MacDill civilians take constitution oath

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa Paradise
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  A ceremony celebrating the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution kicked-off the 2012 Constitution Week (Sept. 17 - 23) here, Sept. 17, 2012.

Civilian members of the 6th Medical Group took the Oath of Office administered by Col. Robert Rocco, 6th Medical Group commander.

"A lot of people in other countries take an oath to support a king or a queen, but we take an oath to defend an ideal or a principal that essentially all men are created equal. And this is the basis of what our constitution stands for today," said Rocco.

The president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution took on a project to promote the observance of the U.S. Constitution with a memorial week beginning on the anniversary of the signing of the document in 1955. President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially declared Constitution Week on Aug. 2, 1956.

Fourteen members of the 6th MDG voluntarily retook the Oath of Office as a sign of rememberance for what Constitution Week is celebrating.

"This ceremony as a government employee re-affirms my patriotism to serve my country as a civil servant. I think it's important that we know our American history," said Kaye Sass, 6th Medical Support Squadron health systems specialist, ceremony organizer and member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

"She (Sass) saw this as an opportunity to combine respect and appreciation for the constitution, giving our employees an opportunity to re-affirm their oath. Also taking time to understand that we as Americans, when we swear our allegiance to support to defend the constitution we remember what we are answering to," stated Rocco.