The US military was established by the Second Continental Congress for
the purpose of defending the new state against the British Empire at
the height of the American Revolution. In 1775, in the light of the
Declaration of Independence a year later, the Army, Marine Corps, and
Navy were commissioned.
Originally integrated with the Revenue Cutter Service, the US Coast
Guard was established in 1790. Later on the United States Life Saving
Service joined forces with the Revenue Cutter Service to comprise the
Coast Guard. At present, it is under the wings of the Department of
Homeland Security. In case of war, however, the Coast Guard can be
transferred to the command of the Navy by the President or Congress.
The Air Force used to be integrated with the Army as the US Army Air
Corps until it became independent in 1947.
Since its establishment, the US Armed Forces had played a key role in
American history. A matter of national unity and identity was agreed
upon from the Barbary Wars and War of 1812. However, the Founding
Fathers aroused suspicions on the establishment of a permanent
military force. It was only until the onset of the Second World War
that an official peacetime army was created.
The President of the United States acts as the commander-in-chief. The
Department of Defense, headed by a Secretary, functioned as the main
organ for implementing military policies. With the September 11
attacks, the Department of Homeland Security was established. The
function of this new civilian agency was to coordinate and consolidate
internal threats to the United States.
Comprising of nearly 3 million personnel, half of which are
reservists, the US Armed Forces is considered as one of the biggest
militaries in the world in terms of manpower. Most of its personnel
were derived from volunteer service and works to maintain
professionalism in the force. With annual expenditures amounting to
$711 billion, it comprises 50 percent of military spending in the
world. It boasts of having huge amount of advanced and powerful
weapons, giving them considerable capability in projecting defense and
power.
The National Security Council, headed by an advisor, is tasked with
coordinating military action and diplomacy. Holding an advisory
position is the Joint Chiefs of Staff, consisting of the different
heads of the service branches.
As of 2008, women service members are not allowed to volunteer as
members of ground forces and on submarines. They can, however, perform
duties as military police, fighter pilots, and crew on combat ships.
With the enactment of the "Don't ask, Don't tell" Law, members of the
GLB (gays, lesbians, bisexuals) can join the military as long as they
keep their sexual orientation secret. The government is likewise
prohibited from asking members of the military and possible recruits
regarding their sexual orientation. Its implementation in 1993 led to
the dismissal of thousands of service members when their sexual
orientation was revealed to the military.
From the 1990s to the 2000s, the implementation of the two policies
was subjected to high-profile controversies. Proponents of military
necessity and special requirements of combat as well as critics
denying military necessity and considering the policies as unjustified
discrimination.
As of 2008, US service members were deployed in over 820 installations
in 39 countries. At 142,000 personnel, the Iraq contingent is the
largest. However, the number of personnel may regularly change due to
continuous recall and deployment. Within the United States, more than
1 million members of the US military are on active duty with more than
800,000 stationed in different military bases in Continental United
States.
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