Zactarn Prime
31-10-2005, 23:44
USA Militarial Information:
United States armed forces
Military manpower
Military age 18 years of age
Availability males & females ages 18-49: 134,813,023 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually males & females: 4,180,074 (2005 est.)
Active troops 1,427,000 (Ranked 2nd)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure $400 billion (FY2005 est.)
Percent of GDP 3.7% (FY2005 est.)
The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the
United States Army
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
United States Air Force
United States Coast Guard[1]
Approximately 1.4 million personnel are currently on active duty in the military with an additional 860,000 personnel in the seven reserve components (456,000 of which are in the Army and Air National Guard). There is currently no conscription. The armed forces are also members of the United States Uniformed Services. The United States Armed Forces is the most powerful military in the world and their force projection capabilities are unrivaled by any other singular nation (e.g. People's Republic of China, Russia, India) or organization (e.g. the European Union). The United States Department of Defense is the controlling organization for the U.S. military and is headquartered at The Pentagon. The Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military is the President of the United States.
The United States military is a hierarchical military organization, with a system of military ranks to denote levels of authority within the organization. The military service is divided into a professional officer corps along with a greater number of enlisted personnel who perform day-to-day military operations. The United States officer corps is not restricted by society class, education, or nobility. United States military officers are appointed from a variety of sources, including the service academies, ROTC, and direct appointment from both civilian status and the enlisted ranks.
The U.S. military also maintains a number of military awards and badges to denote the qualifications and accomplishments of military personnel.
On July 26, 1948 U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 which racially desegregated the military of the United States. Homosexuals, however, are still barred from serving openly (see Don't ask, don't tell.) By law, women may not be put into direct combat; however, assymmetrical warfare has put women into situations which are direct combat operations in all but name. (Approximately 9% of Army positions available; see [2] as an example).
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
As of the middle of 2004
Personnel in Each Service
Service Total Active Duty Personnel Percentage Female Enlisted Officers
Army 500,203 15.2% 414,325 69,307
Marine Corps 176,202 6.0% 157,150 19,052
Navy 375,521 14.5% 319,929 55,592
Air Force 358,612 19.6% 285,520 73,091
Coast Guard 40,151 10.7% 31,286 7,835
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Personnel deployed
Main article: Deployments of the U.S. Military
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Overseas
The United States has military personnel deployed in numerous countries around the world, with numbers ranging from merely a handful to tens of thousands. Some of the largest contingents are:
Germany 75,603
South Korea (United States Forces Korea) 40,258
Japan (United States Forces Japan) 40,045
Italy 13,354
United Kingdom 11,801
Iraq 148,000 (May 2005)
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Within the United States
Including territories and ships afloat within territorial waters
A total of 1,168,195 personnel are within the United States including some deployments in:
Continental U.S. 1,168,195
Hawaii 35,810
Alaska 17,989
Afloat 120,666
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Budget Comparison
see main article U.S. military budget
The military expenditure of the Department of Defence for 2004 was:
Total $437.111 Billion
Operations and maintenance $174.081 Bil.
Military Personnel $113.576 Bil.
Procurement $76.217 Bil.
Research & Development $60.756 Bil.
Military Construction $6.310 Bil.
The United States military budget is larger than the military budgets of the next twenty biggest spenders combined, and six times larger than China's, which places second (it is noteworthy that China however massively underestimates its actual military expenditure). Dollar for dollar, the United States and its closest allies are responsible for approximately two-thirds of all military spending on Earth (of which, in turn, the U.S. is responsible for two-thirds). Military spending accounts for more than half of the United States' federal discretionary spending, which comprises all of the U.S. government's money not accounted for by pre-existing obligations [3].
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2003 the United States spent approximately 47% of the world's total military spending of US$956,000,000,000.
United States Army
US Army Seal
HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit InsigniaThe Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. As of fiscal year 2004 (FY04), it consisted of 485,500 soldiers (including 71,400 women) on active duty and 591,000 in reserve (325,000 in the Army National Guard (ARNG) and 246,000 in the United States Army Reserve (USAR)). The Continental Army 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 American Revolutionary War, to replace the disbanded Continental Army.
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Rank Structure
See also U.S. Army officer rank insignia.
Comparison of ranking structure available at Ranks and Insignia of NATO.
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
United States
(Edit) No Equivalent Various
General of the Army1 General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Cadet/Officer Candidate
1 Honorary/War time rank.
NATO Rank WO-5 WO-4 WO-3 WO-2 WO-1
United States
(Edit)
Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Warrant Officer 1 (WO1)
NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
United States
(Edit) No Insignia
Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major First Sergeant Master Sergeant Sergeant First Class Staff Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Specialist Private First Class Private E2 Private E1
The Officer Corps provides leadership and managerial functions, and is composed of
Company Grade officers
Second Lieutenant (2LT; pay grade O-1) - gold bar,
First Lieutenant (1LT; pay grade O-2) - silver bar,
Captain (CPT; pay grade O-3) - two silver bars,
Field Grade officers
Major (MAJ; pay grade O-4) - gold oak leaf,
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC; pay grade O-5) - silver oak leaf,
Colonel (COL; pay grade O-6) - silver eagle,
and General officers
Brigadier General (BG; pay grade O-7) - one star,
Major General (MG; pay grade O-8) - two stars,
Lieutenant General (LTG; pay grade O-9) - three stars,
General (GEN; pay grade O-10) - four stars
General of the Army - In the 19th century, a title held by the Commander of the Army. After World War II a rank comprised of five stars in a pentagon
General of the Armies - No established insignia. Held only by George Washington and John J. Pershing
There are several sources of commissioned officers:
The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
Graduates of other military academies of the United States may elect to be commissioned in the Army
Enlisted soldiers or College graduates who successfully pass Officer Candidate School (OCS)
College graduates who underwent Army Reserve Officer Training Corps courses at a four-year university
Lawyers, doctors, nurses, veterinarians, and chaplains may be directly commissioned into their respective corps
Enlisted soldiers may also be battlefield commissioned for valor and leadership during actual combat, Audie Murphy received his commission in this manner
Officers receive a commission assigning them to the Officer Corps from the President. All newly commissioned officers receive a commission as a reserve officer. Upon attaining the rank of Major, they can be appointed into the Regular Army by the President with the advice and consent of the United States Senate [1]. Commissioned officers are assigned to a branch of service until they reach the rank of Brigadier General, where it is assumed that they are competent to command soldiers of all branches.
Once commissioned, an officer attends several levels of professional education, starting with branch qualification in their respective branch and concluding in Command and General Staff College at Fort_Leavenworth, Kansas. Professional education is required for promotion at certain grades.
The Warrant Officer is a single track specialty officer. Initially appointed an officer by the Secretary of the Army via a warrant, he/she is commissioned by the President upon promotion to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2). The warrant officer is managed as a company grade officer, but receives limited field grade privilege upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Four (CW4).
The primary source for Warrant Officers is the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
The Non-Commissioned Officer Corps (or NCO Corps) is the first line of leadership for the enlisted members of the Army, and includes the ranks of
Corporal (CPL; pay grade E-4) (two stripes pointing up, called chevrons) ),
Sergeant (SGT; pay grade E-5) (three chevrons),
Staff Sergeant (SSG; pay grade E-6) (three chevrons and one rocker, a curved stripe at the bottom),
Sergeant First Class (SFC; pay grade E-7) (three chevrons and two rockers),
Master Sergeant (MSG; pay grade E-8) (three chevrons and three rockers),
First Sergeant (1SG; pay grade E-8) (which holds the same enlisted pay grade as Master Sergeant, but which carries extra administrative duties - three chevrons and three rockers with a lozenge in the center),
Sergeant Major (SGM; pay grade E-9) (three chevrons and three rockers with a star in the center),
Command Sergeant Major (CSM; pay grade E-9) (three chevrons and three rockers with a wreathed star in the center)
and Sergeant Major of the Army (of whom there is only one, and who advises the Chief of Staff of the Army on matters relating to enlisted personnel - three chevrons and three rockers with a centered eagle accompanied with two stars).
U.S. Army recruitment posterTraining for NCOs takes place at any of the various NCO training centers around the world.
Until relatively recent history, most countries depended upon their officer corps to micromanage strategy, tactics and virtually every other aspect of military operations. Current military theory in the U.S. and UK has begun to emphasize the "strategic corporal," recognizing that combat decision-making by NCOs is potentially of vast importance.
The lowest enlisted ranks are:
Private (PV1; pay grade E-1) (no rank insignia),
Private Enlisted Grade 2 (PV2; pay grade E-2) (one chevron),
Private First Class (PFC; pay grade E-3) (one chevron and one rocker),
and Specialist (SPC; pay grade E-4) (which is the same Enlisted Grade as Corporal, but which requires technical leadership skills, as opposed to the combat leadership skills required of corporal -a dark green patch with an eagle centered). A Specialist ranks below a corporal in terms of chain of command.
