§ 304. Enlistment oath

Type Statute
Publication 2026-03-26
State In force
Department United States Congress
Source OLRC
Reform history JSON API
§ 304. Enlistment oath

Each person enlisting in the National Guard shall sign an enlistment contract and subscribe to the following oath:

The oath may be taken before any officer of the National Guard of the State or Territory, or of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, as the case may be, or before any other person authorized by the law of the jurisdiction concerned to administer oaths of enlistment in the National Guard.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 602; Pub. L. 87–751, § 2, Oct. 5, 1962, 76 Stat. 748; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1234(b)(1), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2059.)

The words “or affirmation” are omitted as covered by the definition of the word “oath” in section 1 of title 1. The words “Each person” are substituted for the word “Men”. The words “______ National Guard” are substituted for the words “National Guard (Air National Guard)”.

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large)
304 32:123. June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 70; restated June 4, 1920, ch. 227, subch. I, § 38; restated June 15, 1933, ch. 87, § 8, 48 Stat. 156; June 19, 1935, ch. 277, § 3, 49 Stat. 391; July 9, 1952, ch. 608, § 806(b), 66 Stat. 506.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1988—Pub. L. 100–456 struck out “the Canal Zone,” after “Puerto Rico,”.

1962—Pub. L. 87–751 substituted “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the State of __ against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to them” for “bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America and to the State of ____: That I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever” and inserted “So help me God.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 87–751 not to effect any oath taken before one year after Oct. 5, 1962, see section 3 of Pub. L. 87–751, set out as a note under section 502 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

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