by Stephen T. Messenger
July 4, 2023
Happy Independence Day!
On this day 247 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was officially ratified by the Congress of the fledgling United States of America. In one of the greatest governmental experiments in the world, a new nation was born. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed 87 years later, America was “of the people, for the people, by the people,” and it remains so to this day.
The Constitution arrived 11 years after the Declaration, and this is the document which forms the foundation of our governmental system. To protect the system our Nation was founded on, every service member and civil servant must take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
This oath binds the profession together with a common purpose, but more importantly is a symbol of the shared journey that unites teams and provides purpose in the defense of our governmental system.
History of the Oath
Originally, this oath began in 1779 as a 14-word statement: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States.” During the Civil War, however, Congress expanded the oath for military officers, often called the “Ironclad Test Oath,” to ensure government officials were not supporting or had supported the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, the Oath landed on what is now around 89 words, depending on the circumstances in which it is taken. In it, the military member or civilian recites language paraphrased below such as:
- I will bear true faith and allegiance
- I take this obligation freely
- I have no mental reservation nor reason to abandon this oath
- I will obey the orders of the President and those officers appointed over me
- So help me God
Participation in the Oath
I have the unique privilege of being part of the Oath of Office every so often in the forms of officer commissionings, enlistments, reenlistments, promotions, and retirements for service members, along with initial oaths of office for civilian civil servants.
Recently, I had the honor to swear in six new recruits on the Army’s birthday and welcome them into service. It is a humbling experience to be part of their journey.
Additionally, every other week, I meet with our new civil servant employees, those in government service for the first time, and we recite the oath together after talking briefly on the history of the Constitution and our country. What an amazing experience!
Linking Service to Legacy
Four years ago, while running an ROTC Program, I purchased 19 portable, hardback copies of the Constitution of the United States to give to each commissioning lieutenant. I wrote a note inside each one thanking them for their service to our Nation and honoring their amazing commitment to democracy. At the bottom, I expressed my pride in them and signed it.
My daughter likes to joke, “Dad, you shouldn’t sign it. You’re not a founding father.”
This book is now one of my prized possessions, as there are signatures from 91 soldiers, sailors, and civilians with whom I’ve recited the Oath of Office. It’s humbling to be a small part of the professional journey of others.
But we don’t need an oath or a book to be part of someone’s journey. We become linked together in service by the way we treat each other every day, help those around us, and share life together. Whether we’re in the military, a civilian job, a volunteer organization, neighborhood, or family, being a part of someone’s life is as simple as two steps, the same two steps I like to cite about being a leader:
- Care about other people
- Do something about it
This mirrors the beginning of our Nation in 1776. We had a bunch of people who had a problem, cared about each other, and decided to do something about it. This Independence Day, I encourage you to see where you can plug in to one more person and become part of thier journey.
Happy Independence Day!
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