• The President of the United States is the commander in chief of the armed forces. The Department of Defense is the executive department which directs military action. The U.S. military is broken into five branches of the armed forces. Each branch serves a different function but all work toward the common goal of defense and protection.
  
  

United States Army

• The United States Army originated as the Continental Army in 1775. The army is the oldest branch of the armed forces. The army is also the largest branch of the armed forces. Soldiers are broken into seven units ranging from the smallest, Squad, to the largest, Corps. The core values of the Army are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. The Army is the primary land force of the U.S. military.
  
  

United States Navy

• The United States Navy (USN) originated as the Continental Navy in 1775. The Department of the Navy originated in 1798. The Navy is equipped with cruisers, destroyers, amphibious ships, submarines and aircraft carriers. The core values of the Navy are honor, courage and commitment. The navy is the military force of the sea.
  
  

United States Marine Corps

• The United States Marine Corps (USMC) originated as the Continental Marines in 1775. The Marine Corps works under the Department of the Navy. The Marine Corps is considered America's "first line of defense." The core values of the Marine Corps are honor, courage and commitment. The Marine Corps is a military force by air, land and sea.
  
  

United States Coast Guard

• The United States Coast Guard (USCG) originated in 1790 and officially earned its name in 1915. In peacetime the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Homeland Security. In times of war, the Coast Guard reports to the Department of the Navy. The Coast Guard has the power to carry out law enforcement and has foreign and domestic jurisdiction. The core values of the Coast Guard are honor, respect and devotion to duty. The Coast Guard performs mission of search and rescue, law enforcement on the seas, marine safety and environmental protection and national security.
  
  

United States Air Force

• The United States Air Force (USAF) originated as the aviation and aerospace department of the United States Army. The Air Force became its own branch of the armed forces in 1947. The core values of the Air Force are integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. The Air Force handles military aviation in times of peace and war.