United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces[5] are the federal armed forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.[6] The President of the United States is the military's overall head, and helps form military policy with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), a federal executive department, acting as the principal organ by which military policy is carried out. From the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the United States. The U.S. military is the largest military in the world in terms of number of personnel. History[edit] The history of the U.S. military dates to 1775, even before the Declaration of Independence marked the establishment of the United States. Rising tensions at various times with Britain and France and the ensuing Quasi-War and War of 1812 quickened the development of the U.S. Command structure[edit] Budget[edit] American defense spending by GDP percentage 1910 to 2007. Personnel[edit]
Military Careers Members of the U.S. military service maintain the U.S. national defense. While some service members work in occupations specific to the military, such as fighter pilots or infantrymen, many work in occupations that also exist in the civilian workplace, such as nurses, doctors, and lawyers. Members serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or in the Reserve components of these branches, and in the Air National Guard and Army National Guard. (The Coast Guard, which is included in this profile, is part of the Department of Homeland Security.) Duties The military distinguishes between enlisted and officer careers. Enlisted personnel typically do the following: Participate in, or support, military operations, such as combat or training operations, or humanitarian or disaster relief Operate, maintain, and repair equipment Perform technical and support activities Supervise junior enlisted personnel Officers typically do the following: Types of Enlisted Personnel
US Military | U.S. Military Jobs | Careers | Army | Navy US Marine Corps | Marine Recruiting United States of America Military Strength MANPOWER - Going beyond military equipment totals and perceived fighting strength is the actual manpower that drives a given military. Wars of attrition favor those with more. Total Population: 321,368,864 Available Manpower: 145,215,000 Fit for Service: 120,025,000 Reaching Military Age Annually: 4,220,000 Active Frontline Personnel: 1,400,000 Active Reserve Personnel: 1,100,000 LAND SYSTEMS - Tank value includes Main Battle Tanks, light tanks and tank destroyers, either wheeled or tracked. Tanks: 8,848 Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 41,062 Self-Propelled Guns (SPGs): 1,934 Towed-Artillery: 1,299 Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRSs): 1,331 AIR POWER - Includes both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft from all branches of service. Total Aircraft: 13,444 Fighters/Interceptors: 2,308 Fixed-Wing Attack Aircraft: 2,785 Transport Aircraft: 5,739 Trainer Aircraft: 2,771 Helicopters: 6,084 Attack Helicopters: 957 NAVAL POWER - Aircraft Carrier value includes dedicated "helicopter carrier" vessels.