Even Unto Death: The Spiritual Armory of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Chapter 5

5. What Does It Mean to Be Creedal and Confessional? Pledging Allegiance: Every member, officer and enlisted, takes an oath upon entry into military service. The officer commissioning oath and enlistment oath establish a legal agreement between the member and military service. In taking the oath, the member promises that he or she will obey orders and regulations; the member pledges allegiance to the nation and promises to defend the nation against its foes. In addition to the oath, the armed forces establish various codes of conduct for the harsh realities of war.