EP56 The Oath and Trust of Commissioned Officers with MX400 with LTC Tom Dull, MAJ(P) Ben Elliott, MAJ Marc Meybaum, and CPT Brian Martinez

WPAOG Podcast

This episode features a discussion between LTC Tom Dull, Executive Officer at the Character Integration Advisory Group at West Point, and MAJ(P) Ben Elliott, MAJ Marc Meybaum, and CPT Brian Martinez. They are three officers who have conducted research on the Army profession and are Instructors of MX400: Officership, a class on the oath of office for first class cadets, at West Point.

In this episode, they provide a deep understanding of the oath of commissioned officers by discussing its origin and history, relive stories of their own commissioning ceremonies, and discuss the importance of teaching the value of trust and honor to first class cadets at West Point.

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Key Quote

“We want, as officers and we want our officers, to be trustworthy. And that's why I kind of go back to that. You kind of think of everything that goes with that. And that phrase in there says, ‘I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I'm about to do’. Right? And so you can see this establishment of trust, you know, I’m giving my word to the American people, I'm giving my word to the American government that I will be well and faithful, that I will be trusted and categorically trustworthy. And so, I will do that in everything I do and therefore it's unique to what the Academy has. They want officers that live honorably, lead honorably, demonstrate excellence, right? They're trustworthy.” - LTC Tom Dull

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Episode Timestamps

(01:30) Reliving tales of their oath of office commissioning ceremonies

(10:45) Teaching and communicating to first class cadets

(23:53) Commitment with respect to unlimited liability

(29:08) Preparing for conversations in class

(31:26) The history of the oath of office

(39:58) Relevancy of the oath in present times

(44:03) Presiding over commissioning ceremonies

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Links

LTC Tom Dull’s LinkedIn

MAJ(P) Ben Elliott

MAJ Marc Meybaum

CPT Brian Martinez

West Point Association of Graduates