The strength of the Army lies not only in numbers but also in the individual Soldier. Because no matter what job they have or rank they hold — there is nothing stronger than a U.S. Army Soldier. The Army consists of more than 675,000 Soldiers: 488,000 on Active Duty, ready to respond immediately to any mission; 189,000 in the Army Reserve, who can be rapidly mobilized when their skills are needed in times of national emergency or global conflict.
Because the Army is made of such a large number of Soldiers, it must be organized into units, each with its own leaders and reporting structure. Each unit—whether it’s a squad or division—was created to respond to any mission, regardless of size or complexity.
Source: Soldiers Almanac, January 2004
The Army is made of two major components: the Active Duty and Army Reserve. Those who serve in either component are Enlisted Soldiers, Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), Warrant Officers or Commissioned Officers.
Source: FY05 Army Profile, September 2005