United States armed forces

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United States Armed Forces
United States Joint Service Color Guard on parade at Fort Myer in Arlington County, Virginia.
Service branches	U.S. Army U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Navy U.S. Air Force U.S. Coast Guard
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Barack Obama
Secretary of Defense	Robert M. Gates
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff	Admiral Michael Mullen
Manpower
Military age	17–45 years old[1]
Available for military service	72,715,332 males, age 18–49 (2008 est.), 71,638,785 females, age 18–49 (2008 est.)
Fit for military service	59,413,358 males, age 18–49 (2008 est.), 59,187,183 females, age 18–49 (2008 est.)
Reaching military age annually	2,186,440 males (2008 est.), 2,079,688 females (2008 est.)
Active personnel	1,473,900[2] (ranked 4th)
Reserve personnel	1,458,500[3]
Expenditures
Budget	$651 billion (FY08)[4] (ranked 1st)
Percent of GDP	4.04 (2007 est.)
Related articles
History	American Revolutionary War Early national period Continental expansion American Civil War Post-Civil War era World War I (1917–1918) World War II (1941–1945) Cold War (1945–1991) Post-Cold War era (1991–2001) War on Terrorism (2001–present)
Ranks	Army officer Army warrant officer Army enlisted Marine Corps officer Marine Corps warrant officer Marine Corps enlisted Navy officer Navy warrant officer Navy enlisted Air Force officer Air Force enlisted Coast Guard officer Coast Guard warrant officer Coast Guard enlisted

The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States. The United States military was first formed by the second Continental Congress to defend the new nation against the British Empire in the American Revolutionary War. The Army, Marine Corps, and Navy were commissioned in 1775, in anticipation of the declaration of independence in 1776. The Coast Guard originated as the Revenue Cutter Service, which was formed in 1790. The Revenue Cutter Service merged with the United States Life-Saving Service in 1915 to become the Coast Guard, now an agency of the Department of Homeland Security and can be transferred to the Department of the Navy by the President or Congress during a time of war. The United States Air Force originated as the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps in 1907 and became an independent service in 1947.

From the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the United States. A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the victorious Barbary Wars, as well as the War of 1812. Even so, the Founding Fathers were suspicious of a permanent military force and not until the outbreak of World War II did a peacetime army become officially established.^[5]

The President is commander-in-chief of the military, with the Department of Defense, headed by the Secretary of Defense, as the principal organ by which military policy is carried out. The September 11 attacks prompted the formation of a new civilian agency, the Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate and consolidate a counter on internal United States threats.

The U.S. military is composed of almost three million personnel, of which approximately half are reserve personnel.^{[citation needed]} The U.S. military is one of the largest militaries in terms of number of personnel. The U.S. military draws its manpower from a large pool of volunteers and as such conscription is not a current source of personnel. The U.S. military receives $711 billion per year in funding,^[6] constituting approximately 50 percent of world military expenditures. The U.S. armed forces as a whole possess large quantities of advanced and powerful equipment, which gives them significant capabilities in both defense and power projection.

Contents 1 Organization 2 Budget 3 Personnel 3.1 Personnel in each service 3.2 Personnel stationing 3.2.1 Overseas 3.2.2 Within the United States 3.3 Types of Personnel 3.3.1 Enlisted 3.3.2 Non-commissioned officers 3.3.3 Warrant Officer 3.3.4 Commissioned officers 3.4 Five Star Ranking 3.5 Demographic controversies 4 Combat Uniforms 4.1 Current camouflage patterns 4.2 Gallery of current uniforms 5 Order of precedence 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Organization

All branches are part of the uniformed services of the United States and are under civilian control with the President of the United States serving as Commander-in-chief, per the United States Constitution. All except the Coast Guard are part of the Department of Defense, which is under the authority of the Secretary of Defense, also a civilian. The Coast Guard falls under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, but during wartime, the President may place the Coast Guard under the Department of Defense through the Department of the Navy.^[7]

To coordinate military action with diplomacy, the President has an advisory National Security Council headed by a National Security Advisor. Under the President is the United States Secretary of Defense, the head of the Department of Defense and a member of the Cabinet.

