"A Code of Conduct"

The image you are viewing here was taken during the Ceremoney held recently in Japan where U. S. Navy Sailors stood proudly to recite the Oath of Citizenship in the United States of America. A proud moment indeed, for these dedicated Servicemen who used their Navy Service to help them gain citizenship in America.

Even before they recited this Oath, they were subject to the provisions of Executive Order 10631, which for anyone who has ever served in the U. S. Military is also known at the Code of Conduct.

U.S. Armed Forces Code of Conduct

I

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

II

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

III

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

IV

If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.

V

When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

VI

I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

Now comes the difficult part of this post. You see, at one time I was a member of the Armed Forces of our United States of America. In addition to the Code of Conduct, when I enlisted and each subsequent re-enlistment, I swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Additionally, I, like all others in the U. S. Military, had to pledge and also swear that we would obey the orders of those appointed over us. Each member of the U. S. Military was required to obey the orders of our elected Commander in Chief.

Yet in recent weeks we have heard tell of how our living, yet recent Commander in Chiefs have decryed our current Commander in Chief in public. This is a shame. These former Presidents were our duly elected leaders. Now here they come and it appears to me that they are not even abiding by the "Code of Conduct" of the American Fighting Man.

Of course, it appears to now be fashionable to publicly display distain for law and order. On a local level, here in Middle Georgia we daily see duly elected public governmental officials and even some appointed public officials who appear to be above the law. All you have to do is drive around Macon, Georgia and observe the automobiles parked in inapproriate places, i. e. fire lanes, etc. Yet we hear these same public leaders decry with great grief the idea that citizens think that they can ignore the laws as regards the current problem area facing all of us.

Recently we have experienced the tragic, needless deaths of two of our children here in Middle Georgia as they attempted to gain knowledge as they waited/attempted to gain entry on a school bus. We hear how we need to respect the law. Fine. Respect for the law must be observed even when there is no school bus present.

If new citizens to this great United States choose to serve in our Military as an entrance vehicle then we who are here should display our gratitude for our country be setting an appropriate example. Those who have been elected, those who have led and held esteemed positions of leadership also need to continue to display gratitude and respect for the laws of this land, the USA.

We must all acknowledge that we can be part of the problem, as well as we all can be part of the solution as we engage in our daily activities.

"A Code of Conduct"

This, and all other laws are for the common good of us all. The laws of our land apply to us all and I am filled with a sense of awe as I see peoples from foreign lands struggling to live in the United States of America, The Land of My Birth.