Oaths of office

[Marthe48]

http://foavc.org/01page/Articles/5%20U.S.C.%203331.htm:
Oath of Office for Federal Officials

Employees of the United States Government including all members of Congress are required to take the following oath before assuming elected or appointed office.

5 U.S.C. 3331:

“An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services shall take the following oath: ‘I, AB, 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.’”


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The Oath of office of the President of the United States is the oath or affirmation that the President of the United States takes after assuming the presidency but before he or she begins the execution of the office. The wording is specified in Article II, Section One, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution:
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."[1]

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We are defending a specific set of values, right? Does anyone have a better definition of what Americans mean when they defend our country? I think there are many ways people think of when they defend the U.S., but is it we defend? The flag? The elected officials? The ideals? Many thanks for comments.

[TexasProgresive]

1. I swore the following in 1969. It was not to defend the flag or politicians but the constitution.

I, (NAME), 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.

[Marthe48]

2. We are defending a set of values then

and the guidelines that define our country. My husband swore the same oath (U.S.Army) in 1966. Thank you.