The United States Military is one of the greatest fighting forces ever assembled in world history. The military is under the ultimate direction of the President of the United States, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces. The U.S. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard all respond to the call of duty when Congress declares war and the president orders their deployment. Due to its large size, there must be a defined chain of command in the U.S. Military, and each of the armed services in particular, so that forces can be deployed quickly and efficiently. This chain of command involves the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which advise the president and other elected leaders and initiate the fulfillment of their directives.
Is There an Exclusive Commander-in-Chief Power? — The Yale Law Journal has a good article on the rights of the U.S. president as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces.
Department of Defense: Organization and Functions Guidebook — This page has an overview of the structure and command chain of the United States Department of Defense.
Job Opportunities in the Armed Forces — The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides some good information on career possibilities in the U.S. Armed Forces, which also helps to show the command structure of the military.
Joint Chiefs of Staff — The Joint Chiefs of Staff are the principal military advisers to the president of the United States.
Military.com — Military.com is a site designed to provide all kinds of information and other help for former and current members of the United States Military.
Order of Succession — A list of who would become president and commander-in chief, in order of precedence, should the president become incapacitated
Tracing its history to the founding of the Continental Army in 1775, the U.S. Army oversees and enacts all of the land-based military maneuvers and missions of the United States. It operates under the control of the Department of the Army, which is part of the Department of Defense, and it has two heads, one civilian and one military. The Secretary of the Army is the civilian head of the Army and the Chief of Staff is the highest-ranking officer and military head, and usually the highest-ranking active general. From smallest to largest, the U.S. Army is organized into the following subgroups: a team of 2–4 soldiers, which is part of a squad of two teams; two or more squads make up a platoon, and three or four of these platoons comprise a company; anywhere between 2 and 8 companies make up a battalion, and 2 or more of these battalions are organized into a brigade; four brigade combat teams and one combat aviation brigade comprise a division, and two or more of these divisions make up a corps. The corps is under the leadership of a lieutenant general, and the lowest level of enlisted soldier is the private. This organization allows for flexibility in the way units are deployed and used on the battlefield, and the Army Reserve Corps provides back-up soldiers that can be rotated in and out of duty.
82nd Airborne Division — Here is a pictorial representation of the chain of command of the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army.
U.S. Army: Operational Unit Diagrams — This page is a helpful presentation of the chain of command of the U.S. army. Other links in the section provide an overview of the army’s organization as a whole.
U.S. Army ROTC — An overview of the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps can be accessed via this link.
West Point — The U.S. Military Academy at West Point trains officers for the U.S. Army.
Rather than make up a separate department within the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marines operate under the U.S. Navy. They are the invading force that project U.S. military force from the sea, and generally speaking, the Navy moves the Marines into position for invasions and other operations. Like the United States Army, the U.S. Marines date back to 1775. The Commandant of the Marine Corps is the corps’ highest-ranking officer, and he answers to the Secretary of the Navy. The Marines rely on the Army, Navy, and Air Force for equipment and transport. The basic organization of Corps ranges from the smallest unit, known as a Marine Expeditionary Unit all the way up to a Marine Expeditionary Force. A Marine Air-Ground Task Force is made up of a varying number of these units and is a self-sufficient division of the Marine Corps, allowing for the maximum efficiency in marine operations. A general is the highest-ranked commissioned officer and the entry-level enlisted position is that of private. Warrant officers stand in rank between commissioned officers and enlisted officers/soldiers.
How the U.S. Marine Corps Work — How Stuff Works hosts this good overview page on the function and structure of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Marine Corps Units — Global Security.org has this easy-to-follow page on the units within the U.S. Marine Corps.
Marine Symbols of Leadership — The basic ranks in the U.S. Marine Corps chain of command are found on this page.