Both the President and Secretary of Defense are advised by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which includes the head of each of the service branches, led by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[edit] Budget

The United States has the largest defense budget in the world. In 2007, the Department of Defense had a base budget of $431.7 billion. An additional $169.2 billion was requested for operations in the War on Terrorism.^[8] In 2008, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which authorized $688.6 billion in funds related to national defense.^[9] The base budget request for the Department of Defense increased 11.1% to $479.5 billion for FY 2008. $189.1 billion in supplemental funding was also requested for operations in the War on Terrorism for a total national defense budget of $668.6 billion.^[8]

In 2009, national defense spending continued to rise. The Department of Defense requested about $515.4 billion for the base budget. $70 billion was allocated for the War on Terrorism, plus an additional $65 billion in expected supplemental spending, though this number is expected to rise. By service, $140.7 billion was allocated for the Army, $124.4 billion for the Navy, $24.9 billion for the Marine Corps, $143.9 billion for the Air Force and $81.6 billion for defense wide spending.^[10] By function, $125.2 billion was requested for personnel, $179.8 billion for operations and maintenance, $104.2 billion for procurement, $79.6 billion for research and development, $21.2 billion for military construction, $2.9 billion for family housing and $2.7 billion for revolving funds.^[8]

Major defense programs also see continued funding. $4.1 billion was requested for the next generation fighter, F-22 Raptor, which will roll out an additional twenty planes for FY 2009. $6.7 billion was requested for the F-35 Lightning II, which is still in development. Sixteen planes will be built as part of the funding. The Future Combat System program is expected to see $3.6 billion for its development. A total of $12.3 billion was requested for missile defense, which includes Patriot CAP, PAC-3 and SBIRS-High systems. $720 million was also included for a third missile defense site in Europe. $4.2 billion was also requested to continue the aircraft carrier replacement program. With the addition of AFRICOM, $389 million was requested to develop and maintain the new command.^[11]

In addition, with the continued efforts in the War on Terrorism, $20.5 billion was requested to expand the Army and Marine Corps, while $49.1 billion was requested for the recruitment, training and sustainment of the National Guard and Reserves.^[8]

[edit] Personnel

As of February 28, 2009 1,454,515 people are on active duty^[12] in the military with an additional 848,000 people in the seven reserve components.^[3] It is an all volunteer military, however, conscription can be enacted by the request of the President and the approval of Congress. The United States military is the second largest in the world, after the People's Liberation Army of China, and has troops deployed around the globe.

In early 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates proposed to the President to increase the overall size of the Army and Marine Corps to meet the needs of the War on Terrorism.^[13] Current plans are to increase the Army to 547,400 and the Marine Corps to 202,000 by 2012. The expansion will cost a total of $90.7 billion between 2009 and 2013 as the Navy and Air Force undergo a limited force reduction.^[14] In addition, in 2009, Gates proposed increasing the size of the Army by 22,000 troops in order to reduce fatigue from multiple trips overseas, and to compensate for troops who are in recovery away from their units.

As in most militaries, members of the U.S. Armed Forces hold a rank, either that of officer or enlisted, and can be promoted.

[edit] Personnel in each service

As of May 2009^[15] Female numbers as of 30 September 2008^[16]

Component	Military	Enlisted	Officer	Female	Civilian
Army	548,000	456,651	88,093	73,902	243,172
Marine Corps	201,031	180,443	20,588	12,290
Navy	332,000	276,276	51,093	50,008	182,845
Air Force	323,000	261,193	64,370	64,137	154,032
Coast Guard	41,000	32,647	8,051	4,965	7,396
Total Active	1,445,000	1,174,563	224,144	200,337	580,049
Army National Guard	353,000
Army Reserve	205,000
Marine Forces Reserve	40,000
Navy Reserve	67,000
Air National Guard	107,000
Air Force Reserve	67,000
Coast Guard Reserve	11,000
Total Reserve	850,000
Other DOD Personnel					97,976

[edit] Personnel stationing

[edit] Overseas

As of March 31, 2008, U.S. Forces were stationed at more than 820 installations in at least 39 countries.^[17] Some of the largest contingents are the 142,000 military personnel in Iraq, the 56,200 in Germany, the 33,122 in Japan, 28,500 in Republic of Korea, 31,100 in Afghanistan and approximately 9,700 each in Italy and the United Kingdom. These numbers change frequently due to the regular recall and deployment of units.

