Section 42: Oaths or Affirmations
Article 42. Oaths or Affirmations.
(a) Before performing their respective duties, military judges, general and special courts-martial members, trial counsel, defense counsel, reporters and interpreters shall take an oath or affirmation in the presence of the accused to perform their duties faithfully. The form of the oath or affirmation, the time and place of the taking thereof, the manner of recording the same and whether the oath or affirmation shall be taken for all cases in which these duties are to be performed or for a particular case shall be as prescribed in regulation or as provided by law. These regulations may provide that an oath or affirmation to perform faithfully the duties as a military judge, trial counsel or defense counsel may be taken at any time by any judge advocate or other person certified or designated to be qualified or competent for the duty, and if such an oath or affirmation is taken, it need not again be taken at the time the judge advocate or other person is detailed to that duty.
(b) Each witness before a court-martial shall be examined under oath or affirmation.