Oath Keepers. It's been said Veterans are keeping their Oaths. Will you keep your Oath after Military Service?

SFC Charles S. — Sun, 10 May 2015 04:21:16 -0400

Keeping your oath, while on active duty, and keeping the oath after you leave service. How important is it and will it be something that you will continue after you leave the military service? With the degradation of society and the state of civil unrest, it's important that members of society have members that can be counted on the hold the line of what is right and stand up for those who cannot defend or speak for themselves. Oath Keepers are not just police or first responders, they are common people who have taken the oath and are firmly committed to upholding it.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 10 at 2015 4:52 AM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Sun, 10 May 2015 04:52:25 -0400

Always & Forever!!!

Response by MAJ Anne McGee made May 10 at 2015 7:35 AM

MAJ Anne McGee — Sun, 10 May 2015 07:35:05 -0400

I just pray that those in service remember their oath if called upon to quell/enforce a domestic agenda and that their leaders have the courage to refuse to carry out immorale or unlawful orders.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made May 10 at 2015 7:50 AM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 10 May 2015 07:50:28 -0400

Once a SM, always one. The word "former" does not apply here.

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made May 10 at 2015 7:54 AM

PFC Tuan Trang — Sun, 10 May 2015 07:54:18 -0400

"Once a soldier, always a soldier".

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 9:50 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 09:50:39 -0400

We all took an oath to the US Constitution, not a party or person. If someone still identifies as a < insert party here > they don't truly understand the document that was created to LIMIT the power of government. My task to those is to read George Washington's farewell address and apply some introspection while reading the enumerated powers in the US Constitution granted to those calling themselves leaders.

Response by SrA Jonathan Carbonaro made May 10 at 2015 10:22 AM

SrA Jonathan Carbonaro — Sun, 10 May 2015 10:22:33 -0400

The Oath is not like a service contract that expires in 2,3,4,6 years.
I plan on continuing to keep my oath long after I leave military service.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 10 at 2015 11:53 AM

SPC Charles Brown — Sun, 10 May 2015 11:53:18 -0400

I will and have continued to keep my oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

My problem is not that there are some who cannot speak of defend themselves, my problem stems from the fact that 14% of the people in this country tell the other 86% to sit down and shut up and of that percentage 85 will actually listen. Therein lies the problem. There are too many people who are unwilling to stand up for themselves who are perfectly capable of doing so. Fortunately for them there are people like us (1%ers, military) who will do it for them.

I don't care who they are, what the color of their skin is, by what name they call God, or even if they know me let alone like me.

I will defend the following,
My God
My Family
My Country
My Property
and the rights of others no matter how I may feel about them personally.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 2:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 14:13:40 -0400

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 3:46 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 15:46:15 -0400

I'm already out. Still keeping the oath. However, I still strongly support the right not to obey any unlawful orders!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 6:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 18:03:23 -0400

Yes, I will keep my oath... however I will not be joining any right wing groups pushing ridiculous conspiracy theories and breaking the law.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/stewart-rhodes-government-using-jade-helm-vet-military-politicians-future-takeover
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/fall/oath-keepers-group-battered-by-members-
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/03/oath-keepers

Oath Keepers Group Battered by Members' Arrests

Oath Keepers, a two-year-old organization that encourages police officers and soldiers to disobey orders that may be unconstitutional, has long contended that it is about nothing more than protecting Americans' freedoms.

Response by SGT John Wesley made May 10 at 2015 11:08 PM

SGT John Wesley — Sun, 10 May 2015 23:08:06 -0400

I still take it seriously. My mindset didn't change once I got out. I come from a long line of family that have served this country since before the Civil War, I see my oath as a contract that will never expire.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 6:22 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 06:22:23 -0400

I am not sure what this question is. Is this more about a membership drive for Oathkeepers or is it an actual question? I am not trying to be an ass, I am legitimately confused here.
Let me address the first part of this first, if it is the first part I will hold back on my decision as to if I am going to do something like that until a later date.
As far as will I feel the same allegiances to the military that I felt when I was in, yes I will. The same bitter feelings that I felt when I was in and the same good feelings that I was in, bottom line is I appreciate all the Army has done for me and I have done everything that I have done in foreign countries with no guilt and no regret. I would gladly do it all over (only more quick on the trigger back when I was first in country the first time).
When I finally hang it up though and am released into the wild though, I naturally will not be able to just flush all of the years out of my system, my allegiances, my what has become natural everyday feelings they will remain. If called upon again, I am sure I would roll right back in and do it all over again.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made May 11 at 2015 2:32 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Mon, 11 May 2015 14:32:07 -0400

"I do solemnly swear, that I will support and defend the Constitution for the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I take this obligation willingly, 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." Typed from memory without reference, punctuation may be off.

Any officer who has not memorized this and read the constitution to which s/he swore an oath is remiss in his/her duties.