Training for enlisted soldiers usually consists of Basic Training, and Advanced Individual Training in their primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) at any of the numerous MOS training facilities around the world.
All members of the Army must take an oath upon being sworn in as members, swearing (or affirming) to "protect the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, both foreign and domestic." This emphasis on the defense of the United States Constitution illustrates the concern of the framers that the military be subordinate to legitimate civilian authority.
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Armored vehicles
M1 Abrams
M2 Bradley
M113
MLRS
M6 Linebacker
M120
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Artillery
M102
M109
M198
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Anti-air
MIM-104
M1097
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Transport & Supply Vehicles
HMMWV
HEMTT
Jeep
Dodge W 200
5-tonner
CUCV
M1070
Palletized load system (PLS)
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See also
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Military badges of the United States
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See also
List of U.S. Army installations
United States armed forces
Special Operations Forces
Comparative military ranks
Army Band
Army Medical Department
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External/Internal links
Official website
Ranks and military uniforms of the United States
Army Formations
State Defense Forces
Alabama State Defense Force
Alabama State Defense Force 1st Infantry Brigade
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army"
Category: United States Army
United States Marine Corps
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Jump to: navigation, search
United States Marine Corps EmblemThe United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. While concerned almost exclusively with shipboard security service and amphibious warfare in its formative years, the Marine Corps has evolved to fill a unique, multi-purpose role within the modern United States military.
The Marine Corps is the second smallest of the five branches (Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard) of the U.S. military, with 172,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005. Only the United States Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is smaller. In absolute terms, the US Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many major nations; it is larger than the British Army, for example.
A rendition of the emblem on the flag of the U.S. Marine CorpsBoth the Marine Corps and the United States Navy fall under the umbrella of the Department of the Navy. While organizationally separate forces, the two services work closely together.
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Organization
Typical aviation units are squadron, group and wing. There are four Marine aircraft wings:
the First in Okinawa, Japan;
the Second in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina;
the Third at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; and
the Fourth, a reserve unit.
There are also four Force Service Support Groups:
the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
the Third in Okinawa, Japan;
and the Fourth in New Orleans.
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Infantry
Here is the typical organization for Marine Corps infantry units, from smallest to largest: (Note that the organization and weapons below are from Marine Corps Table of Organization and Equipment standard. Any Marine Corps unit might be organized differently under their own SOP and specialized units, such as Force Reconnaissance, could certainly carry different weapons):
fire team: four Marines; team leader (M16A4 with M203 attachment), automatic rifleman (M249), assistant automatic rifleman(M16A4), and rifleman (M16A4).
squad: three fire teams and a corporal or sergeant as squad leader
platoon
rifle platoon: three squads, a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (staff sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
weapons platoon: a 60mm mortar section, an assault section, a medium machine gun section (using M240G 7.62mm machine guns), a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (gunnery sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
company
rifle company: three rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Navy corpsman, a administrative clerk, a training NCO, a company gunnery sergeant, first sergeant, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and captain as commander
weapons company
headquarters and support company:
battalion: three or four companies, commanded by a lieutenant colonel
regiment: three or four battalions, commanded by a colonel
brigade: less common in the Marine Corps, but typically made up of one or more regiments and commanded by a brigadier general
division: three or four regiments, officers and others, commanded by a major general
Battalions and larger units have a sergeant major, and an executive officer as second in command, plus officers and others for: Administration (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), Logistics (S-4), Civil Affairs [wartime only] (S-5), and Communications (S-6).
As of 2004, there are four Marine divisions:
the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
the Third in Camp Smedley Butler in Okinawa, Japan; and
the Fourth is a reserve unit headquarted in New Orleans, Lousiania, with units scattered throughout the continental United States.
In World War II, two more Marine Divisions were formed: the Fifth and Sixth, which fought in the Pacific War. These divisions were disbanded after the end of the war.
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Air-ground task forces
The Marine Corps organization is flexible, and task forces can be formed of any size. Modern deployed Marine units are based upon the doctrine of the Marine air-ground task force, or MAGTF. A MAGTF can generally be of any of three sizes, based upon the amount of force required in the given situation; however, all MAGTFs have a similar organization.
A MAGTF is comprised of four elements: the command element (CE), the ground combat element (GCE), the air combat element (ACE) and the combat service support element (CSSE).
Command element — A headquarters unit that directs the other elements
Ground combat element — Usually infantry, supported by armor (tanks), and artillery, but including special units such as scouts or Force Reconnaissance, snipers and forward air controllers
Air combat element — The total airpower strength of the MAGTF, the ACE includes all aerial vehicles (both fixed wing and helicopter), their pilots and maintenance personnel and those units necessary for aviation command and control.
Combat service support element — This element includes all of the support units for the MAGTF: communications, combat engineers, motor transport, medical and supply units, and certain specialized groups such as air delivery and landing support teams
The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The MEU is trained to operated as an independent force or as part of a Joint Task Force. Four elements make up a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable): The Command Element is the standing headquarters for the MEU, usually headed by a Colonel (O-6). The Ground Combat Element is a Battalion Landing Team; an infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, artillery, engineers, amphibious vehicles, light armored vehicles, and other ground combat assets. The Aviation Combat Element is made up of a composite squadron of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The Combat Service Support Element consists of a MEU Service Support Group which handles the logistics and administration needs of the MEU. The specific makeup of the MEU can be customized based upon the task at hand; additional artillery, armor, or air units can be attached, including squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet and Harrier jets.
There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, with another MEU based on Okinawa. While one MEU is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its Marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations.
A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) is larger than a MEU, and is based upon a Marine regiment, with larger air and support contingents.
A Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), as deployed in Iraq in 2003, comprises a Marine division with an artillery regiment, several tank battalions, several LAV battalions, as well as an air wing. The I Marine Expeditionary Force as deployed in the Persian Gulf War ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units.
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Marine bases and stations
Main article: List of U.S. Marine Corps bases
Marine Barracks 8th & I, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona
Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Japan
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California
Camp Le Monier, Djibouti, Africa
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps"
Category: United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
United States Navy
History
History of the United States Navy
Ships and aircraft
Current fleet
Historic ships
Historic fleets
Naval aircraft
Weapons and equipment
Organization
Department of the Navy
Chief of Naval Operations
Fleets and operating units
Senior officers
The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. The U.S. Navy consists of 281 ships and over 4,000 aircraft. It has over a half million men and women on active or ready reserve duty.
The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which the Continental Congress established during the American Revolutionary War. The United States Constitution, ratified in 1789, empowered Congress "to provide and maintain a navy." Acting on this authority, Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates; one of the original six, USS Constitution, familiarly known as "Old Ironsides," survives to this day.
The War Department administered naval affairs from that year until Congress established the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798. The Navy became part of the Department of Defense upon its establishment in 1947.
Contents [show]
1 History of the Navy
2 Organization
2.1 Fleets
2.2 Shore commands
2.3 Staff corps
3 Weapons
3.1 Ships
3.1.1 Aircraft carriers
3.1.2 Amphibious assault ships
3.1.3 Amphibious transport docks
3.1.4 Submarines
3.1.5 Cruisers
3.1.6 Destroyers
3.1.7 Frigates
3.1.8 Battleships
3.1.9 Early vessels
3.2 Naval aircraft
3.3 Harbor defense
3.4 Special warfare
3.5 Missiles, guns, equipment
4 Submarine warfare and nuclear deterrence
4.1 Navy revolutions
5 Major naval bases
6 Personnel
6.1 Commissioned officer
6.2 Enlisted
6.3 Qualifications
6.4 Sea Warrior
7 Naval culture
7.1 Naval jack
7.2 Naval jargon
7.3 Notable members of the U.S. Navy
8 See also
9 External links
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History of the Navy
Main article: History of the United States Navy
Flag of the U.S. NavyThe Continental Navy was established in Philadelphia by the Continental Congress on October 13, 1775, which authorized the procurement, fitting out, manning, and dispatch of two armed vessels to search for munitions ships supplying the British Army in America. The legislation also established a Naval Committee to supervise the work. The Continental Navy operated some 50 ships over the course of the American Revolutionary War, but no more than about 20 at one time. After the war, Congress sold the surviving ships and released the seamen and officers.
Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates on March 27, 1794, and three years later welcomed into service the first three: USS United States, Constellation and Constitution. The frigates became famous in the War of 1812, where they unexpectedly defeated British Royal Navy forces several times.
During the American Civil War, the Navy was an innovator in the use of ironclad warships, but after the war slipped into obsolescence. A modernization program beginning in the 1880s brought the U.S. into the first rank of the world's navies by the beginning of the 20th century.
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) (back), USS Port Royal (CG 73) (middle) and USS Annapolis (SSN 760) (front)The Navy saw little action during World War I, but grew into a formidable force in the years before World War II. Japan unsuccessfully attempted to allay this strategic threat with a late-1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. During the next three years, the U.S. Navy grew into the most powerful in the world. It is widely accepted that currently the United States Navy is the most powerful Navy in the world.
