Military of the United States facts for kids

The military of the United States, officially known as the United States Armed Forces, is made of:

• United States Army
• United States Navy
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Air Force
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Space Force

United States Joint Service Color Guard on parade at Fort Myer

The President of the United States is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. All branches except the Coast Guard are part of the Department of Defense, which is controlled by the Secretary of Defense. The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Marine Corps is part of the Navy.

About 1.4 million people are currently on active duty in the military with another 1,259,000 people on reserve (with 456,000 people in the Army and Air National Guard). There is currently no conscription. Women can serve in most combat positions, and in all non-combat military jobs. Because of war, some of these non-combat jobs actually see combat regularly.

Ranks

Rank in the United States Armed Forces is split into three distinct categories: officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel.

Officers are the leadership of the military, holding commissions from the president of the United States and confirmed to their rank by the Senate.

Warrant officers hold a warrant from the secretaries of the military departments, serving as specialists in certain military technologies and capabilities. Upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2, they gain a commission from the president of the United States.

Enlisted personnel constitute the majority of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical-level leaders until they become senior non-commissioned officers or senior petty officers.

Military ranks across the services can be compared by U.S. Uniformed Services pay grade or NATO rank code.

Officer corps

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Uniformed services pay grade	Special grade		O-10		O-9		O-8		O-7		O-6		O-5		O-4		O-3		O-2			O-1			Officer candidate/Cadet
United States Army																									Various
	General of the Army		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Cadet / Officer candidate
United States Marine Corps																									(Various insignia)
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Midshipman / officer candidate
United States Navy																									(Various insignia)
	Fleet admiral		Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Rear admiral (lower half)		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Lieutenant (junior grade)			Ensign			Midshipman / officer candidate
United States Air Force																									(Various insignia)
	General of the Air Force		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Cadet / Officer trainee
United States Space Force																									(Various insignia)
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Cadet / Officer trainee
United States Coast Guard																									Various
			Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Rear admiral (lower half)		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Lieutenant (junior grade)			Ensign			Cadet / officer candidate
NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Uniformed services pay grade	Special grade		O-10		O-9		O-8		O-7		O-6		O-5		O-4		O-3		O-2			O-1			Officer candidate/Cadet

Officers represent the top 18% of the armed forces, serving in leadership and command roles. Officers are divided into three categories:

• O-1 to O-3: Company grade officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or junior officers in the Navy and the Coast Guard.
• O-4 to O-6: Field grade officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or mid-grade officers in the Navy and Coast Guard.
• O-7 to O-10: General officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force or flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard.

Officers are typically commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns with a bachelor's degree after several years of training and education or directly commissioned from civilian life into a specific specialty, such as a medical professional, lawyer, chaplain, or cyber specialist.

Officers are commissioned through the United States service academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps programs, and the Officer Candidate and Officer Training Schools. During a time of war, officers may be promoted to five-star ranks, with general of the Army, fleet admiral, and general of the Air Force the only five-star ranks currently authorized.

Warrant officer corps

NATO rank	WO-5		WO-4		WO-3		WO-2		WO-1
Uniformed services pay grade	W-5		W-4		W-3		W-2		W-1
United States Army
	Chief warrant officer 5		Chief warrant officer 4		Chief warrant officer 3		Chief warrant officer 2		Warrant officer 1
United States Marine Corps
	Chief warrant officer 5		Chief warrant officer 4		Chief warrant officer 3		Chief warrant officer 2		Warrant Officer 1
United States Navy
	Chief warrant officer 5		Chief warrant officer 4		Chief warrant officer 3		Chief warrant officer 2		Warrant officer 1
United States Air Force
	Chief warrant officer 5		Chief warrant officer 4		Chief warrant officer 3		Chief warrant officer 2		Warrant officer 1
U.S. Coast Guard
			Chief warrant officer 4		Chief warrant officer 3		Chief warrant officer 2
NATO rank	WO-5		WO-4		WO-3		WO-2		WO-1
Uniformed services pay grade	W-5		W-4		W-3		W-2		W-1

Warrant officers are specialists, accounting for only 8% of the officer corps. Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities. The lowest-ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but they receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2. They derive their authority from the same source as commissioned officers but remain specialists, in contrast to commissioned officers, who are generalists. There are no warrant officers in the Air Force or Space Force.

Warrant officers are typically non-commissioned officers before being selected, with the exception of Army Aviation where any enlisted grade can apply for a warrant. Army Warrant officers attend the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School.