As the sea branch of the U.S. Military, the United States Navy has been in operation since 1775. Today, it is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations, a four-star admiral who is also on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The navy provides a key role in transporting Marines and serving as the staging base for their deployment. The Navy also fights sea battles, provides sea-based support for the other branches of the military, and more. The highest rank of officer in the Navy is the admiral, while the seaman recruit is the lowest rank among enlisted men. There is also a middle grade of leadership made up of warrant officers. The fleet is the basic combatant grouping of the U.S. Navy, and it may be made up of different combinations of ships including aircraft carriers, submarines, amphibious warfare vessels, surface vessels, and more. A naval fleet operates under the ultimate direction of a Unified Combatant Commander, who also oversees one or more other branches of the military in a specific combat operation. This oversight makes sense given the support role that the Navy often performs for air and ground operations, and like the Army, there is a Naval Reserve that can supply troops on a rotating basis when needed.
Military Sealift Command — This overview page on the Military Sealift Command, which provides supplies to troops in the field, explains the chain of command.
Navy Organization — Click the links on the right hand side of this page to access organizational charts for the United States Navy.
U.S. Armed Forces Unit Organization: Navy — A good overview of how the navy is organized can be found here, and clicking on the link marked Organization provides a good summary of how it is all set up.
U.S. Naval Academy — The U.S. Naval Academy trains officers for the U.S. Navy.
U.S. Navy ROTC — An overview of the U.S. Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps can be accessed via this link.
Although initially created to take care of aerial warfare, the U.S. Air Force today is also responsible for space warfare and computerized warfare, that is, cyberwarfare. The air force got its start under the U.S. Army but it was constituted a separate branch of the U.S. Military in 1947. The Secretary of the Air Force is the highest civilian position in the U.S. Air Force, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force is the highest-ranking military officer in this branch. Air Force combat units are arranged beginning with a flight made up of four aircraft and associated personnel. Four flights make up a squadron, and several squadrons comprise a group. One or more groups comprise a wing, and any combination of wings, groups, and squadrons can make up a numbered air force that reports to an air force major command. This structure allows for quick deployment of Air Force units and rapid response. The leadership structure is organized similar to that of the Navy, except that generals replace admirals and airmen replace seamen. Like the Navy and Army, the Air Force also has a permanent reserve corps.
Air Force Knowledge — Some good information on the U.S. Air Force, including its basic chain of command, can be found on this page.
Air Force Senior Leaders — The senior leaders of the U.S. Air Force are listed on this page with links to their biographies.
Types of USAF Organizations — On this page, users can find a basic overview of the types of units and organizations within the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Air Force Academy — The U.S. Air Force Academy trains officers for the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Air Force ROTC — An overview of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps is can be accessed via this link.
Unlike the other armed forces, the U.S. Coast Guard generally operates under the supervision of the Department of Homeland Security, although its operations can be transferred to the supervision of the Department of the Navy during war. The Coast Guard is responsible for sea-based law enforcement operations and a variety of other tasks, including search-and-rescue missions, immigration enforcement, and much more. It is a rapid-response force that is key to helping with natural disasters and other problems. First established in 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard has the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard as its highest -ranking member, although the commandant is not one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff like the other high officers of the U.S. Armed Forces. A variety of aircraft, naval vessels, and other equipment help the U.S. Coast Guard fulfill its mission. Rank is structured from the highest officer (admiral) to the lowest enlisted personnel (seamen).
Homeland Security Organizational Chart — This chart shows how the U.S. Coast Guard is placed within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. Coast Guard Academy — The U.S. Coast Guard Academy trains officers for the U.S. Coast Guard.
U.S. Coast Guard Organization — Here is a simple flowchart that describes how the U.S. Coast Guard is organized.
U.S. Coast Guard Organization and Missions — The Navy League of the United States describes the organization and mission of the U.S. Coast Guard on this page.
The basic organization of the U.S. Armed Forces enables the rapid and efficient deployment of troops when and where they are needed. Without such structure, it is doubtful that the U.S. Military would be as respected as it is today all around the world.
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