2018 US Code
Title 10 - Armed Forces
Subtitle A - General Military Law
Part II - Personnel
Chapter 31 - Enlistments
Sec. 502 - Enlistment oath: who may administer

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Citation 10 U.S.C. § 502 (2018)
Section Name §502. Enlistment oath: who may administer
Section Text

(a) Enlistment Oath.—Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following 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."


(b) Who May Administer.—The oath may be taken before the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of Defense, any commissioned officer, or any other person designated under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

Source Credit

(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.)

Editorial Notes
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (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.

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.

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]."

Publication Title United States Code, 2018 Edition, Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
Category Bills and Statutes
Collection United States Code
SuDoc Class Number Y 1.2/5:
Contained Within Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART II - PERSONNEL
CHAPTER 31 - ENLISTMENTS
Sec. 502 - Enlistment oath: who may administer
Contains section 502
Date 2018
Laws In Effect As Of Date January 14, 2019
Positive Law Yes
Disposition standard
Statutes at Large References 64 Stat. 146
76 Stat. 748
81 Stat. 753
103 Stat. 1462
120 Stat. 2235
Public Law References Public Law 87-751, Public Law 90-235, Public Law 101-189, Public Law 109-364
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