Altogether, 84,488 military personnel are located in Europe, 154 in the former Soviet Union, 70,719 in East Asia and the Pacific, 7,850 in North Africa, the Near East, and South Asia, 2,727 are in sub-Saharan Africa with 2,043 in the Western Hemisphere excepting the United States itself.

[edit] Within the United States

Including U.S. territories and ships afloat within territorial waters

A total of 1,083,027 personnel are on active duty within the United States and its territories (including those afloat):^[18] The vast majority, 883,430 of them, are stationed at various bases within the Continental United States. There are an additional 36,827 in Hawaii and 19,828 in Alaska. 90,218 are at sea while there are 2,970 in Guam and 137 in Puerto Rico.

[edit] Types of Personnel

[edit] Enlisted

Prospective service members are often recruited from high school and college, the target age being those ages 18 to 28. With the permission of a parent or guardian, applicants can enlist at the age of 17 and participate in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). In this program, the applicant is given the opportunity to participate in locally sponsored military-related activities, which can range from sports to competitions (each recruiting station DEP program will vary), led by recruiters or other military liaisons.

After enlistment, new recruits undergo Basic Training (also known as boot camp in the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines), followed by schooling in their primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) at any of the numerous MOS training facilities around the world. Each branch conducts basic training differently. For example, Marines send all non-infantry MOS’s to an infantry skills course known as Marine Combat Training prior to their technical schools, while Air Force Basic Military Training graduates attend Technical Training and are awarded an Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) at the apprentice (3) skill level. The terms for this vary greatly, all non-infantry Army recruits undergo Basic Combat Training (BCT), followed by Advanced Individual Training (AIT), while all infantry recruits go to infantry training brigade, while the Navy send its recruits to Recruit Training and then to "A" schools to earn a rating. The Coast Guard's recruits attend basic training and follow with an "A" school to earn a rating.

Initially, recruits without higher education or college degrees will hold the pay grade of E-1, and will be elevated to E-2 usually soon after the completion of Basic Training (with a minimum of nine months Time-In-Service). Different services have different incentive programs for enlistees, such as higher initial ranks for college credit and referring friends who go on to enlist as well. Participation in DEP is one way recruits can achieve rank before their departure to Basic Training.

There are several different authorized pay grade advancement requirements in each junior enlisted rank category (E-1 to E-3), which differ by service. Enlistees in the Army can attain the initial pay grade of E-4 (Specialist) with a full four-year degree, but the highest initial entry pay grade is usually E-3 (Members of the Army Band program can expect to enter service at the grade of E-4). Promotion through the junior enlisted ranks occurs upon attaining a specified number of years of service (which can be waived by the Soldiers chain of command), a specified level of technical proficiency, and/or maintenance of good conduct. Promotion can be denied by with reason.

[edit] Non-commissioned officers

With very few exceptions, becoming a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the United States military is accomplished by progression through the lower enlisted ranks. However, unlike promotion through the lower enlisted tier, promotion to NCO is generally competitive. NCO ranks begin at E-4 or E-5, depending upon service, and are generally attained between three and six years of service. Junior NCOs function as first-line supervisors and squad leaders, training the junior enlisted in their duties and guiding their career advancement.

While considered part of the non-commissioned officer corps by law, senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs) referred to as Chief Petty Officers in the Navy and Coast Guard, or staff non-commissioned officers in the Marine Corps, perform duties more focused on leadership rather than technical expertise. Promotion to the SNCO ranks, E-7 through E-9 (E-6 through E-9 in the Marine Corps) is highly competitive. Manning at the pay grades of E-8 and E-9 are limited by federal law to 2.5 percent and 1 percent of a service's enlisted force, respectively. SNCOs act as leaders of small units and as staff. Some SNCOs manage programs at headquarters level and a select few wield responsibility at the highest levels of the military structure. Most unit commanders have a SNCO as an enlisted advisor. All SNCOs are expected to mentor junior commissioned officers as well as the enlisted in their duty sections. The typical enlistee can expect to attain SNCO rank after 10 to 16 years of service.

