I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2896 To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a separation oath for members of the Armed Forces who are separating from military service. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 26, 2023 Mr. MAST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a separa- tion oath for members of the Armed Forces who are separating from military service. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Oath of Exit Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SEPARATION OATH FOR MEM- 5 BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find- 7 ings: 8 (1) The United States Armed Forces is the 9 largest, all-volunteer military force in the world, yet 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 May 05, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2896.IH H2896 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 2896 IH less than 1 percent of the American population 1 serves in the Armed Forces. 2 (2) Each branch of the Armed Forces (Army, 3 Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and 4 Coast Guard) instills in its members a sense of duty 5 and obligation to the United States, their branch of 6 service, and their comrades-in-arms. 7 (3) The Department of Veterans Affairs esti- 8 mates that approximately 20 veterans of the Armed 9 Forces commit suicide each day, and a veteran’s risk 10 of suicide is 21 percent higher than an adult who 11 has not served in the Armed Forces. 12 (4) The Department of Veterans Affairs is ag- 13 gressively undertaking measures to prevent these 14 tragic outcomes, yet suicide rates among veterans 15 remain unacceptably high. 16 (5) Upon enlistment or appointment in the 17 Armed Forces, a new member is obligated to take an 18 oath of office or oath of enlistment. 19 (6) Most members of the Armed Forces view 20 this oath not as an imposition, but as a promise that 21 they are bound to fulfill. 22 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF SEPARATION OATH.—Sec- 23 tion 502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 May 05, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2896.IH H2896 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 2896 IH (1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘The oath’’ 1 and inserting ‘‘An oath established by this section’’; 2 (2) by redesignating subsection (b), as amend- 3 ed, as subsection (c); and 4 (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol- 5 lowing new subsection (b): 6 ‘‘(b) SEPARATION OATH.—Prior to retirement or 7 other separation from the armed forces, other than sepa- 8 ration pursuant to the sentence of a court-martial, a mem- 9 ber of an armed force may take the following oath: 10 ‘‘ ‘I, llllllllll, recognizing that 11 my oath to support and defend the Constitution of 12 the United States against all enemies, foreign and 13 domestic, has involved me and my fellow members in 14 experiences that few persons, other than our peers, 15 can understand, do solemnly swear (or affirm) to 16 continue to be the keeper of my brothers- and sis- 17 ters-in-arms and protector of the United States and 18 the Constitution; to preserve the values I have 19 learned; to maintain my body and my mind; to give 20 help to, and seek help from, my fellow veterans; and 21 to not bring harm to myself or others. I take this 22 oath freely and without purpose of evasion, so help 23 me God.’ ’’. 24 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 May 05, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2896.IH H2896 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 2896 IH (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of section 1 502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to 2 read as follows: 3 ‘‘§ 502. Enlistment oath and separation oath: who 4 may administer’’. 5 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 6 at the beginning of chapter 31 of title 10, United 7 States Code, is amended by striking the item relat- 8 ing to section 502 and inserting the following new 9 item: 10 ‘‘502. Enlistment oath and separation oath: who may administer.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 May 05, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2896.IH H2896 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB