“The oath you are about to take is your North Star.”
– General Mark Milley, CJCS, Graduation Address to the Class of 2021

The cadets and faculty of the Academy Oath Project believe oath education and education on civil-military relations norms need a stronger emphasis at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Cadets and faculty work together to foster a democracy ethos to create a better understanding of the professional obligations of cadets and future officers.

Our mission

Our mission is to cultivate a program to institutionalize, educate, and train all cadets on the Oath of Commissioning and civil-military relations norms to foster a deeper understanding of military service in a democracy.

The project applies in depth knowledge of constitutional principles to enhance Academy rituals surrounding the administration of the oath and develops educational and training experiences for use in the curriculum as well as in professional military training.

While cadets may understand the dos and don’ts of appropriate civil-military relations, they don’t always understand the WHY. The Academy Oath Project Club is created by cadets for cadets. The AOP Club is the best way to connect with peers and begin building a military steeped in a democracy ethos that is ready for future conflict.

Ceremonies

The Academy Oath Project enhances ceremonies where the Oath is administered by including language that explains the history and meaning of the Oath. Cadets are available to participate in this portion of the ceremony or AOP can suggest verbiage for inclusion into ceremony scripts. AOP has participated in Induction Day (I-Day) ceremonies for BCT and promotion and re-enlistment ceremonies. AOP language has also been adopted for USAFA’s commissioning ceremonies, convocation, and graduation.

To integrate this within your Promotion Ceremony at USAFA, please sign up using this link:

Accomplishments

The Academy Oath Project’s impact transcends from educating appointees about the significant commitment they are about to embark on before I-day to adding the meaning of the oath to scripts of commissioning ceremonies when cadets graduate. Fundamentally, the Oath Project seeks to illuminate the importance of the Oath across the many forms of professional development cadets experience while at the Academy since taking the Oath of Office is a lifelong commitment upon all who seek to join the Profession of Arms.

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Contact us

Cadet Weiss S Yuan, AOP Cadet-in-Charge
c25weiss.yuan@afacademy.af.edu

Cadet D. Micah Stark, AOP Deputy CIC
c25david.stark@afacademy.af.edu

Lt Col Tim Ford (DFPS), AOP Officer-in-Charge
timothy.ford@afacademy.af.edu

Dr. Marybeth Ulrich (Scowcroft National Security Senior Fellow, DFPS), Senior Mentor of AOP
Professor and Chair, Strategy and Policy Department, U.S. Naval War College
marybeth.ulrich@usnwc.edu