Each of the five services employs a single senior enlisted advisor at departmental level. This individual is the highest ranking enlisted member within his/her respective service and functions as the chief advisor to the service secretary, service chief of staff, and Congress on matters concerning the enlisted force. These individuals carry responsibilities and protocol requirements equivalent to general and flag officers. They are as follows:

• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

[edit] Warrant Officer

Additionally, all services except for the Air Force have an active Warrant Officer corps. Above the rank of Warrant Officer One, these officers may also be commissioned, but usually serve in a more technical and specialized role within units. More recently though they can also serve in more traditional leadership roles associated with the more recognizable officer corps. With one notable exception (helicopter and fixed wing pilots in the U.S. Army), these officers ordinarily have already been in the military often serving in senior NCO positions in the field in which they later serve as a Warrant Officer as a technical expert. Most Army pilots have served some enlisted time. It is also possible to enlist, complete basic training, go directly to the Warrant Officer Candidate school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and then on to flight school.

Warrant officers in the U.S. military garner the same customs and courtesies as commissioned officers. They may attend the Officer's club, receive a command and are saluted by junior warrant officers and all enlisted service members.

The Air Force ceased to grant warrants in 1959 when the grades of E-8 and E-9 were created. Most non-flying duties performed by warrant officers in other services are instead performed by senior NCOs in the Air Force.

[edit] Commissioned officers

There are five common ways to receive a commission as an officer in one of the branches of the U.S. military (although other routes are possible).

• Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)
• Officer Candidate School (OCS): This can be through active-duty OCS academies, or, in the case of the National Guard, through state-run academies.
• Service academies (United States Military Academy at West Point, New York; United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; the United States Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut; and the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.)
• Direct commission - civilians who have special skills that are critical to sustaining military operations and supporting troops may receive direct commissions. These officers occupy leadership positions in the following areas: law, medicine, dentistry, nurse corps, intelligence, supply-logistics-transportation, engineering, public affairs, chaplain corps, oceanography, and others.
• Battlefield commission - Under certain conditions, enlisted personnel who have skills that separate them from their peers can become officers by direct commissioning of a commander so authorized to grant them. This type of commission is rarely granted and is reserved only for the most exceptional enlisted personnel; it is done on an ad hoc basis, typically only in wartime. No direct battlefield commissions have been awarded since the Vietnam War. The Air Force and Navy do not employ this commissioning path.

Officers receive a commission assigning them to the officer corps from the President (with the consent of the Senate). To accept this commission, all officers must take an oath of office.

Through their careers, officers usually will receive further training at one or a number of the many staff colleges.

Company-grade officers (pay grades O-1 through O-3) function as leaders of smaller units or sections of a unit, typically with an experienced SNCO assistant and mentor. Field-grade officers (pay grades O-4 through O-6) lead significantly larger and more complex operations, with gradually more competitive promotion requirements. Officers in pay grades O-1 through O-4 are informally considered junior officers; those serving in pay grades O-5 and O-6 are sometimes recognized as senior officers. General officers, or flag officers, serve at the highest levels and oversee major portions of the military mission.

[edit] Five Star Ranking

These are ranks of the highest honor and responsibility in the armed forces, but they are almost never given during peacetime service and are only held by a very few officers during wartime:

• General of the Army
• Fleet Admiral
• General of the Air Force

No corresponding rank exists for the Marine Corps or the Coast Guard. Like three and four-star ranks, Congress is the approving authority of a five-star rank confirmation.

The rank of General of the Armies is considered senior to General of the Army, but was never held by active duty officers at the same time as persons who held the rank of General of the Army. It has been held by two people: John J. Pershing who received the rank in 1919 after World War I, and George Washington who received it posthumously in 1976 as part of the American Bicentennial celebrations. While it is unclear whether Pershing's acknowledged seniority to the World War II era Generals of the Army was due to his rank being superior or because his appointment was earlier, in Washington's appointment by Public Law 94-479, General of the Armies of the United States was established as having "rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present," clearly making it superior to General of the Army.

[edit] Demographic controversies

Though women may serve as military police, fighter pilots, and on combat ships, as of 2008, female service members are prohibited by policy from intentional assignment to certain ground combat forces, and from serving on submarines. (See History of women in the military#United States.)

