United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea, utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. Alongside the U.S. Navy, the Marine Corps operates as a part of the United States Department of the Navy.

Originally organized as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps has evolved in its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict including the Revolutionary War. Read more about the U.S. Marine Corps on Wikipedia.org

United States Navy

The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas." The U.S. Navy currently has nearly 342,000 personnel on active duty and 129,634 in the Navy Reserve; it has 276 ships in active service and more than 4,000 aircraft.

The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was disbanded shortly thereafter. The United States Constitution, though, provided the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving Congress the power "to provide and maintain a navy." Read more about the U.S. Navy on Wikipedia.org

United States Army

The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. Like all armies, it has the primary responsibility for land-based military operations.

The modern Army had its roots in the Continental Army which was formed on June 14, 1775, before the establishment of the United States, to meet the demands of the American Revolutionary War. Congress created the United States Army on June 3, 1784 after the end of the war to replace the disbanded Continental Army. The Army considers itself to be descended from the Continental Army, and thus dates its inception from the origins of that force. Read more about the U.S. Army on Wikipedia.org

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. Previously part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947.

The USAF is the largest and the most technologically advanced air force in the world, with about 6013 manned aircraft in service (4,282 USAF; 1,321 Air National Guard; and 410 Air Force Reserve); approximately 160 Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles, 2161 Air-Launched Cruise Missiles, and 500 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles; and as of September 30, 2006, had 334,200 personnel on active duty, 120,369 in the Selected and Individual Ready Reserves, and 107,000 in the Air National Guard. An additional 10,675 personnel were in the Standby Reserve and the Air Force employed 168,558 civilian personnel. Read more about the U.S. Air Force on Wikipedia.org

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States armed forces and is involved in maritime law enforcement, mariner assistance, search and rescue, and national defense. As one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and the smallest armed service of the United States, its stated mission is to protect the public, the environment, and the United States economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America's coasts, ports, and inland waterways.

In times of war, the Coast Guard may operate as a service in the Department of the Navy. This arrangement has a broad historical basis, as the Guard has been involved in wars as diverse as the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War, in which the cutter Harriet Lane fired the first naval shots at Fort Sumter. The last time the Coast Guard operated as a whole under the Navy was in World War II. Read more about the U.S. Coast Guard on Wikipedia.org

United States Merchant Marines

The United States Merchant Marine is made up of the nation's civilian-owned merchant ships and the men and women that crew them. The merchant marine transports cargo and passengers during peace time. In time of war, the merchant marine[1] is an auxiliary to the Navy, and can be called upon to deliver troops and supplies for the military.

The people of the merchant marine are called merchant mariners, and are civilian except in times of war when, in accordance with the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, they are considered military personnel.

As of 2006, the United States merchant fleet numbered 465 ships[2] and approximately 69,000 people. Seven hundred ships owned by American interests but registered, or flagged, in other countries are not included in this number. Read more about the U.S. Merchant Marines on Wikipedia.org

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