§ 502. Enlistment oath: who may administer

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1956

   Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 17, § 501 · 70A Stat. 17

   Enacted · 10 U.S.C. § 502

   Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 17, § 501

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 17, § 501

2. 1962

   Pub. L. 87–751 § 1 · 76 Stat. 748

   1. Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 87–751 substituted “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” for “bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever”

   2. Inserted · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 87–751 inserted “So help me God” in the oath, and “or affirmation” in text

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 87–751 substituted “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” for “bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever” and inserted “So help me God” in the oath, and “or affirmation” in text.

   Effective date note
   Pub. L. 87–751, § 3, Oct. 5, 1962, 76 Stat. 748, provided that: “This Act [amending this section and section 304 of Title 32, National Guard] does not affect any oath taken before one year after its enactment [Oct. 5, 1962].”

3. 1989

   National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991

   Pub. L. 101–189 div. A title VI § 653(a)(1) · 103 Stat. 1352

   Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 502

   Pub. L. 101–189 struck out “or affirmation” after “This oath”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 101–189 struck out “or affirmation” after “This oath”.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (1) Section 502 is amended by striking out “or affirmation”.

4. 2006

   John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007

   Pub. L. 109–364 div. A title V § 595(a) · 120 Stat. 2083

   1. Amended · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 109–364 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a)

   2. Inserted · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 109–364 inserted heading

   3. Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 109–364 struck out concluding provisions which read as follows: “This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of any armed force.”

   4. Added · 10 U.S.C. § 502

      Pub. L. 109–364 added subsec. (b)

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 109–364 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, struck out concluding provisions which read as follows: “This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of any armed force.”, and added subsec. (b).

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   (a) Enlistment Oath.— Section 502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting “(a) Enlistment Oath.—” before “Each person enlisting”; (2) by striking the last sentence; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(b) Who May Administer.— The oath may be taken before the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of Defense, any commissioned officer, or any other person designated under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.” .

5 of 8 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 3 partial