Military of the United States

Military of the United States
Name	United States Armed Forces
Caption	Seal of the United States Department of Defense
Founded	14 June 1775 (as the Continental Army)
Current form	1947 (with the National Security Act of 1947)
Branches	United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force
Headquarters	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Commander-in-chief	President Joe Biden
Commander-in-chief title	Commander-in-Chief
Minister	Lloyd Austin
Minister title	Secretary of Defense
Commander	Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Commander title	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Age	17 with parental consent, 18 for voluntary service
Conscription	No (ended 1973)
Available	120,000,000 (2020 est.), age 16–49
Fit	47,000,000 (2020 est.), age 16–49
Reaching	2,000,000 (2020 est.) annually
Active	1,328,000 (2022)
Reserve	799,500 (2022)
Deployed	~170,000 (in over 150 countries)
Amount	$816.7 billion (FY2023)
Percent GDP	3.5% (FY2022)
History	American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, American Civil War, Spanish–American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq War
Ranks	Officer, Enlisted

Contents

History and development
Organization and structure
Personnel and training
Budget and procurement
Global presence and operations
Technology and capabilities

Military of the United States. The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States, consisting of six service branches under the civilian leadership of the President of the United States and the United States Department of Defense. Tracing its institutional origins to the Continental Army founded in 1775 to fight in the American Revolutionary War, it is the world's most powerful military by several metrics, including budget, technological sophistication, and global power projection capabilities. The military's primary missions are to deter and defeat aggression, protect the nation and its allies, and advance national interests worldwide.

History and development

The military's origins lie in the colonial militias and the creation of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress in 1775, commanded by George Washington. Following independence, early conflicts like the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War shaped its early doctrine. The American Civil War was a transformative event, introducing industrial-era warfare and leading to a massive expansion under leaders like Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. The 20th century saw its emergence as a global power through World War I and its decisive role in World War II, including the Normandy landings and the Pacific War. The Cold War era, defined by the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union, led to the establishment of a permanent, large-scale standing force and global alliance systems like NATO. The post-Cold War period has been marked by expeditionary operations, including the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Iraq War.

Organization and structure

The military is organized under the United States Department of Defense, headed by the United States Secretary of Defense. The President of the United States serves as the commander-in-chief, advised by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The six uniformed services are the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and the United States Coast Guard (which operates under the United States Department of Homeland Security during peacetime). Operational command is executed through eleven Unified Combatant Commands, such as United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command, which are responsible for specific geographic or functional areas. Key legislation governing its structure includes the Goldwater–Nichols Act and the National Security Act of 1947.

Personnel and training

The United States maintains an all-volunteer force, with conscription via the Selective Service System remaining only as a contingency. As of 2022, there are approximately 1.3 million active-duty personnel and 800,000 reservists across the National Guard of the United States and reserve components. Initial entry training is conducted at service-specific centers like Fort Benning for the Army and Naval Station Great Lakes for the Navy. Officer training occurs at federal academies including the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy, as well as through Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs at civilian universities. Senior leaders attend war colleges such as the National War College and the Naval War College.

Budget and procurement

The United States possesses the largest military budget in the world, with Congress authorizing $816.7 billion for the United States Department of Defense in Fiscal Year 2023. This funds personnel costs, operations and maintenance, research and development, and major procurement programs. Key defense contractors include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics, which develop and produce major systems. Current high-profile procurement programs include the F-35 Lightning II, the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, the Columbia-class submarine, and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. Budget oversight and authorization are provided by congressional committees, notably the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services and the United States House Committee on Armed Services.

Global presence and operations

The U.S. military maintains an extensive global network of bases and facilities, with significant permanent presences in allied nations such as Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Italy. Key strategic installations include Ramstein Air Base, Kadena Air Base, and Naval Support Activity Naples. It conducts continuous operations worldwide, including counter-terrorism missions under the auspices of United States Central Command and United States Africa Command, freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, and rotational deployments to Eastern Europe through initiatives like Operation Atlantic Resolve. The military also provides substantial humanitarian aid and disaster relief, as seen in responses to events like the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the 2020 Beirut explosion.

Technology and capabilities