December 23rd, 2009

There is no time duration defined in the Oath, which I, a Marine take to mean “for life.”

1MarDivG6Logo

In 1977, I was administered my oath of enlistment. At each subsequent promotion and reenlistment, I was administered the oath again. Having enlisted, being promoted 9 times and reenlisted 8 times, resulted in being administered the oath 18 times.

I solemnly swore that I would support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I would bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I would 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.

Throughout the years that I spent on active duty and while attending a number of leadership discussions and in formal schools, we often discussed what constituted lawful orders and when and how to disobey an unlawful order.

Article 92 of the UCMJ stated clearly the word “lawful.”

Title 10 > Subtitle A > Part II > Chapter 47 > Subchapter X > Section 892

Section 892. Article 92. Failure to obey order or regulation Any person subject to this chapter who—
(1) violates or fails to obey any lawful general order or regulation;
(2) having knowledge of any other lawful order issued by a member of the armed forces, which it is his duty to obey, fails to obey the order; or
(3) is derelict in the performance of his duties; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

All orders followed must be lawful or the individual following the unlawful order would be held accountable. 1stMARDIV

If an order is unlawful, then the individual was required to ask for the order to be restated or clarified, stating that the individual believes the order to be unlawful.

We always deferred to the U. S. Constitution and our 11 General Orders as the defining documents for what is considered lawful and the criteria to determine what is unlawful.

I see no conflict with the oath I that was administered and the Oath of the Oath Keepers, nor do I have a problem with the Oath that contains the phrase …”obey the orders of the President of the United States…” for adherence to this part of the Oath would require that the orders be “lawful.”

The Oath is and Oath to defend the Constitution of the United States.

MGySgt There is no time duration defined in the Oath, which I, being a Marine take to mean “for life.” [Once a Marine, always a Marine! ... Once fidelity is given to the Oath, fidelity always remains to the Oath... hence the Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis [Always Faithful] is applicable here.

Semper Fi!
Master Gunnery Sergeant David J. De Witt (USMC RET)

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Posted in All, Testimonials | 8 Comments »

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8 Responses to “There is no time duration defined in the Oath, which I, a Marine take to mean “for life.””

1
Jim Bridgens Says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
David,

Thanks for your testimonial and thanks for you Alliegance to The U.S.A. and your faith in the U.S. Constitution.

Jim
2
anonymos Says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Ooh rah Master Gunnery Sgt. Also 1st Div, 2nd Bat.
3
Robert Roselli Says:
December 24th, 2009 at 2:52 am
David:

You’re obviously well educated on Constitutional obligations as an ‘oathkeeper’ and your service record impeccable. However, “the conspiracy” is accelerating to take down this once great nation. And when one peels away the layers of “the conspiracy” it becomes readily apparent that “They” are after God as in “so help me God”. This is NOT an accident as Founder William Penn decreed “men will be ruled by God or tyrants”. The time to choose sides I fear is rapidly approaching if not already past and “They” have already won…
4
donald rutledge Says:
December 25th, 2009 at 11:32 am
roger that! marine, the difference is lawful and unlawful, my oath is to our u.s.constitution. so help me god.
5
JERRY C Says:
December 25th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
you nailed it right on the head all orders must be lawful according to the constitution,the sole purpose of goverment is to guard our rights under the constitution,,nuff said thanks for your service ,honor,and fidelity welcome brother…
6
Ray Harris Says:
December 27th, 2009 at 2:31 am
Beautiful words, Sir! Thanks for supporting the Constitutional rights of your fellow Americans. Kudos for knowing so much about lawful/unlawful Orders!

Ray
7
Roger Says:
December 28th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Watada Discharged
Saturday 26 September 2009

by: Gregg K. Kakesako | The Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Lt. Ehren Watada was the first commissioned military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq because he believed it was an illegal war. (Photo: PD-USGov-Military)
The Army grants the officer’s resignation under “other than honorable conditions.”

First Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq because he believed it was an illegal war, has won his three-year legal battle with the Army.

With little fanfare the Army at Fort Lewis, Wash., accepted the resignation of the 1996 Kalani High School graduate, and he will be discharged the first week in October.

Rather than seek a second court-martial against the artillery officer, the Army will grant Watada a discharge under “other than honorable conditions.”
8
Eddie Gilbert Says:
December 30th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
-
Hey David,

Well said, Master Gunny !

Semper Fi, Marine.

Thank you for your service to our Republic and its people.

Welcome to Oath Keepers.

Eddie Gilbert
USMC SSgt 70-78
Peace Officer 97-present

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"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including his life.'" – Author Unknown

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Oath of Enlistment

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.

Officers Oath

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; 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

Your Oath NEVER expires! It's time to keep it!

Site Dedication

This site is dedicated to the memory of John William Adams (1925-2006), Marine and Oath Keeper extraordinaire.

John Adams, at the age of 16, lied about his age to join the Marines so he could fight against Imperial Japan in the Pacific. His enlistment date was December 10, 1941, just three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor (see below). As a Marine rifleman, he fought the Japanese from island to island, across the pacific, including at Iwo Jima. We may have good men, but we never had better.

Until his death in 2006, he was a dedicated patriot who still took his oath to defend the Republic deadly serious. May God grant you the courage to do likewise.

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OATH KEEPERS: ORDERS WE WILL NOT OBEY
Click here to read full length version. 1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people. 2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people 3. We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal. 4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state. 5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty. 6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps. 7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext. 8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control." 9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies. 10.We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.
Click here to read full length version.

OATH KEEPERS: ORDERS WE WILL NOT OBEY

Click here to read full length version.

1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.

2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people

3. We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.

4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.

5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.

6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.

7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.

8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control."

9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.

10.We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

Click here to read full length version.

Founder Stewart Rhodes

He is a former firearms instructor and former member of Rep. Ron Paul’s DC staff.

Stewart previously wrote the monthly Enemy at the Gates column for S.W.A.T. Magazine

Stewart graduated from Yale Law School in 2004, where his paper “Solving the Puzzle of Enemy Combatant Status” won Yale’s Miller prize for best paper on the Bill of Rights. He assisted teaching U.S. military history at Yale, was a Yale Research Scholar, and is writing a book on the dangers of applying the laws of war to the American people.