United States armed forces

The United States armed forces are the combined military forces of the United States of America. They consist of six branches: the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard.

The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military. While the President is the commander-in-chief of the military, the United States Department of Defense, a federal executive department, is the principal organ by which military policy is carried out. The DOD is headed by the Secretary of Defense, who is a civilian and a member of the presidential cabinet, and also serves as the President's second-in-command of the military. Both the President and Secretary of Defense are advised by a six-member Joint Chiefs of Staff, which includes the head of each armed forces branch.