Any enlisted ServiceMember who does not do the same with respect to his/her oath is remiss as well.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made May 11 at 2015 2:55 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Mon, 11 May 2015 14:55:07 -0400

The issue I have here is that people want to uphold part but not all the oath. Vets want to uphold the constitution but conveniently forget the part about obeying the orders of the president.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 3:08 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:08:57 -0400

As I could see most everyone say there was no expiration date on the oath.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made May 11 at 2015 3:12 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:12:49 -0400

"I am loyal to nothing, except the dream"

Response by PO1 Dustin Adams made May 11 at 2015 3:16 PM

PO1 Dustin Adams — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:16:19 -0400

Right or wrong it is because of this kind of ideology that Veterans are listed by Homeland security as a domestic threat to the government.

As with III%ers, at heart it is a good idea (IMO), in that the government (regardless of what party is in office) is on notice that citizens will openly declare their loyalty to the founding principles of this nation, not the political party in power and that they will stand against the rise of tyranny to include armed resistance if necessary.

That being said, I find a lot these conspiracy theories insulting, especially the current one surrounding the Jade Helm exercise. It is ludicrous to suggest that the military would blindly go along with a plan to enact and enforce martial law simply at the command of the administration. Which feeds off the conspiracy theory that the administration has been using a litmus test for retaining senior officers based on whether or not they would fire on American citizens if so ordered (makes for some interesting reading if you google it).

At the end of the day our oath whether officer or enlisted is first and foremost to support and defend the constitution. I would like to believe that those that currently wear the uniform along with those of us that have put it away would stay true to that oath and oppose any force whether foreign or domestic in honoring that oath.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made May 11 at 2015 3:27 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:27:03 -0400

When I left service, I didn't leave behind the desire to preserve a strong nation built on the foundational document that guided it. If my nation called me back, I would consider my oath still active and respond accordingly.

Where I think I have reservations is an hijacking of this by ideologically driven groups that stand by to enforce their will on the People through violence under the bizarre justification that they truly understand the Constitution (they usually don't), that they represent the silent majority (they usually don't) and that the purity of their motives justify circumventing the process outlined in the Constitution for amendment and reform.

The problem with our oath was that it was never given with the idea that we would carry it out absent the checks and balances of a legitimate command structure guided by the three branches of the Constitutionally established Federal government. Lone wolves and independent militias claiming to be Constitutional scholars were not in the plan; nor should they be.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 3:52 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:52:12 -0400

The oath lists the constitution first and the president second. This is not an error IMHO. My oath does not expire.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 4:09 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 16:09:56 -0400

No.

The oath I took when I enlisted in the Army no longer applies to me. I am a veteran, but I am a civilian. Nothing obligates me to follow the orders of the president or any appointee of his/hers. I no longer hold myself to many of the standards enforced by UCMJ.

It is a personal choice to uphold and defend the constitution of the united states of america, but not because it is of the USA. I have made it my personal choice that I support many of the values expressed in that document.

I will support and defend the people of the united states of america from all enemies, foreign and domestic, but I decide who the enemy is for myself, not the government.

Does this answer OP?

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made May 12 at 2015 12:05 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Tue, 12 May 2015 00:05:30 -0400

It will be a sad day when the enemy comes to make a claim on the United States and they probably won't be foreign.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 7:56 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 07:56:18 -0400

The oath I took will be with me till the day I die, just because I choose to leave the Army doesn't mean I don't believe in it anymore. I am choosing to get out because that is what I feel is right for me and my family at this time, and believe me it was a hard decision that I didn't make over night.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made May 25 at 2015 4:41 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 25 May 2015 16:41:43 -0400

I have done my best to honor my oath while I was in the military service of this nation from November 1974 through May 2008 and each day since. By the grace of God I hope to be able to honor my oath throughout the rest of my life.

Response by MAJ Ron Peery made May 25 at 2015 5:25 PM

MAJ Ron Peery — Mon, 25 May 2015 17:25:37 -0400

The Marines like to say "Once a Marine, always a Marine." The same can be said of all warriors, no matter what branch they serve. Taking that oath is like baptism in one regard....once you raise your hand and repeat the oath, it is forever.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Aug 30 at 2017 6:55 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 18:55:49 -0400

Where do Oaf Keepers come into this? They are a cop killer militia pretending to be something they are not. I wouldn't have one in the military or Law Enforcement Agency

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Dec 29 at 2017 10:06 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 22:06:15 -0500

Yellow Cop Killers, Police Wannabes who pretend to be real cops. They don't belong in Police Work or the Military. Again and and again they have tried to scam their way into representing themselves as having authority. Do you have time to discuss the constitutionality of your last order?

Response by Wayne Soares made Jan 28 at 2021 7:50 PM

Wayne Soares — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:50:38 -0500

Thanks for the share Charles

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 20 at 2021 5:40 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 17:40:54 -0500

This is bunk. When you enlist you activate an 8 year military obligation. When it is completed you are issued a DISCHARGE. That means you have discharged the duty of your oath. TheOath is the beginning, the discharge is the end. It was in my enlistment contract. If you don’t have an ID it probably just in your mind