The "don't ask, don't tell" law (10 U.S.C. § 654) allows homosexuals to serve in the military as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation; the Government is also not allowed to ask service members or prospective recruits about their sexual orientation. Since the policy was enacted in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, thousands of service members have been discharged when their orientation came to the attention of the military, often through disclosure by the service members themselves.^{[citation needed]}

Both policies have been the subject of high-profile public controversy in the 1990s and 2000s, with advocates citing military necessity and the special requirements of combat conditions, and opponents denying military necessity and characterizing the policies as unjustified discrimination.

[edit] Combat Uniforms

[edit] Current camouflage patterns

List of current camouflage patterns and uniforms
Branch	Camouflage pattern	Image	Notes	In use since
Army	Universal Camouflage Pattern, used for the Army Combat Uniform (ACU).		On June 16, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Army to buy new, different uniforms for the War in Afghanistan, with camouflage pattern that would better suit the Afghan environment. [19] 173rd Airborne Brigade was already authorized to use uniforms with MultiCam pattern for their next tour to Afghanistan.	2005
Marine Corps	MARPAT pattern, used for the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) in two variants, woodland and desert.		USMC MARPAT pattern was the first digitalized (pixelated) pattern in the US Military.	2002
Navy	Navy Working Uniform (NWU).			2009
Air Force	Digitalized tigerstripe, used for the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU).			2007
Coast Guard	Operational Dress Uniform (ODU).			2004
SOCOM Common uniform for the SOCOM is still in development	The uniform will be in the variants, desert AOR1, similar to desert MARPAT pattern, and woodland AOR2, similar to digitalized Multicam and woodland MARPAT pattern. (Note: the pattern may change as it is still in development)		Until this uniform, all Special Operation Forces will keep using their branch uniforms. However, it had been reported that many of these units use MultiCam instead.	in development

[edit] Gallery of current uniforms

Army - ACU

Air Force - ABU

Navy - NWU

Marines - MCCUU (woodland and desert variants)

Other - MultiCam, used by many Special Operations Forces, and by 173rd Airborne Brigade for its next OEF tour.

[edit] Order of precedence

Under current Department of Defense regulation, the various components of the Armed Forces have a set order of seniority. Examples of the use of this system include the display of service flags, placement of soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen in formation, etc. When the United States Coast Guard shall operate as part of the Navy; the cadets, United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Coast Guard, and the Coast Guard Reserve shall take precedence, respectively, after the midshipmen, United States Naval Academy; the United States Navy; and Naval Reserve.^[20]

• Cadets, US Military Academy
• Midshipman, US Naval Academy
• Cadets, US Air Force Academy
• Midshipman, US Merchant Marine Academy
• United States Army
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Navy
• United States Air Force
• United States Coast Guard
• Army National Guard of the United States
• Army Reserve
• Marine Corps Reserve
• Naval Reserve
• Air National Guard of the United States
• Air Force Reserve
• Coast Guard Reserve
• Other training organizations of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard in that order.

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Military of the United States

• Full-spectrum dominance
• United States military academies
• United States military staff colleges
• Awards and decorations of the United States military
• Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
• TRICARE - Health care plan for the U.S. uniformed services
• List of currently active United States military land vehicles
• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of currently active United States military watercraft
• Uniformed services of the United States
• State Defense Forces
• Military Law
• Military Expression
• Relative costs of American wars

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official U.S. Department of Defense website
• Global Security on U.S. Military Operations
• Military News
• Today's Military website
• US Military ranks and rank insignia
• Defence Talk
• Center of Defence Information on U.S. Military
• U.S. Military deployments/engagements 1975-2001
• Department of Defense regulation detailing Order of precedence: DoD Directive 1005.8, 31 October 1977 and also in law at Title 10, United States Code, Section 133.
• Army regulation detailing Order of Precedence: AR 840-10, 1 November 1998
• Marine Corps regulation on Order of Precedence: NAVMC 2691, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual, Part II, Ceremonies, Chapter 12-1.
• Navy regulation detailing Order of Precedence: U.S. Navy Regulations, Chapter 12, Flags, Pennants, Honors, Ceremonies and Customs.
• Air Force regulation detailing Order of Precedence: AFMAN 36-2203, Drill and Ceremonies, 3 June 1996, Chapter 7, Section A.