Fleets
The two main fleets are the Pacific Fleet and the Atlantic Fleet. Under these two organizations fall the numbered fleets.
1st Fleet - no longer active
2nd Fleet – Atlantic Ocean — Flagship Iwo Jima, Norfolk, Virginia
3rd Fleet – Eastern and Northern Pacific Ocean — Flagship Coronado, San Diego, California (In peacetime the Third Fleet has no ARG and the carriers in the area are either on their way to the Seventh Fleet or conducting training cruises, after an overhaul for example.)
4th Fleet – Disbanded.
5th Fleet – Middle East — Headquartered at Manama, Bahrain
6th Fleet – Mediterranean Sea — Flagship Mount Whitney, Gaeta, Italy
7th Fleet – Western Pacific and Indian Ocean — Flagship Blue Ridge, Yokosuka, Japan
Some of the larger Naval Forces Commands include:
Commander Naval Forces Korea (CNFK)
Commander Naval Forces Marianas (CNFM)
Command Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ)
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Staff corps
In addition to the regular line commands of the navy, several staff corps are also maintained which augment the line community and whose personnel are assigned to both line and staff commands. The current staff corps of the United States Navy are as follows:
Navy Supply Corps
Navy Medical Corps
Navy Medical Service Corps
Navy Nurse Corps
Navy Chaplains Corps
Navy Civil Engineer Corps (Seabees)
Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG)
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Major naval bases
Complete list of US Naval facilities
Norfolk, Virginia — The largest Naval base in the world, situated in southeastern Virginia. This is the main port on the Eastern Seaboard.
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — A deep water naval base and headquarters of the Pacific Fleet
San Diego, California — A large complex of Navy bases, and the primary port for ships on the West Coast of the United States
Naval Base Kitsap, Washington — Home base for Ohio Class nuclear missile submarines in the Pacific Ocean
Naval Station Mayport, Florida
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada
Guantanamo Bay — A small section on the south coast of Cuba is leased by the United States and used as a naval base.
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. Largest overseas Naval facility.
United States Air Force
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Jump to: navigation, search
United States Air Force
Components
United States Air Force
Air Combat Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Mobility Command
United States Air Forces in Europe
Pacific Air Forces
Aircraft
List of military aircraft
Structure
List of numbered Air Forces
List of wings
List of bases
Other
U.S. Air Force Band
Museum
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aviation branch of the United States armed forces. The USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947. Previously, the Army was responsible for non-naval military aviation under the US Army Air Force. The USAF is the largest modern air force in the world, with over 7,000 aircraft in service, and air bases around the world. Since World War I, the USAF and its predecessors have taken part in military conflicts throughout the world. The USAF, with an array of modern military aircraft, is considered the most technologically advanced in the world.
The stated mission of the USAF is "to defend the United States and protect its interests through air and space power".
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Bosnia and Kosovo
The USAF led NATO action against in Bosnia in 1994 with air strikes against the Bosnian Serb. This was the first time that USAF aircraft took part in militray action as part of a NATO mission. The USAF led the strike forces as the only NATO air force with the capability to launch significant air strikes over a long period of time.
Later the USAF led NATO air strikes against Serbia during the Kosovo War. The forces were later critised for attacking civilian targets in Belgrade, including a strike on the civilian television station, and a later attack which destroyed the Chinese Embassy.
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Iraq and Afghanistan
The USAF provided the bulk of the Allied air power during the first Gulf War in 1991. This was the first war that the F-117 Nighthawk was deployed. The Stealth fighter's capabilities were shown on the first night of the air war when they were able to bomb central Baghdad and avoid the Iraqi's sophisticated anti-aircraft defences. The USAF later patrolled the skies of Northern and Southern Iraq after the war to protect minorities persecuted by the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein.
In 2001, the USAF was deployed against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Operating from Diego Garcia, B-52 Stratofortress attacked Taliban positions, and deploying daisy cutter bombs for the first time since the Vietnam War. During this conflict the USAF opened up bases in Central Asia for the first time.
The USAF was more recently deployed in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Following the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the USAF took over Baghdad International Airport as a base.
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Organization
The Department of the Air Force consists of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF), the Air Staff, and field units.
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SECAF
The Office of the SECAF includes the Secretary, Under Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, General Counsel, The Inspector General, Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee, and other offices and positions established by law or the SECAF. The Office of the SECAF has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs.
In 2004 the Secretary of the Air Force was Dr. James G. Roche who stepped down as SECAF on January 20th, 2005.
In 2005 the acting Secretary of the Air Force is Pete Geren.
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Air Staff
Flag of the U.S. Air ForceThe Air Staff primarily consists of military advisors to the CSAF and the SECAF. This includes the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, and Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF), four deputy chiefs of staff (DCS), the US Air Force Surgeon General, The Judge Advocate General, the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, and additional military and civilian personnel as the SECAF deems necessary.
In 2005 the Chief of Staff of the Air Force was General (Gen) T. Michael Moseley.
The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is the senior enlisted person in the Air Force. In 2004 the position was held by Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Gerald R. Murray.
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Field Units
The Department of the Air Force field units are MAJCOMs, field operating agencies (FOA), and direct reporting units (DRU).
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Major commands (MAJCOMs)
The USAF is organized on a functional basis in the United States and a geographical basis overseas. A major command (MAJCOM) represents a major Air Force subdivision having a specific portion of the Air Force mission. Each MAJCOM is directly subordinate to HQ USAF. MAJCOMs are interrelated and complementary, providing offensive, defensive, and support elements. An operational command consists (in whole or in part) of strategic, tactical, space, or defense forces; or of flying forces that directly support such forces. A support command may provide supplies, weapon systems, support systems, operational support equipment, combat material, maintenance, surface transportation, education and training, or special services and other supported organizations. The USAF is organized into nine MAJCOMS, 7 Functional and 2 Geographic, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HQ USAF):
Major Command and Commanders Location of Headquarters
Air Combat Command (ACC) Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Hurlburt Field, Florida
Air Mobility Command (AMC) Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
[edit]
Numbered Air Forces (NAF)
See main article: List of Numbered Air Forces
The NAF is a level of command directly under a MAJCOM (Major Command). NAFs are tactical echelons that provide operational leadership and supervision. They are not management headquarters and do not have complete functional staffs. Many NAFs are responsible for MAJCOM operations in a specific geographic region or theater of operations. A NAF is assigned subordinate units, such as wings, groups, and squadrons.
[edit]
Wings
See main article: List of Wings.
USAF Roundel.
Low visibility roundel
The wing is a level of command below the NAF. A wing has approximately 1,000 to 5,000 personnel and a distinct mission with significant scope. It is responsible for maintaining the installation and may have several squadrons in more than one dependent group. A wing may be an operational wing, an air base wing, or a specialized mission wing.
[edit]
Operational Wing
An operational wing is one that has an operations group and related operational mission activity assigned to it. When an operational wing performs the primary mission of the base, it usually maintains and operates the base. In addition, an operational wing is capable of self-support in functional areas like maintenance, supply, and munitions, as needed. When an operational wing is a tenant organization, the host command provides it with varying degrees of base and logistics support.
[edit]
Air Base Wing
Some bases which do not have operational wings or are too large or diverse for one wing will have an Air Base Wing (ABW). The ABW performs a support function rather than an operational mission. It maintains and operates a base. An air base wing often provides functional support to a MAJCOM headquarters.
Wings are composed of several groups with different functional responsibilities. Groups are composed of several squadrons, each of which has one major responsibility or flying one type of aircraft. Squadrons are composed of two or more flights.
[edit]
Operational Organization
Symbol of the USAFThe above organizational structure is responsible for the peacetime Organization, Equipping, and Training of aerospace units for operational missions. When required to support operational missions, the National Command Authority directs a Change in Operational Control (CHOP) of these units from their peacetime alignment to a Combatant Commander (COCOM).
[edit]
Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force (ASETF)
CHOPPED units are referred to as "forces". The top-level structure of these forces is the Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force (ASETF). The ASETF is the Air Force presentation of forces to a COCOM for the employment of Air Power. Each COCOM is supported by a standing Warfighting Headquarters (WFHQ) to provide planning and execution of aerospace forces in support of COCOM requirements. Each WFHQ consists of a Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR), and AFFOR staff, and an Air Operations Center (AOC). As needed to support multiple Joint Force Commanders (JFC) in the COCOM's Area of Resposibility (AOR), the WFHQ may deploy Air Component Coordinate Elements (ACCE) to liaise with the JFC.
[edit]
Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR)
The COMAFFOR is the senior Air Force officer responsible for the employment of Air Power is support of JFC objectives. The COMAFFOR has a special staff and an A-Staff to ensure assigned or attached forces are properly organized, equipped, and trained to support the operational mission.
[edit]
Air Operations Center (AOC)
The AOC is the COMAFFOR's Command and Control (C²) center. This center is responsible for planning and executing air power missions in support of JFC objectives.
