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This report and situation with the Air Force requiring the swearing of an oath is either a canard or someone in a command or staff position is really being stupid.

I was a Commissioned Marine Officer and when I “advanced’ one of my junior officers to the next grade, before the ceremony, I would ask them if they were going to “Swear” or “Affirm” their Oath of Office.

They do have a choice. And in all the years that I conducted the ceremonies, I had one lieutenant advance to captain and he chose to “Affirm” the Oath of Office. The reason was that he was agnostic. I was also aware of a fellow officer and good friend, who was Lutheran if I recall, who told me that he always “affirmed” his Oaths of Office. He told me that Lutherans were schooled, as it were, in Biblical tradition, not to “swear” oaths.

I also used the same tack when conducting re-enlistment ceremonies for my Enlisted Marines. I gave them a choice.

To this day, I am not sure if any of our Commissioned or Enlisted Military know or understand the subtle difference or that they have a choice. “Swearing” : “I do solemnly swear... So Help Me God.” “Affirming” : “I do affirm...” with NO “So Help Me God” at the end of the oath.

Matthew 5:33-37 (The NIV Bible reflects these words in RED meaning Matthew is quoting Jesus)

33. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’

34. But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

35. or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

36. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

37. Simply, let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your “No,’ ‘No;’ anything beyond this come from the evil one.”

Letting your “Yes” be “Yes” IMHO, is merely “Affirming.”

Anyone have a differing opinion or knowledge of something different?

I agree with you about swearing an oath to anyone anywhere. From my perspective a "promise" is swearing an oath and promises are so often broken but... our military traditionally required us to swear an oath in large part BECAUSE of these beliefs taught to us in our churches. The powers that be in the military wanted people serving that knew the importance of the task they were/are being asked to do and they knew that having people "swear an oath" would weed out those that care more about their own well-being than the well-being of their comrades and our nation. The type of people that traditionally served in our military have been good, upstanding, honorable men and women. The kind of solders willing to put everything they have and believe on the line to protect their family, country and people from our God hating enemies. Remember. The United States is the ONLY "Christian" nation on the planet. All nations hate us and it is because of our Christian God.

There is scripture in the Old Testament talking about Gideon and a decision he was confronted with before going into battle. He did not know how to pick which men he should take into battle and God instructed him,

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. (Judges 7:4-8 KJV)

The reason God did not take those that got down on both knees or on their bellies to drink but instead took those that scooped up water with their hands was because God knew that those scooping up water with their hands were the ones staying alert and watching for the safety of all the people. Conversely those lying on their bellies or kneeling down were more about themselves than the others.

Taking an oath is a BIG deal in the eyes of God and it used to be a BIG deal with the people of this country. Having people SWEARING to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States "So help me God" is an oath where those taking it are willing to lie down their lives and eternal souls to protect the principles laid down in the Constitution and the people living by it or "let God strike" them dead.
Now it is more accepted to be a self-centered flake than to put one's eternal soul in jeopardy for our fellow countrymen.

I praise God Jesus of Nazareth wasn't such a person.