OATH OF ENLISTMENT!
Every young man and woman who has ever worn the uniform of the United States military began their service by raising their right hand in front of the flag and uttering specific words signifying their allegiance and dedication to duty.
These sacred words are known most commonly as the oath of enlistment, and they signify a sacred trust placed in the hands of those who utter them.
The words, however, have not remained unchanged throughout United States history. In fact, they began quite differently as the nation was being born.
The military oath was first enacted by the Continental Congress on 14 June 1775 in conjunction with the formation of the Continental Army.
At the time, congress created an oath of enlistment for those who would serve as enlisted personnel. An oath of commission was also created for those who would serve as the commissioned leaders of the enlisted force.
The original oath of enlistment differed slightly from the oath today in that the enlistee agreed to “bind himself to conform” and specified the term of enlistment as one year.
The most glaring difference of the original oath of commission than the oath of today is that the officer was required to “recognize the 13 United States” and then he had to name them.
After the revolution, the enlisted oath was changed to one very similar to the current oath and remained unchanged until 1950, and the version used today was adopted.
The oath of commission was changed in 1789, 1830, 1862, 1884 and 1959 to the version in use today.
Although the military oath has changed significantly over the history of the United States, the basis of the oaths and their meanings remained the same.
The military oath requires that those who take it remain eternally loyal to the United States and defend the constitution against “all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
The military oath is a time honored tradition that often has a profound effect on those who swear by it.
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