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; 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.
Every military officer takes this oath. The oath does not expire. Retired officers are subject to recall to active duty, so their commission, and the contents of this oath are valid long after they leave active duty. This is especially true of generals and admirals who can be brought back for a variety of reasons. In 1937, Douglas MacArthur had retired as Chief of Staff of the Army and moved to the Philippines but he was recalled in 1941.
Michael Flynn took this oath, but apparently does not value his oath very much. He reached the grade of O-9 and wore 3 stars. I refuse to refer to him by rank.
Michael Flynn was Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor for 22 days until he resigned due to having had a little problem with lying to the FBI. Before that he had been in command of the Defense Intelligence Agency, but his chaotic management style and close relationship with a Russian woman limited him to two years in that post. He ended up retiring a year earlier than he planned.
According to the New York Times, Flynn exhibited a loose relationship with the truth, leading his subordinates to refer to Flynn’s repeated dubious assertions as “Flynn facts.”
Flynn reportedly has embraced Q-Anon.
According to CNN’s Dean Obeidallah, Flynn has recommended that America should have one singular religion. “One nation under God, and one religion under God,” he said. “I don’t care what your ecumenical service is or what you are.”
Given how that has worked out in Afghanistan and Iran, I’m not too sure that is a good idea. It sounds like another dose of hate tossed into the American body politic. Besides, that pesky oath to the Constitution means the entire Constitution, Including the Bill of Rights, which, were the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. The First Amendment states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
sfnowak 