissioned Officers:
I , 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.
I took both, the first as a lowly E1 when I volunteered for the Army in 1966, the second when I was commissioned as a 2LT after graduation from OCS (Officers Candidate School) in June of 1967. I assure you, I did not know the difference then. (I did not know much at all then. I do remember puzzling over what a domestic enemy might be. Godzilla?) I know now. And I know why the oaths differ.
A domestic enemy is what we face: an administration bent on pushing the limits of power and assaulting the Constitution. The enlisted folks must follow those orders—says right there, Obey the orders of the President. But the Officer Corp is not bound to do that. To the contrary, the Officer Corp must, bear faith and allegiance to same (the Constitution).
The Officer Corp is the last line of defense against tyranny. Where have those officers been? Lieutenants, captains, majors, colonels, generals, are they oblivious to their oath? Where were the Marine Officers when ordered to move into Los Angeles (in defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act, according to US District Judge Charles Breyer)?
They were scared. Yes, scared because the Military has been terrorized with massive firings, many in the name of anti-DEI sentiment (I will argue, too, that DEI did go too far in some instances in the military). Marine and Nation Guard Officers did not want to lose their jobs over an arcane legal issue, so they marched forward, into the fray.
Those military firings were part of a pattern of scare tactics promulgated by this administration to get the military to toe the line. But the time may come when those same lower ranking officers must question their orders and, if illegal, resist. Soon, some lieutenant or captains will need to issue the command, “Stand at ease.” Because if he doesn’t…well, remember Kent State (If you don’t look it up)?
What do you say to a young soldier who shoots a fellow American?
Thank you for your Service?
What do you say to that lieutenant who issues the order to him men to stand down?
You say, well done soldier, well done.
