I did not join for money, education or any other reason but service to my country
My Grandfather was the reason I took the Oath for my Country. He was an amazing man, he was in WWII and also a POW. His strong beliefs and courage inspired me at a young age.
When I was old enough to join, I did without hesitation.I did not join for money, education or any other reason but service to my country.
As I got older I really started to understand my Oath and how important it was. Most young service members see it as part of the process and really don’t think about it.
Today I teach my young privates the real reason they joined and ensure they understand what the Oath means. It is amazing to see the look and the appreciation they have after they REALLY understand the Oath.
Thank you fellow Oath Keepers for what you do on a daily basis.
Please donate and support Oath Keepers mission, every little bit helps!
August 16th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Thanks very much for joining OK.
“Today I teach my young privates the real reason they joined and ensure they understand what the Oath means.”
That is what OKs is all about.
I am a little late in coming to an understanding of the overriding importance of the US Constitution in its “entirety” to my liberties as an American.
I would encourage all of my fellow OK to make the reading and study of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the federalist papers, the anti-federal papers, The Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the other founding documents of our country a priority.
I don’t think that it is possible to be a true OK without a thorough understanding of those documents. The “very” words of the US Constitution were debated at length by those at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The writing of the Constitution was a product of men who “knew” history well, and were “dedicated” to preserving freedom and independence for all Americans.
Best regards to you.
August 17th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
You are the prime example of Reach, Teach and Inspire. Your troops are lucky to have a leader who understands the Constitution and the Oath.
Anon,
You are exactly right about the necessity of familiarization with the concurrent writings of the Founders. There can be no proper understanding of the Constitution without it.
August 21st, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I am a proud, decorated Veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry. I joined, like many, to serve my country and protect our freedoms. When I took my oath I never actually “read” the U.S. Constitution that I was pledging to defend with life & limb… I just vaguely knew it was created by our forefathers to protect us. *I know it forward & backward now!
But I have found that nearly 90% of the adult piers I know have no clue as to the contents and protection we are granted via the Supreme Law of Our Land… almost 90 percent! That’s just sad. The enlisted persons I know have never read the U.S. Constitution and therefore do NOT know when they are given an unlawful order to follow – just like all of the Soldiers who obeyed UNLAWFUL orders during Hurricane Katrina (over 100 troops at a minimum actually directly obeyed unlawful orders). Convincing troops that an action needs to be taken under the guise of “for our own good & safety” is absolutely NO EXCUSE!
Legally, all officers who gave unlawful orders of detention and firearms confiscation during Hurricane Katrina should face Courts Marshall, as well as ALL of the Soldiers who obeyed such orders. It is the right of NO MAN to decide another’s welfare or freedoms as was done in New Orleans. Our Soldier’s ignorance WILL get us killed if BIG changes aren’t made to address this unexcusable ignorance… ASAP!
We need to ensure that all of our newly enlisted personnel are mandated to read the U.S. Constitution BEFORE they take their sacred oath, and THAT should be the Oath Keepers FIRST mission (and Job #1 for Congress)! That’s my belief. Only after that is S.O.P. with all enlistment centers can we retrofit active-duty personnel with the knowledge of what they have sworn to do. Keep fighting the good fight “with Liberty and Justice for ALL!”
August 30th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Thank you, for educating the young soldiers who only take the oath as a part of the process without understanding the obligation that it entails.
October 8th, 2010 at 6:21 am
If you teach your young privates how important the oath is and then encourage them to follow unconstitutional orders to fight an undeclared war in Afghanistan, I’m not clear that you are teaching them anything or that you understand the oath yourself.