Entering the military as an officer carries with it a solemn responsibility and commitment to uphold the United States Constitution against all threats, foreign and domestic. The DA Form 71, Oath of Office - Military Personnel, is a pivotal document in this process, required to be completed and submitted upon accepting an appointment in the Army of the United States. Governed by AR 135-100 and adhering to statutes within the Privacy Act of 1974, this form is not just paperwork; it's a tangible affirmation of an officer's dedication to their country and duty. The DA Form 71 serves multiple purposes, including the creation of a record of appointment acceptance, establishing dates for service statements, and computing pay. Importantly, it mandates disclosure of personal information, such as the Social Security Number (SSN), to accurately identify the member and ensure their commitment is duly recorded. The instructions provided with the form guide appointees through the process, from how to indicate acceptance or non-acceptance of the appointment to detailing the execution of the oath itself. Whether for Regular Army commissioned or warrant officers, or for those without a specified component, taking and subscribing to this oath is a critical step in confirming one's role and responsibilities as an officer. The form outlines that failure to properly complete this step results in an invalid appointment, illustrating the gravity and indispensability of the DA Form 71 in the military onboarding process.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Form Da 71 |
| Form Length | 1 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 15 sec |
| Other names | da 71 form, opm form 71, army oath office, how to army oath office |
OATH OF OFFICE - MILITARY PERSONNEL
For use of this form, see AR
DATA REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
AUTHORITY: 5 USC 3331, 552, 552a; 10 USC 10204.
PRINCIPAL PURPOSE: To create a record of the date of acceptance of appointment.
ROUTINE USES: Information is used to establish and record the date of acceptance. The SSN is used to identify the member. The date of acceptance of appointment is used in preparing statements of service and computing basic pay date.
DISCLOSURE: Completion of form is mandatory. Failure to do so will cause the appointment to be invalid.
INSTRUCTIONS
INDICATE THE APPOINTMENT FOR WHICH OATH IS BEING EXECUTED BY PLACING AN "X" IN APPROPRIATE BOX. REGULAR ARMY COMMISSIONED OFFICERS WILL ALSO SPECIFY THE BRANCH OF APPOINTMENT WHEN APPOINTED IN A SPECIAL BRANCH.
This form will be executed upon acceptance of appointment as an officer in the Army of the United States. Immediately upon receipt of notice of appointment, the appointee will, in case of acceptance of the appointment, return to the agency from which received, the oath of office (on this form) properly filled in, subscribed and attested. In case of
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS |
WARRANT OFFICERS |
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REGULAR ARMY |
REGULAR ARMY |
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(Branch, when so appointed) |
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ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHOUT COMPONENT |
ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHOUT COMPONENT |
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RESERVE COMMISSIONED OFFICER
RESERVE WARRANT OFFICER
I,
(First Name, Middle Name, Last Name)(Social Security Number)
having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of 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 upon which I am about to enter; SO HELP ME GOD.
(Signature - full name as shown above)
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FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE
1.Whenever any person is elected or appointed to an office of honor or trust under the Government of the United States, he/she is required before entering upon the duties of his/her office, to take and subscribe the oath prescribed by 5 USC 3331.
2.10 USC 626 and 14309 eliminate the necessity of executing oath on promotion of officers.
3.The oath of office may be taken before any commissioned officer of any component of any Armed Force, whether or not on active duty (10 USC 1031), or before any commissioned warrant officer when acting as an adjutant, assistant adjutant, acting adjutant, or personnel adjutant in any of the Armed Forces (See UCM,
Article 136; 10 USC 936). A commissioned warrant officer administering the oath of office will show his/her title in the block to the left of his/her signature.
4.Oath of office may also be taken before any civil officer who is authorized by the laws of the United States or by the local municipal law to administer oaths, and if so administered by a civil official, the oath must bear the official seal of the person administering the oath, or if a seal is not used by the official, the official's capacity to administer oaths must be certified to under seal by a clerk or court or other proper local official.
DA FORM 71, JUL 1999 |
EDITION OF DEC 1988 IS OBSOLETE |
USAPA V1.00 |
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