[edit]
Air Expeditionary Wings/Groups/Squadrons
The ASETF generates airpower to support COCOM objectives from Air Expeditionary Wings (AEW) or Air Expeditionary Groups (AEG). These units are responsible for receiving combat forces from Air Force MAJCOMs, preparing these forces for operational missions, launching and recovering these forces, and eventually returning forces to the MAJCOMs. Theater Air Control Systems control employment of forces during these missions.
[edit]
Aircraft
Main article: List of military aircraft of the United States
The United States Air Force has roughly over 7,500 Aircraft commissioned as of 2004.(1) It currently employs a designation and naming system to identify all aircraft type with distinct names. Until 1962, both the Army and Air Force maintained one system, while the US Navy maintained a separate system. In 1962, these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Army/Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations.
[edit]
Gallery of images
This is a gallery of the most well known USAF aircraft
B-52 Stratofortress
B-1 Lancer
B-2 Spirit ("Stealth Bomber")
A-10 Thunderbolt II ("Warthog")
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-117 Nighthawk ("Stealth Fighter")
F-15 Eagle
C-130 Hercules
[edit]
Uniform
The current U.S. Air Force uniform, adopted in 1993 and standardized in 1995, consists of a three-button, pocketless coat, similar to that of a men's "sport jacket" (with silver "U.S." pins on the lapels), matching trousers, and either a service cap or garrison cap, all in "Air Force Blue." This is worn with a light blue shirt and necktie in the same color as the coat and trousers. Enlisted members wear sleeve insignia on both the jacket and shirt, while officers wear metal rank insignia pinned onto the coat, and Air Force Blue slide-on loops on the shirt. Air Force personnel assigned to honor guard duties wear, for dress occasions, a modified version of the standard service dress uniform, but with silver trim on the sleeves and trousers, with the addition of medals, sword belt, and a silver shoulder cord.
Between 1993 and 1995, officers had Navy/Coast Guard-style rank rings on the coat, but this was replaced with sewn-on epaulets with the rank insignia, with "welts" in the same color as the coat being worn on the sleeves, a distinctive item adopted from the U.S. Army. Prior to 1993, all Air Force personnel wore Air Force Blue uniforms identical in apperance to that of the U.S. Army, which in fact, influence the current uniform regulations of the Army when it replaced its WWII/Korean-era olive drab uniforms with the modern-day "Army Green" uniforms of the Cold War era.
For combat and work duty, ground crews wear standard battle dress uniform, which are currently being phased out in favor of an Air Force version of the Marine's MARPAT uniform, while pilots and air crews wear olive green or tan one-piece flight suits made of nomex for fire protection.
Women's uniforms, which has changed little since its introduction in the late 1950's, generally is identical in apperance to that of the uniforms worn by women officers in the U.S. Army.
[edit]
Common badges
See also: Military badges of the United States
Pilot Badge
Navigator Badge
Aircrew Badge
Flight Surgeon Badge
Occupational Badge
Medical Badge
Religious Pin
Security Police badge
[edit]
Rank Structure
Officer Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
General of the Air Force General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
O-11 O-10 O-9 O-8 O-7 O-6 O-5 O-4 O-3 O-2 O-1
Non Commission Officer Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant First Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant First Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant First Sergeant Master Sergeant Technical Sergeant Staff Sergeant
E-9 E-9 E-9 E-9 E-8 E-8 E-7 E-7 E-6 E-5
Enlisted Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
Senior Airman Airman First Class Airman Airman Basic
E-4 E-3 E-2 E-1
no insignia
[edit]
Trivia
The US Air Force conducted the Project Blue Book investigation into UFOs, UFO encounters,alien encounters.See UFO for data on the US Air Force Project Blue Book.
[edit]
Sources
2004 Encyclopædia Britannica
[edit]
See also
Ranks and Insignia of NATO
Comparative military ranks
Civil Air Patrol
Flight surgeon
Evolutionary Air and Space Global Laser Engagement
List of Air Forces
List of U.S. Air Force bases
Air Force Specialty Code
Life support (aviation)
Aircraft maintenance
U.S. Air Force Band
National Museum of the United States Air Force
SERE
AMMO
UFO :Pertaining to the US Air Force's Bluebook Project
[edit]
External links
Official USAF website
Official USAF Recruiting site
USAF History Support Office
Air Force Historical Research Agency
National Museum of the United States Air Force
US military air bases by GlobalSecurity.org
USAF organization and units by GlobalSecurity.org
United States Air Force: History and Guide to Resources
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force"
Categories: United States Air Force | Air forces
United States Coast Guard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Coast Guard shieldThe United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the coast guard of the United States. One of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and the smallest armed service of the United States, it has a broad and important role in homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental pollution response and the maintenance of intercoastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON). It also lays claim of being the United States' oldest continuous seagoing service.
The Coast Guard's motto is Semper Paratus, meaning "Always Ready".
The Coast Guard began as the Revenue Cutter Service which was founded on August 4, 1790 as part of the Department of the Treasury. An act of the U.S. Congress created the Coast Guard in 1915, with the merger of the Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Lifesaving Service. The US Lighthouse Service was merged into the Coast Guard in 1939. The legal basis for the Coast Guard is Title 14 of the United States Code, which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." During wartime, the Coast Guard reports to the Department of Defense.
The Coast Guard later moved to the Department of Transportation in 1967, and on March 1, 2003 it became part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Contents [show]
1 Organization
1.1 Senior officers
1.2 Regional responsibilities
1.3 Coast Guard Air Stations
2 Personnel
2.1 Officer Corps
2.1.1 U.S. Coast Guard Academy
2.1.2 Officer Candidate School
2.2 Enlisted
3 Ships and aircraft
3.1 Cutters
3.2 Aircraft
3.3 Boats
4 Symbols of the Coast Guard
4.1 Core Values of the Coast Guard
4.2 Coast Guard Ensign
4.3 Coast Guard Standard
4.4 The Racing Stripe
4.5 Semper Paratus
5 Missions
5.1 Maritime safety
5.1.1 Search and Rescue
5.1.2 Marine safety
5.1.3 Recreational boating safety
5.1.4 International Ice Patrol
5.2 Maritime mobility
5.2.1 Homeland and maritime security
5.2.2 Port and Waterways Security
5.2.3 Drug interdiction
5.2.4 Alien migrant interdiction
5.2.5 US Exclusive Economic Zone and Living Marine Resource
5.2.6 Law and treaty enforcement
5.3 National Defense
5.4 Protection of natural resources
5.4.1 Marine pollution education, prevention, response and enforcement
5.4.2 Foreign vessel inspections
5.4.3 Living marine resources protection
5.4.4 Marine and environmental science
6 History of the Coast Guard
6.1 Early history
6.2 Birth of the modern Coast Guard
6.3 Prohibition
6.4 World War II
6.4.1 Douglas Munro
6.5 Korean War
6.6 The 1960s
6.7 The 1970s
6.7.1 The Kudirka incident
6.8 The 1980s
6.9 The 1990s
6.10 The 2000s
6.11 Future
7 Issues Facing the Coast Guard
8 People who have been in the Coast Guard
9 The Coast Guard Auxiliary and Coast Guard Reserve
10 Medals and Honors of the Coast Guard
11 Alumni organization
12 External links
[edit]
Organization
Parade Standard of the U.S. Coast GuardThe headquarters of the Coast Guard is on 2100 Second Street, SW, in Washington, DC. In 2005, the Coast Guard announced plans to relocate to the grounds of the former St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington.
[edit]
Senior officers
The Commandant of the Coast Guard is the Coast Guard's senior officer, who, by law, holds the rank of Admiral. The Commandant is selected for a 4-year term, which may be renewed for additional 4-year periods. The current incumbent is Admiral Thomas H. Collins, who assumed command on May 30, 2002.
The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Terry Cross.
The Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen. He also serves as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Headquarters. After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf states in September 2005, Admiral Allen was sent to coordinate rescue and relief operations under Federal Emergency Management Administrator Michael Brown. Mr. Brown was relieved of day-to-day operations on September 9 and Admiral Allen was placed in charge of the overall effort.
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is the senior enlisted person of the Coast Guard and serves as an advisor to the Commandant. The current MCPOCG is Frank A. Welch, who assumed this position in 2002.
The Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy is Rear Admiral (upper half) James C. Van Sice.
Each Coast Guard District has a Director of the Auxiliary (DIRAUX). The current Chief Director of the Auxiliary (CHDIRAUX) is Captain David B. Hill. He is responsible for directing the operations of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, a volunteer organization.
Vatican City Militarial Information:
52 Man Militia
Weaponry: Pistols, Frag Grenades, Tactical Snipers, and AK-47's
Air Force: None
Navy: None
United States armed forces
Military manpower
Military age 18 years of age
Availability males & females ages 18-49: 134,813,023 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually males & females: 4,180,074 (2005 est.)
Active troops 1,427,000 (Ranked 2nd)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure $400 billion (FY2005 est.)
