then Add to Home Screen.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff reminded all U.S. service members Jan. 12 of their oath to defend the Constitution following the attacks on the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., earlier in the month.
The letter was addressed to the joint force, which is made up of about 1.3 million active-component members and more than 811,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists.
"The violent riot in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 was a direct assault on the U.S. Congress, the Capitol building, and our Constitutional process," the memorandum said. "We witnessed actions inside the Capitol building that were inconsistent with the rule of law. The rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right to resort to violence, sedition and insurrection."
The Joint Chiefs emphasized in the letter that President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, becoming the 46th commander in chief, and that any acts to disrupt the constitutional process not only violate military values, but the law.
“To our men and women deployed and at home, safeguarding our country-stay ready, keep your eyes on the horizon, and remain focused on the mission. We honor your continued service in defense of every American,” the memo concluded.
The full memo is available online.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is made up of the nation’s top eight military officials. It includes the chair and vice chair, the commandant of the Marine Corps, the chiefs of staff of the Army and Air Force, and the chiefs of the National Guard Bureau, naval operations and space operations.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, was appointed by President Donald Trump in December 2018. He and the other Joint Chiefs members are military advisers to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council.
