What does the oath of enlistment require a servicemember to defend?

• A. The Constitution of the United States
• B. The President of the United States
• C. The flag and national symbols
• D. The rights of citizens

Answer: (A)

Defend the Constitution of the United States is the central obligation the oath imposes. The Constitution is the framework that defines how the government operates, protects individual rights, and establishes the rule of law that guides all military and civic actions. By swearing to defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic, a service member commits to upholding that constitutional order in any situation and to obeying lawful orders within the boundaries of that framework. This emphasis keeps the military under civilian control and focused on safeguarding the nation’s founding principles, rather than protecting a person or a symbol. While the Constitution protects citizens’ rights, the oath’s core commitment is to defend the document itself, which in turn secures those rights for everyone.