Percent of GDP 3.7% (FY2005 est.)
The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the
United States Army
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
United States Air Force
United States Coast Guard[1]
Approximately 1.4 million personnel are currently on active duty in the military with an additional 860,000 personnel in the seven reserve components (456,000 of which are in the Army and Air National Guard). There is currently no conscription. The armed forces are also members of the United States Uniformed Services. The United States Armed Forces is the most powerful military in the world and their force projection capabilities are unrivaled by any other singular nation (e.g. People's Republic of China, Russia, India) or organization (e.g. the European Union). The United States Department of Defense is the controlling organization for the U.S. military and is headquartered at The Pentagon. The Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military is the President of the United States.
The United States military is a hierarchical military organization, with a system of military ranks to denote levels of authority within the organization. The military service is divided into a professional officer corps along with a greater number of enlisted personnel who perform day-to-day military operations. The United States officer corps is not restricted by society class, education, or nobility. United States military officers are appointed from a variety of sources, including the service academies, ROTC, and direct appointment from both civilian status and the enlisted ranks.
The U.S. military also maintains a number of military awards and badges to denote the qualifications and accomplishments of military personnel.
On July 26, 1948 U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 which racially desegregated the military of the United States. Homosexuals, however, are still barred from serving openly (see Don't ask, don't tell.) By law, women may not be put into direct combat; however, assymmetrical warfare has put women into situations which are direct combat operations in all but name. (Approximately 9% of Army positions available; see [2] as an example).
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
As of the middle of 2004
Personnel in Each Service
Service Total Active Duty Personnel Percentage Female Enlisted Officers
Army 500,203 15.2% 414,325 69,307
Marine Corps 176,202 6.0% 157,150 19,052
Navy 375,521 14.5% 319,929 55,592
Air Force 358,612 19.6% 285,520 73,091
Coast Guard 40,151 10.7% 31,286 7,835
[edit]
Personnel deployed
Main article: Deployments of the U.S. Military
[edit]
Overseas
The United States has military personnel deployed in numerous countries around the world, with numbers ranging from merely a handful to tens of thousands. Some of the largest contingents are:
Germany 75,603
South Korea (United States Forces Korea) 40,258
Japan (United States Forces Japan) 40,045
Italy 13,354
United Kingdom 11,801
Iraq 148,000 (May 2005)
[edit]
Within the United States
Including territories and ships afloat within territorial waters
A total of 1,168,195 personnel are within the United States including some deployments in:
Continental U.S. 1,168,195
Hawaii 35,810
Alaska 17,989
Afloat 120,666
[edit]
Budget Comparison
see main article U.S. military budget
The military expenditure of the Department of Defence for 2004 was:
Total $437.111 Billion
Operations and maintenance $174.081 Bil.
Military Personnel $113.576 Bil.
Procurement $76.217 Bil.
Research & Development $60.756 Bil.
Military Construction $6.310 Bil.
The United States military budget is larger than the military budgets of the next twenty biggest spenders combined, and six times larger than China's, which places second (it is noteworthy that China however massively underestimates its actual military expenditure). Dollar for dollar, the United States and its closest allies are responsible for approximately two-thirds of all military spending on Earth (of which, in turn, the U.S. is responsible for two-thirds). Military spending accounts for more than half of the United States' federal discretionary spending, which comprises all of the U.S. government's money not accounted for by pre-existing obligations [3].
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2003 the United States spent approximately 47% of the world's total military spending of US$956,000,000,000.
United States Army
US Army Seal
HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit InsigniaThe Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. As of fiscal year 2004 (FY04), it consisted of 485,500 soldiers (including 71,400 women) on active duty and 591,000 in reserve (325,000 in the Army National Guard (ARNG) and 246,000 in the United States Army Reserve (USAR)). The Continental Army 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 American Revolutionary War, to replace the disbanded Continental Army.
[edit]
Rank Structure
See also U.S. Army officer rank insignia.
Comparison of ranking structure available at Ranks and Insignia of NATO.
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
United States
(Edit) No Equivalent Various
General of the Army1 General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Cadet/Officer Candidate
1 Honorary/War time rank.
NATO Rank WO-5 WO-4 WO-3 WO-2 WO-1
United States
(Edit)
Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Warrant Officer 1 (WO1)
NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
United States
(Edit) No Insignia
Sergeant Major of the Army Command Sergeant Major Sergeant Major First Sergeant Master Sergeant Sergeant First Class Staff Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Specialist Private First Class Private E2 Private E1
The Officer Corps provides leadership and managerial functions, and is composed of
Company Grade officers
Second Lieutenant (2LT; pay grade O-1) - gold bar,
First Lieutenant (1LT; pay grade O-2) - silver bar,
Captain (CPT; pay grade O-3) - two silver bars,
Field Grade officers
Major (MAJ; pay grade O-4) - gold oak leaf,
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC; pay grade O-5) - silver oak leaf,
Colonel (COL; pay grade O-6) - silver eagle,
and General officers
Brigadier General (BG; pay grade O-7) - one star,
Major General (MG; pay grade O-8) - two stars,
Lieutenant General (LTG; pay grade O-9) - three stars,
General (GEN; pay grade O-10) - four stars
General of the Army - In the 19th century, a title held by the Commander of the Army. After World War II a rank comprised of five stars in a pentagon
General of the Armies - No established insignia. Held only by George Washington and John J. Pershing
There are several sources of commissioned officers:
The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
Graduates of other military academies of the United States may elect to be commissioned in the Army
Enlisted soldiers or College graduates who successfully pass Officer Candidate School (OCS)
College graduates who underwent Army Reserve Officer Training Corps courses at a four-year university
Lawyers, doctors, nurses, veterinarians, and chaplains may be directly commissioned into their respective corps
Enlisted soldiers may also be battlefield commissioned for valor and leadership during actual combat, Audie Murphy received his commission in this manner
Officers receive a commission assigning them to the Officer Corps from the President. All newly commissioned officers receive a commission as a reserve officer. Upon attaining the rank of Major, they can be appointed into the Regular Army by the President with the advice and consent of the United States Senate [1]. Commissioned officers are assigned to a branch of service until they reach the rank of Brigadier General, where it is assumed that they are competent to command soldiers of all branches.
Once commissioned, an officer attends several levels of professional education, starting with branch qualification in their respective branch and concluding in Command and General Staff College at Fort_Leavenworth, Kansas. Professional education is required for promotion at certain grades.
The Warrant Officer is a single track specialty officer. Initially appointed an officer by the Secretary of the Army via a warrant, he/she is commissioned by the President upon promotion to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2). The warrant officer is managed as a company grade officer, but receives limited field grade privilege upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Four (CW4).
The primary source for Warrant Officers is the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
The Non-Commissioned Officer Corps (or NCO Corps) is the first line of leadership for the enlisted members of the Army, and includes the ranks of
Corporal (CPL; pay grade E-4) (two stripes pointing up, called chevrons) ),
Sergeant (SGT; pay grade E-5) (three chevrons),
Staff Sergeant (SSG; pay grade E-6) (three chevrons and one rocker, a curved stripe at the bottom),
Sergeant First Class (SFC; pay grade E-7) (three chevrons and two rockers),
Master Sergeant (MSG; pay grade E-8) (three chevrons and three rockers),
First Sergeant (1SG; pay grade E-8) (which holds the same enlisted pay grade as Master Sergeant, but which carries extra administrative duties - three chevrons and three rockers with a lozenge in the center),
Sergeant Major (SGM; pay grade E-9) (three chevrons and three rockers with a star in the center),
Command Sergeant Major (CSM; pay grade E-9) (three chevrons and three rockers with a wreathed star in the center)
and Sergeant Major of the Army (of whom there is only one, and who advises the Chief of Staff of the Army on matters relating to enlisted personnel - three chevrons and three rockers with a centered eagle accompanied with two stars).
U.S. Army recruitment posterTraining for NCOs takes place at any of the various NCO training centers around the world.
Until relatively recent history, most countries depended upon their officer corps to micromanage strategy, tactics and virtually every other aspect of military operations. Current military theory in the U.S. and UK has begun to emphasize the "strategic corporal," recognizing that combat decision-making by NCOs is potentially of vast importance.
The lowest enlisted ranks are:
Private (PV1; pay grade E-1) (no rank insignia),
Private Enlisted Grade 2 (PV2; pay grade E-2) (one chevron),
Private First Class (PFC; pay grade E-3) (one chevron and one rocker),
and Specialist (SPC; pay grade E-4) (which is the same Enlisted Grade as Corporal, but which requires technical leadership skills, as opposed to the combat leadership skills required of corporal -a dark green patch with an eagle centered). A Specialist ranks below a corporal in terms of chain of command.
Training for enlisted soldiers usually consists of Basic Training, and Advanced Individual Training in their primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) at any of the numerous MOS training facilities around the world.
