The United States armed forces consist of the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marine Corps. America has one of the best military in the world. The American military is also one of the largest in terms of the number of staff. The military has to be organized to be able to carry out its duties of defending the nation.
Military Structure
The American military structure is a result of the 1947 National Security Act. The National Security Act created the United States Air force and the Department of Defense.
Department of Defense
Department of defense is lead by the secretary of defense. The secretary of defense is a civilian and is appointed by the president of the United States. The army, the air force and the Navy is under the leadership of the secretary of defense.
The Army
The army is lead by the secretary of the army who is a civilian. The secretary of the army is assigned the job by the president of the United States. The army commander is a general with four stars called the army chief of staff.
The Air Force
This department is lead by the secretary of the air force who is a civilian and is appointed by the president. The air force commander is a four- star general called the air force chief of staff.
The Navy
This department is lead by the secretary of the navy who is also a civilian and is appointed by the president of the United States. The navy commandant is a four- star admiral called the chief of naval operations. The marines commandant is four-star general called the marines corps commandant. The chief of naval operations and the Marine Corps commandant are under the leader of the navy.
Joint Chiefs of Staff
This group comprises of the marines corps commandant, the chief of naval operations, the army chief of staff, the air force chief of staff, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chairman of the joint chief of staff. The chairman is proposed for election by the president and is approved by the senate.
In times of war or conflict the Joint Chiefs of Staff report directly to the secretary of defense and the president.
The Coast Guard
The coast guard does not fall under the department defense. It falls under the department of homeland defense. The coast guard is lead by a four-star admiral called the coast guard commandant.
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