Enlisted corps

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Uniformed services pay grade	E-9						E-8		E-7		E-6						E-5						E-4				E-3		E-2						E-1
United States Army																																			No insignia
	Command sergeant major			Sergeant major			First sergeant	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class		Staff sergeant						Sergeant						Specialist		Corporal		Private first class		Private						Private
United States Marine Corps																																			No insignia
	Sergeant major			Master gunnery sergeant			First sergeant	Master sergeant	Gunnery sergeant		Staff sergeant						Sergeant						Corporal				Lance corporal		Private first class						Private
United States Navy																																			No insignia
	Command master chief petty officer			Master chief petty officer			Command senior chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer		Petty officer first class						Petty officer second class						Petty officer third class				Seaman		Seaman apprentice						Seaman recruit
United States Air Force																																			No insignia
	Command chief master sergeant	First sergeant		Chief master sergeant			First sergeant	Senior master sergeant	First sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant						Staff sergeant						Senior airman				Airman first class		Airman						Airman basic
United States Space Force
	Chief master sergeant						Senior master sergeant		Master sergeant		Technical sergeant						Sergeant						Specialist 4				Specialist 3		Specialist 2						Specialist 1
U.S. Coast Guard
	Command master chief petty officer			Master chief petty officer			Senior chief petty officer		Chief petty officer		Petty officer first class						Petty officer second class						Petty officer third class				Seaman		Seaman apprentice						Seaman recruit
NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Uniformed services pay grade	E-9						E-8		E-7		E-6						E-5						E-4				E-3		E-2						E-1

Air Force basic trainees in a base defense exercise at Air Force Basic Military Training

Enlisted personnel comprise 82% of the armed forces, serving as specialists and tactical leaders. Enlisted personnel are divided into three categories:

• E-1 to E-3/4: Junior enlisted personnel are usually in initial training or at their first assignment. E-1 to E-3 in the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard, and E-1 to E-4 in the Army, Air Force, and Space Force. In the Army, specialists (E-4) are considered to be junior enlisted, while corporals (E-4) are non-commissioned officers.
• E-4/5 to E-6: Non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force and petty officers in the Navy and Coast Guard. In the Air Force and Space Force, E-5 is the first non-commissioned officer rank. Non-commissioned officers and petty officers are responsible for tactical leadership.
• E-7 to E-9: Senior non-commissioned officers in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force and chief petty officers in the Navy and Coast Guard. Serve as senior enlisted advisors to officers.

The rank of senior enlisted advisor is the highest rank in each service, serving as the primary advisor to its service secretary and service chief on enlisted matters.

Prior to entering service, enlisted personnel must complete their service's basic training. In the Army, after completing Basic Combat Training, recruits then go to advanced individual training for their military occupational specialty. Upon completion of Marine Corps Recruit Training, Infantry Marines attend the School of Infantry. Non-infantry Marines complete Marine Combat Training before advancing to technical schools for their Military Occupational Specialty. In the Navy, after completing Recruit Training, sailors advance to their "A" schools to complete training for their rating. In the Air Force and Space Force, recruits complete combined Basic Military Training before going to technical training for their Air Force Specialty Codes. In the Coast Guard, after completing Recruit Training, sailors advance to their "A" schools to complete training for their rating.

Images for kids

• 

  The Joint Chiefs of Staff in December 2020.

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  Organization of the military services and military departments within the Department of Defense

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  U.S. Army Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division return fire during a firefight with Taliban forces in Barawala Kalay Valley in Kunar province, Afghanistan on 31 March 2011.

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  U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams tanks from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment maneuver in the streets as they conduct a combat patrol in the city of Tall Afar, Iraq, on Feb. 3, 2005.

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  U.S. Marines with India Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit run on the beach during an amphibious assault demonstration.

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  A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft attached to VMX-22 prepares to land on the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) in the Pacific Ocean.

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  USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) and Carrier Strike Group 3 underway with Republic of Korea Navy ships.

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  F-22A Raptors in flight.

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  U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit stealth bombers flying with Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters.

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  The Sodium Guidestar at the Directed Energy Directorate's Starfire Optical Range for real-time, high-fidelity tracking and imaging of satellites.

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  Boeing X-37B spaceplane after deorbiting and landing.

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  USCGC Hamilton and TCG Turgutries in the Black Sea, April 30, 2021.

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  Coast Guard Reserve Port Security boat on patrol

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  Unified combatant commands areas of responsibility

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  Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, awarded the Silver Star for direct combat

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  ADM Linda L. Fagan June 2021.

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  The United States Coast Guard Academy commissions officers into the United States Coast Guard.

See also

In Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de los Estados Unidos para niños