All members of the Army must take an oath upon being sworn in as members, swearing (or affirming) to "protect the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, both foreign and domestic." This emphasis on the defense of the United States Constitution illustrates the concern of the framers that the military be subordinate to legitimate civilian authority.
[edit]
Armored vehicles
M1 Abrams
M2 Bradley
M113
MLRS
M6 Linebacker
M120
[edit]
Artillery
M102
M109
M198
[edit]
Anti-air
MIM-104
M1097
[edit]
Transport & Supply Vehicles
HMMWV
HEMTT
Jeep
Dodge W 200
5-tonner
CUCV
M1070
Palletized load system (PLS)
[edit]
See also
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Military badges of the United States
[edit]
See also
List of U.S. Army installations
United States armed forces
Special Operations Forces
Comparative military ranks
Army Band
Army Medical Department
[edit]
External/Internal links
Official website
Ranks and military uniforms of the United States
Army Formations
State Defense Forces
Alabama State Defense Force
Alabama State Defense Force 1st Infantry Brigade
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army"
Category: United States Army
United States Marine Corps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
United States Marine Corps EmblemThe United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. While concerned almost exclusively with shipboard security service and amphibious warfare in its formative years, the Marine Corps has evolved to fill a unique, multi-purpose role within the modern United States military.
The Marine Corps is the second smallest of the five branches (Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard) of the U.S. military, with 172,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005. Only the United States Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is smaller. In absolute terms, the US Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many major nations; it is larger than the British Army, for example.
A rendition of the emblem on the flag of the U.S. Marine CorpsBoth the Marine Corps and the United States Navy fall under the umbrella of the Department of the Navy. While organizationally separate forces, the two services work closely together.
[edit]
Organization
Typical aviation units are squadron, group and wing. There are four Marine aircraft wings:
the First in Okinawa, Japan;
the Second in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina;
the Third at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; and
the Fourth, a reserve unit.
There are also four Force Service Support Groups:
the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
the Third in Okinawa, Japan;
and the Fourth in New Orleans.
[edit]
Infantry
Here is the typical organization for Marine Corps infantry units, from smallest to largest: (Note that the organization and weapons below are from Marine Corps Table of Organization and Equipment standard. Any Marine Corps unit might be organized differently under their own SOP and specialized units, such as Force Reconnaissance, could certainly carry different weapons):
fire team: four Marines; team leader (M16A4 with M203 attachment), automatic rifleman (M249), assistant automatic rifleman(M16A4), and rifleman (M16A4).
squad: three fire teams and a corporal or sergeant as squad leader
platoon
rifle platoon: three squads, a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (staff sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
weapons platoon: a 60mm mortar section, an assault section, a medium machine gun section (using M240G 7.62mm machine guns), a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (gunnery sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
company
rifle company: three rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Navy corpsman, a administrative clerk, a training NCO, a company gunnery sergeant, first sergeant, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and captain as commander
weapons company
headquarters and support company:
battalion: three or four companies, commanded by a lieutenant colonel
regiment: three or four battalions, commanded by a colonel
brigade: less common in the Marine Corps, but typically made up of one or more regiments and commanded by a brigadier general
division: three or four regiments, officers and others, commanded by a major general
Battalions and larger units have a sergeant major, and an executive officer as second in command, plus officers and others for: Administration (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), Logistics (S-4), Civil Affairs [wartime only] (S-5), and Communications (S-6).
As of 2004, there are four Marine divisions:
the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
the Third in Camp Smedley Butler in Okinawa, Japan; and
the Fourth is a reserve unit headquarted in New Orleans, Lousiania, with units scattered throughout the continental United States.
In World War II, two more Marine Divisions were formed: the Fifth and Sixth, which fought in the Pacific War. These divisions were disbanded after the end of the war.
[edit]
Air-ground task forces
The Marine Corps organization is flexible, and task forces can be formed of any size. Modern deployed Marine units are based upon the doctrine of the Marine air-ground task force, or MAGTF. A MAGTF can generally be of any of three sizes, based upon the amount of force required in the given situation; however, all MAGTFs have a similar organization.
A MAGTF is comprised of four elements: the command element (CE), the ground combat element (GCE), the air combat element (ACE) and the combat service support element (CSSE).
Command element — A headquarters unit that directs the other elements
Ground combat element — Usually infantry, supported by armor (tanks), and artillery, but including special units such as scouts or Force Reconnaissance, snipers and forward air controllers
Air combat element — The total airpower strength of the MAGTF, the ACE includes all aerial vehicles (both fixed wing and helicopter), their pilots and maintenance personnel and those units necessary for aviation command and control.
Combat service support element — This element includes all of the support units for the MAGTF: communications, combat engineers, motor transport, medical and supply units, and certain specialized groups such as air delivery and landing support teams
The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The MEU is trained to operated as an independent force or as part of a Joint Task Force. Four elements make up a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable): The Command Element is the standing headquarters for the MEU, usually headed by a Colonel (O-6). The Ground Combat Element is a Battalion Landing Team; an infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, artillery, engineers, amphibious vehicles, light armored vehicles, and other ground combat assets. The Aviation Combat Element is made up of a composite squadron of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The Combat Service Support Element consists of a MEU Service Support Group which handles the logistics and administration needs of the MEU. The specific makeup of the MEU can be customized based upon the task at hand; additional artillery, armor, or air units can be attached, including squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet and Harrier jets.
There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, with another MEU based on Okinawa. While one MEU is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its Marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations.
A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) is larger than a MEU, and is based upon a Marine regiment, with larger air and support contingents.
A Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), as deployed in Iraq in 2003, comprises a Marine division with an artillery regiment, several tank battalions, several LAV battalions, as well as an air wing. The I Marine Expeditionary Force as deployed in the Persian Gulf War ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units.
[edit]
Marine bases and stations
Main article: List of U.S. Marine Corps bases
Marine Barracks 8th & I, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona
Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Japan
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California
Camp Le Monier, Djibouti, Africa
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps"
Category: United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
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Jump to: navigation, search
United States Navy
History
History of the United States Navy
Ships and aircraft
Current fleet
Historic ships
Historic fleets
Naval aircraft
Weapons and equipment
Organization
Department of the Navy
Chief of Naval Operations
Fleets and operating units
Senior officers
The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. The U.S. Navy consists of 281 ships and over 4,000 aircraft. It has over a half million men and women on active or ready reserve duty.
The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which the Continental Congress established during the American Revolutionary War. The United States Constitution, ratified in 1789, empowered Congress "to provide and maintain a navy." Acting on this authority, Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates; one of the original six, USS Constitution, familiarly known as "Old Ironsides," survives to this day.
The War Department administered naval affairs from that year until Congress established the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798. The Navy became part of the Department of Defense upon its establishment in 1947.
Contents [show]
1 History of the Navy
2 Organization
2.1 Fleets
2.2 Shore commands
2.3 Staff corps
3 Weapons
3.1 Ships
3.1.1 Aircraft carriers
3.1.2 Amphibious assault ships
3.1.3 Amphibious transport docks
3.1.4 Submarines
3.1.5 Cruisers
3.1.6 Destroyers
3.1.7 Frigates
3.1.8 Battleships
3.1.9 Early vessels
3.2 Naval aircraft
3.3 Harbor defense
3.4 Special warfare
3.5 Missiles, guns, equipment
4 Submarine warfare and nuclear deterrence
4.1 Navy revolutions
5 Major naval bases
6 Personnel
6.1 Commissioned officer
6.2 Enlisted
6.3 Qualifications
6.4 Sea Warrior
7 Naval culture
7.1 Naval jack
7.2 Naval jargon
7.3 Notable members of the U.S. Navy
8 See also
9 External links
[edit]
History of the Navy
Main article: History of the United States Navy
Flag of the U.S. NavyThe Continental Navy was established in Philadelphia by the Continental Congress on October 13, 1775, which authorized the procurement, fitting out, manning, and dispatch of two armed vessels to search for munitions ships supplying the British Army in America. The legislation also established a Naval Committee to supervise the work. The Continental Navy operated some 50 ships over the course of the American Revolutionary War, but no more than about 20 at one time. After the war, Congress sold the surviving ships and released the seamen and officers.
Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates on March 27, 1794, and three years later welcomed into service the first three: USS United States, Constellation and Constitution. The frigates became famous in the War of 1812, where they unexpectedly defeated British Royal Navy forces several times.
During the American Civil War, the Navy was an innovator in the use of ironclad warships, but after the war slipped into obsolescence. A modernization program beginning in the 1880s brought the U.S. into the first rank of the world's navies by the beginning of the 20th century.
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) (back), USS Port Royal (CG 73) (middle) and USS Annapolis (SSN 760) (front)The Navy saw little action during World War I, but grew into a formidable force in the years before World War II. Japan unsuccessfully attempted to allay this strategic threat with a late-1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. During the next three years, the U.S. Navy grew into the most powerful in the world. It is widely accepted that currently the United States Navy is the most powerful Navy in the world.
