"I, David A. Rowe, do solemnly swear 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; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
"I am the backbone of the United States Marine Corps, I am a Marine Non-Commissioned Officer. I serve as part of the vital link between my command (and all officers) and enlisted Marines. I will demand of myself all the energy, knowledge and skills I possess, so that I can instill confidence in those I teach. I will constantly strive to perfect my own skills, and to become a good leader. Above all I will be truthful in all I say or do. My integrity shall be impeccable as my appearance. I will be honest with myself, and those under my charge and with my superiors. I pledge to do my best to incorporate all the leadership traits into my character. For such is the heritage I have received from that long, illustrious line of professionals who have worn the bloodstripe so proudly before me. I must give the very best I have for my Marines, my Corps and my Country for though today I instruct and supervise in peace, tomorrow, I may lead in war."
"As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safe-guard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice.
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life. I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept ever secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty.
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities, or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill-will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.
I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the police service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession, Law Enforcement."
Those are the oaths and creeds I have sworn, though I was released from my obligations as a sergeant of Marines when I left the service. I still hold the first and the last, though, and keep them all in my heart. I have my ethics code frame so that I can look at it often.
I do not know what oaths others have sworn, and it isn't for me to hold theirs. It's up to them.
Also, let me air my grievances with another American line of thinking. "Die for your country." I thought Patton put that squarely to bed, but I suppose not. I do not intend to die for my family, friends, community, country, faith or ideals. I intend to devote myself to defending all of those things, and if the day comes where I am overwhelmed by the challenges of the situation and I am killed while exhausting all the means available to me or because I fail -- so be it. My intent, though, is to be the victor. Because I am a free man, and my life is owed to no one if I don't choose to give it.
How dare you, though, that you demand people make a suicidal charge into a situation on behalf of others. You have no authority over them. You don't even know them or the truth of the situation they faced. How about you square away yourself, first, before you demand the lives of others, and you let those who it actually concerns deal with the action or inaction of those actually involved?
There are many professions and ways of life that might demand more of someone than they can meet and survive, and many will fail or prove themselves cowards. If you don't like that, then swear the oaths and do the job yourself. There are a lot of jobs that need doing -- pick one.