Replies

Settle down.
I've been in the service for 20 years and still going; and long before I joined the oath of enlistment has been EXACTLY the same. To obey the orders of the president and the officers appointed over you and in the case of the Guard, the orders of the governor. It's the oath my father took, and his father if I am not mistaken. That is how the chain of command works. I obey my supervisor who obeys his commander, who obeys the General, who obeys the head of the Air Force who obeys the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff who obeys the president.
Those orders are not up for interpretation or selective enforcement unless they are illegal orders that violate the Geneva convention. Until someone else is president, like or not Barak Obama's orders will be followed by the military, like it or not, those are the facts. Calling BS and screaming at your computer does not change that. Obama took the oath, he's the president, I don't much like it or care for him, but I'm not going to betray my oath and throw away 20 years of service and tarnish my good name for him or for you for that matter.
My goal is not to retire with his signature on my paperwork and I aim to make sure that happens in every way I legally can. I made the choice to serve long before that man came to power and I intend to be here after he is gone. That's my choice, this SSgt made his choice and he will pay for not fulfilling his obligations. He's not going to change the facts on the ground any more than your tantrum is going to.

Settle Down

I had 28 years in uniform ... “Lawful Orders” are the only Orders that need be obeyed

I do have great sympathy for you ... (Jimmy Carter signed my initial Discharge of Service and sent me my little pin)

I agree with you the SSgt is out of his league and will pay the price... he can’t change a thing.

There is a reason the Oath starts with

” 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;”

Just like the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights ... what comes first is much more important than what comes later.

Thank you for your Service ... Hang in there just a couple more years ... we love ya

I've been in the service for 20 years and still going; and long before I joined the oath of enlistment has been EXACTLY the same. To obey the orders of the president and the officers appointed over you and in the case of the Guard, the orders of the governor. It's the oath my father took, and his father if I am not mistaken. That is how the chain of command works. I obey my supervisor who obeys his commander, who obeys the General, who obeys the head of the Air Force who obeys the Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff who obeys the president.

The following is the text of the Officers oath of office.

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.

The Officers oath is to the Constitution, not the chain of command.

The enlisted oath is to Constitution, then the President and the chain of command.

"I, XXXXXXXXXX, 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."

I would suggest that means the Constitution comes first, and if there is a conflict between the first part and the second part, the Constitution wins the conflict.