Fleets
The two main fleets are the Pacific Fleet and the Atlantic Fleet. Under these two organizations fall the numbered fleets.
1st Fleet - no longer active
2nd Fleet – Atlantic Ocean — Flagship Iwo Jima, Norfolk, Virginia
3rd Fleet – Eastern and Northern Pacific Ocean — Flagship Coronado, San Diego, California (In peacetime the Third Fleet has no ARG and the carriers in the area are either on their way to the Seventh Fleet or conducting training cruises, after an overhaul for example.)
4th Fleet – Disbanded.
5th Fleet – Middle East — Headquartered at Manama, Bahrain
6th Fleet – Mediterranean Sea — Flagship Mount Whitney, Gaeta, Italy
7th Fleet – Western Pacific and Indian Ocean — Flagship Blue Ridge, Yokosuka, Japan
Some of the larger Naval Forces Commands include:
Commander Naval Forces Korea (CNFK)
Commander Naval Forces Marianas (CNFM)
Command Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ)
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Staff corps
In addition to the regular line commands of the navy, several staff corps are also maintained which augment the line community and whose personnel are assigned to both line and staff commands. The current staff corps of the United States Navy are as follows:
Navy Supply Corps
Navy Medical Corps
Navy Medical Service Corps
Navy Nurse Corps
Navy Chaplains Corps
Navy Civil Engineer Corps (Seabees)
Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG)
[edit]
Major naval bases
Complete list of US Naval facilities
Norfolk, Virginia — The largest Naval base in the world, situated in southeastern Virginia. This is the main port on the Eastern Seaboard.
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — A deep water naval base and headquarters of the Pacific Fleet
San Diego, California — A large complex of Navy bases, and the primary port for ships on the West Coast of the United States
Naval Base Kitsap, Washington — Home base for Ohio Class nuclear missile submarines in the Pacific Ocean
Naval Station Mayport, Florida
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada
Guantanamo Bay — A small section on the south coast of Cuba is leased by the United States and used as a naval base.
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. Largest overseas Naval facility.
United States Air Force
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Jump to: navigation, search
United States Air Force
Components
United States Air Force
Air Combat Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Mobility Command
United States Air Forces in Europe
Pacific Air Forces
Aircraft
List of military aircraft
Structure
List of numbered Air Forces
List of wings
List of bases
Other
U.S. Air Force Band
Museum
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aviation branch of the United States armed forces. The USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947. Previously, the Army was responsible for non-naval military aviation under the US Army Air Force. The USAF is the largest modern air force in the world, with over 7,000 aircraft in service, and air bases around the world. Since World War I, the USAF and its predecessors have taken part in military conflicts throughout the world. The USAF, with an array of modern military aircraft, is considered the most technologically advanced in the world.
The stated mission of the USAF is "to defend the United States and protect its interests through air and space power".
[edit]
Bosnia and Kosovo
The USAF led NATO action against in Bosnia in 1994 with air strikes against the Bosnian Serb. This was the first time that USAF aircraft took part in militray action as part of a NATO mission. The USAF led the strike forces as the only NATO air force with the capability to launch significant air strikes over a long period of time.
Later the USAF led NATO air strikes against Serbia during the Kosovo War. The forces were later critised for attacking civilian targets in Belgrade, including a strike on the civilian television station, and a later attack which destroyed the Chinese Embassy.
[edit]
Iraq and Afghanistan
The USAF provided the bulk of the Allied air power during the first Gulf War in 1991. This was the first war that the F-117 Nighthawk was deployed. The Stealth fighter's capabilities were shown on the first night of the air war when they were able to bomb central Baghdad and avoid the Iraqi's sophisticated anti-aircraft defences. The USAF later patrolled the skies of Northern and Southern Iraq after the war to protect minorities persecuted by the Iraqi regime under Saddam Hussein.
In 2001, the USAF was deployed against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Operating from Diego Garcia, B-52 Stratofortress attacked Taliban positions, and deploying daisy cutter bombs for the first time since the Vietnam War. During this conflict the USAF opened up bases in Central Asia for the first time.
The USAF was more recently deployed in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Following the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the USAF took over Baghdad International Airport as a base.
[edit]
Organization
The Department of the Air Force consists of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF), the Air Staff, and field units.
[edit]
SECAF
The Office of the SECAF includes the Secretary, Under Secretary, Assistant Secretaries, General Counsel, The Inspector General, Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee, and other offices and positions established by law or the SECAF. The Office of the SECAF has responsibility for acquisition and auditing, comptroller issues (including financial management), inspector general matters, legislative affairs, and public affairs.
In 2004 the Secretary of the Air Force was Dr. James G. Roche who stepped down as SECAF on January 20th, 2005.
In 2005 the acting Secretary of the Air Force is Pete Geren.
[edit]
Air Staff
Flag of the U.S. Air ForceThe Air Staff primarily consists of military advisors to the CSAF and the SECAF. This includes the Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of Staff, and Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF), four deputy chiefs of staff (DCS), the US Air Force Surgeon General, The Judge Advocate General, the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, and additional military and civilian personnel as the SECAF deems necessary.
In 2005 the Chief of Staff of the Air Force was General (Gen) T. Michael Moseley.
The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is the senior enlisted person in the Air Force. In 2004 the position was held by Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Gerald R. Murray.
[edit]
Field Units
The Department of the Air Force field units are MAJCOMs, field operating agencies (FOA), and direct reporting units (DRU).
[edit]
Major commands (MAJCOMs)
The USAF is organized on a functional basis in the United States and a geographical basis overseas. A major command (MAJCOM) represents a major Air Force subdivision having a specific portion of the Air Force mission. Each MAJCOM is directly subordinate to HQ USAF. MAJCOMs are interrelated and complementary, providing offensive, defensive, and support elements. An operational command consists (in whole or in part) of strategic, tactical, space, or defense forces; or of flying forces that directly support such forces. A support command may provide supplies, weapon systems, support systems, operational support equipment, combat material, maintenance, surface transportation, education and training, or special services and other supported organizations. The USAF is organized into nine MAJCOMS, 7 Functional and 2 Geographic, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HQ USAF):
Major Command and Commanders Location of Headquarters
Air Combat Command (ACC) Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Hurlburt Field, Florida
Air Mobility Command (AMC) Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
[edit]
Numbered Air Forces (NAF)
See main article: List of Numbered Air Forces
The NAF is a level of command directly under a MAJCOM (Major Command). NAFs are tactical echelons that provide operational leadership and supervision. They are not management headquarters and do not have complete functional staffs. Many NAFs are responsible for MAJCOM operations in a specific geographic region or theater of operations. A NAF is assigned subordinate units, such as wings, groups, and squadrons.
[edit]
Wings
See main article: List of Wings.
USAF Roundel.
Low visibility roundel
The wing is a level of command below the NAF. A wing has approximately 1,000 to 5,000 personnel and a distinct mission with significant scope. It is responsible for maintaining the installation and may have several squadrons in more than one dependent group. A wing may be an operational wing, an air base wing, or a specialized mission wing.
[edit]
Operational Wing
An operational wing is one that has an operations group and related operational mission activity assigned to it. When an operational wing performs the primary mission of the base, it usually maintains and operates the base. In addition, an operational wing is capable of self-support in functional areas like maintenance, supply, and munitions, as needed. When an operational wing is a tenant organization, the host command provides it with varying degrees of base and logistics support.
[edit]
Air Base Wing
Some bases which do not have operational wings or are too large or diverse for one wing will have an Air Base Wing (ABW). The ABW performs a support function rather than an operational mission. It maintains and operates a base. An air base wing often provides functional support to a MAJCOM headquarters.
Wings are composed of several groups with different functional responsibilities. Groups are composed of several squadrons, each of which has one major responsibility or flying one type of aircraft. Squadrons are composed of two or more flights.
[edit]
Operational Organization
Symbol of the USAFThe above organizational structure is responsible for the peacetime Organization, Equipping, and Training of aerospace units for operational missions. When required to support operational missions, the National Command Authority directs a Change in Operational Control (CHOP) of these units from their peacetime alignment to a Combatant Commander (COCOM).
[edit]
Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force (ASETF)
CHOPPED units are referred to as "forces". The top-level structure of these forces is the Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force (ASETF). The ASETF is the Air Force presentation of forces to a COCOM for the employment of Air Power. Each COCOM is supported by a standing Warfighting Headquarters (WFHQ) to provide planning and execution of aerospace forces in support of COCOM requirements. Each WFHQ consists of a Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR), and AFFOR staff, and an Air Operations Center (AOC). As needed to support multiple Joint Force Commanders (JFC) in the COCOM's Area of Resposibility (AOR), the WFHQ may deploy Air Component Coordinate Elements (ACCE) to liaise with the JFC.
[edit]
Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR)
The COMAFFOR is the senior Air Force officer responsible for the employment of Air Power is support of JFC objectives. The COMAFFOR has a special staff and an A-Staff to ensure assigned or attached forces are properly organized, equipped, and trained to support the operational mission.
