Us Code § 502 - 1 Enlistment oath: who may administer
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 502 — 1 Enlistment oath: who may administer, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 502. 1 Enlistment oath: who may administer
(a)
"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."
(b)
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 17, §501; Pub. L. 87–751, §1, Oct. 5, 1962, 76 Stat. 748; renumbered §502, Pub. L. 90–235, §2(a)(1)(A), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VI, §653(a)(1), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1462; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, §595(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2235.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 501 | 50:737. | May 5, 1950, ch. 169, §8, 64 Stat. 146. |
The words "or affirmation" are omitted as covered by the definition of the word "oath" in section 1 of title 1. The words "of any armed force" are inserted in the last sentence, since they are necessarily implied by their use in the source statute.
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Uniform Code of Military Justice, referred to in the oath, is classified to chapter 47 (§801 et seq.) of this title.
Amendments
2006—Pub. L. 109–364 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, struck out concluding provisions which read as follows: "This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of any armed force.", and added subsec. (b).
1989—Pub. L. 101–189 struck out "or affirmation" after "This oath".
1962—Pub. L. 87–751 substituted "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" for "bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever" and inserted "So help me God" in the oath, and "or affirmation" in text.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1962 Amendment
Pub. L. 87–751, §3, Oct. 5, 1962, 76 Stat. 748, provided that: "This Act [amending this section and section 304 of Title 32, National Guard] does not affect any oath taken before one year after its enactment [Oct. 5, 1962]."
1 Another section 502 is set out in chapter 25 of this title.
About This Section
10 U.S.C. § 502 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
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