2584 ARTICLE 65

An. Code, 1924, sec. 18. 1922, ch. 490, sec. 16.

19. Commissioned officers of the organized militia shall take and sub-
scribe to the following oath of office:

"I, ....................... do solemnly swear that I will support

and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution
of the State of Maryland, against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that
T will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the
orders of the President of the United States and of the Governor of the
State of Maryland; that I make this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully dis-
charge the duties of the office of.............. in the National Guard

of the United States and of the State of Maryland upon which I am about
to enter, so help me God."

An. Code, 1924, sec. 19. 1922, ch. 490, sec. 17.

20. All officers shall be appointed and commissioned by the Governor
and shall not be recognized as such under any of the provisions of this
Article unless they shall have been selected from the following classes and
shall have taken and subscribed to the oath of office prescribed in the pre-
ceding section of this Article; officers or enlisted men of the National
Guard; officers, active or retired, reserve officers, and former officers of the
Army, Navy or Marine Corps; enlisted men and former enlisted men of
the Army, Navy or Marine Corps who have received an honorable dis-
charge therefrom, graduates of the United States Military and Naval
Academies; and graduates of schools, colleges, universities and officers'
training camps, where they have received military instruction under the
supervision of an officer of the Regular Army who certified their fitness
for appointment as commissioned officers; and for the technical branches
or Staff Corps and departments, such other civilians as may be specially
qualified for duty therein. Provided that, before such appointment, offi-
cers shall be recommended as follows: Commanding officers of units com-
prising a brigade by the brigade commander; all other officers by the com-
manding officers of the respective units or chiefs of their respective staff
corps or departments. A general officer and a colonel at the time of appoint-
ment must be an officer in the National Guard of the State of a grade
of field officer, or have been in active service in the Army, Navy or
Marine Corps or National Guard with a higher grade than captain. A lieu-
tenant-colonel or major of the line at the time of appointment must have
had active service as an officer for two years in the Army, Navy, Marine
Corps or National Guard. Provided further, that staff officers, including
officers of the Pay, Inspection, Subsistence, and Medical Departments,
shall have had previous military experience and shall hold their positions
until they shall have reached the age of sixty-four years, unless retired
prior to that time by reason of resignation, disability or for cause to be
determined by a court-martial legally convened for that purpose, and that
vacancies among said officers shall be filled by appointment from the
officers of the militia of the State of Maryland.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 20. 1920, ch. 490, sec. 18.

21. Officers shall take rank from the date of their commissions and in
such manner as provided by the Regulations of the War Department;
provided that this Article shall not apply to any person hereafter appointed