[edit]
Air Operations Center (AOC)
The AOC is the COMAFFOR's Command and Control (C²) center. This center is responsible for planning and executing air power missions in support of JFC objectives.
[edit]
Air Expeditionary Wings/Groups/Squadrons
The ASETF generates airpower to support COCOM objectives from Air Expeditionary Wings (AEW) or Air Expeditionary Groups (AEG). These units are responsible for receiving combat forces from Air Force MAJCOMs, preparing these forces for operational missions, launching and recovering these forces, and eventually returning forces to the MAJCOMs. Theater Air Control Systems control employment of forces during these missions.
[edit]
Aircraft
Main article: List of military aircraft of the United States
The United States Air Force has roughly over 7,500 Aircraft commissioned as of 2004.(1) It currently employs a designation and naming system to identify all aircraft type with distinct names. Until 1962, both the Army and Air Force maintained one system, while the US Navy maintained a separate system. In 1962, these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Army/Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations.
[edit]
Gallery of images
This is a gallery of the most well known USAF aircraft
B-52 Stratofortress
B-1 Lancer
B-2 Spirit ("Stealth Bomber")
A-10 Thunderbolt II ("Warthog")
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-117 Nighthawk ("Stealth Fighter")
F-15 Eagle
C-130 Hercules
[edit]
Uniform
The current U.S. Air Force uniform, adopted in 1993 and standardized in 1995, consists of a three-button, pocketless coat, similar to that of a men's "sport jacket" (with silver "U.S." pins on the lapels), matching trousers, and either a service cap or garrison cap, all in "Air Force Blue." This is worn with a light blue shirt and necktie in the same color as the coat and trousers. Enlisted members wear sleeve insignia on both the jacket and shirt, while officers wear metal rank insignia pinned onto the coat, and Air Force Blue slide-on loops on the shirt. Air Force personnel assigned to honor guard duties wear, for dress occasions, a modified version of the standard service dress uniform, but with silver trim on the sleeves and trousers, with the addition of medals, sword belt, and a silver shoulder cord.
Between 1993 and 1995, officers had Navy/Coast Guard-style rank rings on the coat, but this was replaced with sewn-on epaulets with the rank insignia, with "welts" in the same color as the coat being worn on the sleeves, a distinctive item adopted from the U.S. Army. Prior to 1993, all Air Force personnel wore Air Force Blue uniforms identical in apperance to that of the U.S. Army, which in fact, influence the current uniform regulations of the Army when it replaced its WWII/Korean-era olive drab uniforms with the modern-day "Army Green" uniforms of the Cold War era.
For combat and work duty, ground crews wear standard battle dress uniform, which are currently being phased out in favor of an Air Force version of the Marine's MARPAT uniform, while pilots and air crews wear olive green or tan one-piece flight suits made of nomex for fire protection.
Women's uniforms, which has changed little since its introduction in the late 1950's, generally is identical in apperance to that of the uniforms worn by women officers in the U.S. Army.
[edit]
Common badges
See also: Military badges of the United States
Pilot Badge
Navigator Badge
Aircrew Badge
Flight Surgeon Badge
Occupational Badge
Medical Badge
Religious Pin
Security Police badge
[edit]
Rank Structure
Officer Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
General of the Air Force General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
O-11 O-10 O-9 O-8 O-7 O-6 O-5 O-4 O-3 O-2 O-1
Non Commission Officer Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant First Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant First Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant First Sergeant Master Sergeant Technical Sergeant Staff Sergeant
E-9 E-9 E-9 E-9 E-8 E-8 E-7 E-7 E-6 E-5
Enlisted Rank Structure of the United States Air Force
Senior Airman Airman First Class Airman Airman Basic
E-4 E-3 E-2 E-1
no insignia
[edit]
Trivia
The US Air Force conducted the Project Blue Book investigation into UFOs, UFO encounters,alien encounters.See UFO for data on the US Air Force Project Blue Book.
[edit]
Sources
2004 Encyclopædia Britannica
[edit]
See also
Ranks and Insignia of NATO
Comparative military ranks
Civil Air Patrol
Flight surgeon
Evolutionary Air and Space Global Laser Engagement
List of Air Forces
List of U.S. Air Force bases
Air Force Specialty Code
Life support (aviation)
Aircraft maintenance
U.S. Air Force Band
National Museum of the United States Air Force
SERE
AMMO
UFO :Pertaining to the US Air Force's Bluebook Project
[edit]
External links
Official USAF website
Official USAF Recruiting site
USAF History Support Office
Air Force Historical Research Agency
National Museum of the United States Air Force
US military air bases by GlobalSecurity.org
USAF organization and units by GlobalSecurity.org
United States Air Force: History and Guide to Resources
Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force"
Categories: United States Air Force | Air forces
United States Coast Guard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Coast Guard shieldThe United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the coast guard of the United States. One of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and the smallest armed service of the United States, it has a broad and important role in homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental pollution response and the maintenance of intercoastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON). It also lays claim of being the United States' oldest continuous seagoing service.
The Coast Guard's motto is Semper Paratus, meaning "Always Ready".
The Coast Guard began as the Revenue Cutter Service which was founded on August 4, 1790 as part of the Department of the Treasury. An act of the U.S. Congress created the Coast Guard in 1915, with the merger of the Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Lifesaving Service. The US Lighthouse Service was merged into the Coast Guard in 1939. The legal basis for the Coast Guard is Title 14 of the United States Code, which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." During wartime, the Coast Guard reports to the Department of Defense.
The Coast Guard later moved to the Department of Transportation in 1967, and on March 1, 2003 it became part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Contents [show]
1 Organization
1.1 Senior officers
1.2 Regional responsibilities
1.3 Coast Guard Air Stations
2 Personnel
2.1 Officer Corps
2.1.1 U.S. Coast Guard Academy
2.1.2 Officer Candidate School
2.2 Enlisted
3 Ships and aircraft
3.1 Cutters
3.2 Aircraft
3.3 Boats
4 Symbols of the Coast Guard
4.1 Core Values of the Coast Guard
4.2 Coast Guard Ensign
4.3 Coast Guard Standard
4.4 The Racing Stripe
4.5 Semper Paratus
5 Missions
5.1 Maritime safety
5.1.1 Search and Rescue
5.1.2 Marine safety
5.1.3 Recreational boating safety
5.1.4 International Ice Patrol
5.2 Maritime mobility
5.2.1 Homeland and maritime security
5.2.2 Port and Waterways Security
5.2.3 Drug interdiction
5.2.4 Alien migrant interdiction
5.2.5 US Exclusive Economic Zone and Living Marine Resource
5.2.6 Law and treaty enforcement
5.3 National Defense
5.4 Protection of natural resources
5.4.1 Marine pollution education, prevention, response and enforcement
5.4.2 Foreign vessel inspections
5.4.3 Living marine resources protection
5.4.4 Marine and environmental science
6 History of the Coast Guard
6.1 Early history
6.2 Birth of the modern Coast Guard
6.3 Prohibition
6.4 World War II
6.4.1 Douglas Munro
6.5 Korean War
6.6 The 1960s
6.7 The 1970s
6.7.1 The Kudirka incident
6.8 The 1980s
6.9 The 1990s
6.10 The 2000s
6.11 Future
7 Issues Facing the Coast Guard
8 People who have been in the Coast Guard
9 The Coast Guard Auxiliary and Coast Guard Reserve
10 Medals and Honors of the Coast Guard
11 Alumni organization
12 External links
[edit]
Organization
Parade Standard of the U.S. Coast GuardThe headquarters of the Coast Guard is on 2100 Second Street, SW, in Washington, DC. In 2005, the Coast Guard announced plans to relocate to the grounds of the former St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington.
[edit]
Senior officers
The Commandant of the Coast Guard is the Coast Guard's senior officer, who, by law, holds the rank of Admiral. The Commandant is selected for a 4-year term, which may be renewed for additional 4-year periods. The current incumbent is Admiral Thomas H. Collins, who assumed command on May 30, 2002.
The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Terry Cross.
The Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen. He also serves as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Headquarters. After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf states in September 2005, Admiral Allen was sent to coordinate rescue and relief operations under Federal Emergency Management Administrator Michael Brown. Mr. Brown was relieved of day-to-day operations on September 9 and Admiral Allen was placed in charge of the overall effort.
The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is the senior enlisted person of the Coast Guard and serves as an advisor to the Commandant. The current MCPOCG is Frank A. Welch, who assumed this position in 2002.
The Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy is Rear Admiral (upper half) James C. Van Sice.
Each Coast Guard District has a Director of the Auxiliary (DIRAUX). The current Chief Director of the Auxiliary (CHDIRAUX) is Captain David B. Hill. He is responsible for directing the operations of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, a volunteer organization.
Vatican City Militarial Information:
52 Man Militia
Weaponry: Pistols, Frag Grenades, Tactical Snipers, and AK-47's
Air Force: None
Navy: None