It was a long time ago so I may have forgotten but I don't recall seeing anything about being released from my oath of enlistment when I ETS'd.

I consider the Oath to be a permanent commitment.
Anyone know what the US code says about that?

I don;t know about the US Code, but when I was outprocessing the captain who gave me my Army Lapel Pin told me I was still bound to my oath.

And of course I am fully in support of it as an American and would never renounce it anyway.

You got a lapel pin?

All they gave me was 5 copies of my 214 (including one wallet size) and a kick in the pants [;D]

[LOLabove]

Me too.

Dunno what the code says but I will always honor the oath I took.

Delta, I sure did. Captain signing me out of battalion gave it to me, he had a box of them. When I signed out everyone was super cool to me, and my Sergeant Major shook my hand and told me he was proud of me (which means a lot to me).

I don't think I'll be renouncing my oath whether it's in effect or not.  There wasn't really a presentation for my lapel pin, but the outprocessing civilian bitched me out for not telling him that I was signing out later.

Nope. I distinctly recall swearing that oath twice. At no time did I ever "unswear", renounce, or otherwise shirk my duty to uphold that oath. When I ETSd I was never told "You no longer are bound by your oath..."

IMNSHO the oath is permanent.

IIRC your oath does not expire until you do.

( or if you had the gall to officially renounce your citizenship. )

Roger all. AFAIC, it's for life.

I'm just wondering what the actual law on the subject sez.

The current length of an enlistment is 8 years.

That can be 8 years of active duty, 8 years of ready reserve, selective reserve or a combination of active duty, ready reserve reserve, selected reserve, and the standby reserve.

If you did not retire after the minimum time required to get a retainer (currently 20 years of active duty service) then your oath of enlistment ends when your obligated service period ends (currently 8 years).

If you retired at the 20 year mark of an enlisted career then you still have 10 more years to serve in the retired reserve, or if you served longer on active duty then untill you reach the 30 year mark.

An officer does not take the oath of enlistment.
They are appointed / commissioned by the President.
It's called the officer appointment acceptance and oath of office.

An officer's oath of appointment ends when they request to be released from their appointment after they have served the minimum length of obligated service (currently 8 years).

Retired officers also follow the same guidelines as enlisted for retirement procedures.

So, to answer your question, as an enlisted person your oath expired when you were no longer legaly bound by it.

For those of you who continue to honor your oath of enlistment after you are no longer legaly bound to, I salute you!

Oath of enlistment


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.

Thanx Joe, that's what I figured.
I'm rooting around mil regs and U. S. Code to see if I can find the actual text. It's more a matter of curiosity than anything else.

For what it's worth, your military obligation expires when you receive your discharge papers not ETS which means after your active or inactive obligation is met,  however to me anyway this does not negate an oath made before God.

IMHO, being an officer and resigning your commission does not finish nor forefill your constitutional obligation for service nor negate your oath.

Tj

Yes; upon death. You can be called back into service until the age of 65.  I have read of people being called back in their 70's for consulting while recommissioning the old battleships.  I can't vouch for the accuracy, but it is what I have read (probably on this board).

Oath of Enlistment for the period of Enlistment.  Comissions until revoked and/or resigned.

Yep you can be called back until the day you die but after you complete your constitutional obligation, six years, whether you come back is voluntary. Otherwise, it is unconstitutional.

Having what was a critical MOS in my day, I sweated being called back till that discharge showed up in the mail but then I almost re-enlisted anyway.

Tj

I have read of people being called back in their 70's for consulting while recommissioning the old battleships.

You're thinking of the old guys they recalled to duty during the Gulf War, I think. They were the gunners on the U.S.S. Missouri.

ANM

Interesting question, but I decided on MY answer a long time ago. When I took the oath no time frame was mentioned in it. My contract was up in 1982 but as far as I am concerned, my oath is forever. -Rod-

"...and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and orders of the officers appointed over me..."

I've been out of the USMC since 1986 and the OHARNG since 1991. I feel no obligation to obey orders from the President or any military officer. I fullfilled my contracts. I received my honorable discharges. My oath has expired.