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v • d • e United States Navy Portal: United States Navy Leadership Secretary of the Navy · Chief of Naval Operations · Vice Chief of Naval Operations · Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy · Active duty Navy four-star admirals Organization Regular Navy · Navy Reserve · Fleet Marine Force · civilian auxiliaries: Merchant Marine · Maritime Service Major Commands Fleet Forces Command · Naval Forces Europe · Pacific Fleet · Naval Forces Central Command · Naval Forces Southern Command · Military Sealift Command · Naval Special Warfare Command Numbered Fleets Second Fleet · Third Fleet · Fourth Fleet · Fifth Fleet · Sixth Fleet · Seventh Fleet Structure The Pentagon · Units · Aircraft Wings · Aircraft Squadrons · Installations · Naval Observatory Ships A-B · C · D-F · G-H · I-K · L · M · N-O · P · Q-R · S · T-V · W-Z Aircraft carriers · Airships · Amphibious warfare ships · Auxiliaries · Battleships · Cruisers · Destroyers · Destroyer escorts · Escort carriers · Frigates · Mine warfare vessels · Monitors · Patrol vessels · Sailing frigates · Steam frigates · Steam gunboats · Ships of the line · Sloops of war · Submarines · Torpedo boats Personnel & Training People  · Officers: Officer Insignia / Designators  · Enlisted: Enlisted Insignia / Ratings / Classification Personnel: Chaplain Corps · Medical Corps · Dental Corps · Nurse Corps · Supply Corps · Civil Engineer Corps · JAG Corps · NCIS · SEALs · SWCCs · Naval Aviator · Seabee · Navy Expeditionary Combat Commands Training: Recruit Training · United States Naval Academy · Officer Candidate School · TOPGUN · Naval War College · SMTC · BESS Uniforms & Equipment Uniforms · Awards · Badges · Current Fleet · Reserve Fleet · Aircraft · Weapons · Naval Reactors History & Traditions Navy history · Continental Navy · USS Constitution · "Anchors Aweigh" · Navy Hymn · Navy Band · Fleet Week · Navy Flag · Ensign · Jack · Blue Angels · Ship commissioning · Ship decommissioning · Line-crossing ceremony · Navy service numbers · National Museum

v • d • e United States Air Force Portal:United States Air Force Leadership Secretary of the Air Force · Chief of Staff · Vice Chief of Staff · Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force · Active duty Air Force four-star generals Organization Commands Reserve · Air National Guard · Field Operating Agencies · Installations Direct Reporting Units USAF Academy · District of Washington · Operational Test and Evaluation Center Major commands Air Combat · Air Education and Training · Global Strike · Materiel · Space · Special Operations · Air Mobility · Pacific · Europe Numbered air forces First · Second · Third · Fourth · Fifth · Seventh · Eighth · Ninth · Tenth · Eleventh · Twelfth · Thirteenth · Fourteenth · Seventeenth · Eighteenth · Nineteenth · Twentieth · Twenty-Second · Twenty-Third · Twenty-Fourth Wings (ANG) · Groups (ANG) · Squadrons (ANG) · Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol Personnel and training People · Rank: Officers / enlisted · Air Force Specialty Code · Pararescue · Judge Advocate General's Corps · RED HORSE · Office of Special Investigations · Security Forces · Medical Service Training: USAF Academy · Reserve Officer Training Corps · Officer Training School · Basic Military Training · SERE · USAF Fitness Test Uniforms Uniforms · Awards · Badges Equipment Aircraft History and traditions History · Army Air Service/Corps/Forces · The U.S. Air Force · Air Force Band · Flag · Symbol · National Museum · Memorial · Air Force One · Thunderbirds · Airman's Creed · Air Force service numbers · Honor Guard · Air Force Blues · Tops In Blue

v • d • e United States Coast Guard Portal:United States Coast Guard Leadership Secretary of Homeland Security · Commandant of the Coast Guard · Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Organization Missions · Reserve · Intelligence · Investigative Service · Legal Division · Deployable Operations Group Areas · Districts · Sectors · Bases · Air Stations · National Ice Center · Research & Development Center · Coast Guard Auxiliary Personnel & Training Personnel · Officer Ranks · Enlisted Ranks · Ratings · Coast Guard Academy · Training Center Cape May · Training Center Petaluma · Special Missions Training Center · Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl Uniforms & Equipment Uniforms · Awards · Badges · Cutters · List of cutters · Ship commissioning · Ship decommissioning · Equipment History & Traditions History · Coast Guard Act · Life-Saving Service · Revenue Cutter Service · Lighthouse Service · Steamboat Inspection Service · Bureau of Navigation Semper Paratus · Semper Paratus · Flag · Ensign · Racing Stripe · Band · Fleet Week · Coast Guard service numbers

