Soldiers commit themselves to protecting lives and freedoms from foreign aggressors by taking the Oath of Enlistment to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, bear true faith and allegiance to it, and obey the orders of the President of the United States and appointed officers according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Soldier's Creed declares that an American Soldier is a warrior and team member who serves the people of the United States, lives the Army Values, places the mission first, never accepts defeat, never quits, never leaves a fallen comrade, remains disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient, maintains arms, equipment, and self, stands as an expert and professional, and stays ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat as a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.