v • d • e Major Armed Conflicts Involving the United States Armed Forces Internal Shays' Rebellion · Whiskey Rebellion · Seminole Wars · Toledo War · Dorr Rebellion  · 1838 Mormon War · Honey War · Bleeding Kansas · Utah War · Dakota War of 1862 · Civil War · Indian Wars · Brooks–Baxter War · Great Sioux War of 1876-77 · Battle of Blair Mountain International Revolutionary War · Quasi-War · First Barbary War · War of 1812 · Second Barbary War  · Sumatran Expeditions  · Mexican–American War · Spanish-American War · Philippine–American War · Boxer Rebellion · Banana Wars · Pancho Villa Expedition · World War I · Russian Civil War · World War II · Korean War · Vietnam War · Invasion of Grenada · Invasion of Panama · Gulf War · Somali Civil War · Bosnian War · Kosovo War · War in Afghanistan · Iraq War · War in North-West Pakistan Related articles List of conflicts in the US · List of wars involving the US · Timeline of US military operations · Overseas expansion · Military history · Covert regime-change actions · Casualties of war

v • d • e United States topics History Timeline Pre-Columbian · Colonial era (Thirteen Colonies) · Declaration of Independence · American Revolution (War) · Territorial changes · American Civil War · Reconstruction era · African-American Civil Rights Movement (1896–1954) · World War I · Great Depression · World War II (Home front) · Cold War · Korean War · African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) · Feminist Movement · Vietnam War · Post-Cold War (1991–present) · War on Terrorism (War in Afghanistan · Iraq War) Topics Demographic · Economic · Military · Postal · Technological and industrial · Inventions · Discoveries Federal government     Law Constitution Bill of Rights Civil liberties Federalism Separation of powers Law enforcement Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Legislature - Congress House of Representatives Senate Vice President Executive - President Executive Office Cabinet / executive departments Independent agencies Civil service · Policies Judiciary - Supreme Court Federal courts Courts of appeal District courts Intelligence Intelligence Community Central Intelligence Agency Defense Intelligence Agency National Security Agency Armed Forces Army Marine Corps Navy Air Force Coast Guard Politics State governments · Local governments · Elections (Electoral College) · Divisions · Ideologies · Parties (Democratic Party · Republican Party · Third parties) · Scandals · Political status of Puerto Rico · Red states and blue states · Uncle Sam Geography Cities, towns, and villages · Counties · Extreme points · Islands · Mountains (Peaks · Appalachian · Rocky) · National Park System · Regions (New England · Mid-Atlantic · Southern · Midwestern · Great Plains · Northwestern · Southwestern · Pacific · Western) · Rivers (Mississippi · Missouri · Colorado) · States · Territory · Water supply and sanitation Economy Agriculture · Banking · Communications · Companies · Dollar · Energy · Federal Budget · Federal Reserve System · Insurance · Standard of living (Personal income · Household income · Homeownership · Income inequality) · Mining · Public debt · Taxation · Tourism · Trade · Transportation · Wall Street Society Adolescent sexuality · Crime · Demographics · Education · Health care · Health insurance · Incarceration · Languages (American English · Spanish) · Media · People · Public holidays · Religion · Social class (Affluence · American Dream · Middle class · Educational attainment · Poverty · Professional and working class conflict) · Sports Culture Literature (Beat Generation · Folklore · Harlem Renaissance · Poetry · Transcendentalism) · Philosophy · Architecture · Cuisine · Dance · Fashion · Flag · Music (Classical · Folk · Popular · Country · Blues · Jazz · Rock and roll) · Radio · Television / Cinema (Hollywood) · Visual arts (Abstract expressionism) Issues Abortion · Affirmative action · Anti-Americanism · Capital punishment · Drug policy · Exceptionalism · Energy policy · Environmental movement · Gun politics · Health care reform · Human rights · Immigration (Mexico barrier · Third Border Initiative) · LGBT rights (Same-sex marriage) · Obesity · Racism · Terrorism Portal

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