United States Armed Forces and Lincoln County, Mississippi: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox U.S. County|

<table border=1 width=300 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 align=right style="margin-left:1em">

county = Lincoln County |

<tr><th colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=#8888dd>'''United States Armed Forces'''

state = Mississippi |

<tr><td colspan=2 align=center>'''Military manpower'''

seal = |

<tr><td>Military age<td>17-45 years old<ref>Persons of 17 years of age, with parental permission, can join the U.S. armed services.</ref>

map = Map of Mississippi highlighting Lincoln County.png |

<tr><td>Availability<td>males & females ages 17-49:

map size = 150 |

109,305,756 (2005 est.).<ref>CIA World Fact Book https://cia.gov/cia//publications/factbook/geos/us.html</ref>

founded = [[1870]] |

<tr><td>Citizenship<td>Regular Army: No Citizenship Requirement For Enlisted Members / All Officers must be US Citizens. National Guard: Citizens Only.

seat = [[Brookhaven, Mississippi|Brookhaven]] |

<tr><td>Reaching military age annually<td>males & females: 4,180,074 (2005 est.)

area = 1,523 [[km²]] (588 [[square mile|mi²]]) |

<tr><td>Total armed forces<td> 2,685,713 ([[List of countries by size of armed forces|Ranked 2nd]])

area land = 1,517 km² (586 mi²) |

<tr><td>Active troops<td>1,426,713 ([[List of countries by number of active troops|Ranked 2nd]])

area water = 6 km² (2 mi²) |

<tr><td>Total troops<td>2,685,713 ([[List of countries by number of total troops|Ranked 7th]])

area percentage = 0.42% |

<tr><td colspan=2 align=center>'''Military expenditures'''

census yr = 2000|

<tr><td>Dollar figure<td> $522 billion ([[List of countries by military expenditure|Ranked 1st]].)

pop = 33,166 |

<tr><td>Percent of GDP<td>3.7% (FY2006 est.) (Ranked 26th)

density = 22 |

<tr><td>Dollar Figure (per capita)<td>$935.64($1470)<ref>http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mil_exp_dol_fig_percap-expenditures-dollar-figure-per-capita</ref> (ranked 3rd)

web = |

</table>

|}}

The '''military of the United States''', officially known as the '''[[United States]] [[Armed forces|Armed Forces]]''', is structured into five branches consisting of the:

'''Lincoln County''' is a [[county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Mississippi]]. As of 2000, the population was 33,166. It is named in honor of the 16th [[President]] of the United States, [[Abraham Lincoln]]. Its [[county seat]] is [[Brookhaven, Mississippi|Brookhaven]][[Geographic references|⁶]].

*[[United States Army]]

*[[United States Navy]] - ([[United States Merchant Marine]])

*[[United States Marine Corps]] branch of the Department of the Navy

*[[United States Air Force]]

*[[United States Coast Guard]];

these comprise five of the seven [[United States Uniformed Services]].

==Geography==

All the branches are under [[civilian]] control with the [[President of the United States]] serving as [[Commander-in-Chief]]. All branches except the Coast Guard are part of the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], which is under the authority of the [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], who is also a civilian. The Coast Guard only reports to the Department of Defense (through the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]]) during wartime; during peacetime, the Coast Guard reports to the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]].<ref>The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. Title 14, United States Code, Section 1, 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." In peacetime it is part of the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime falls under the operational command of the United States Navy. Coast Guard units, or ships of its predecessor service, the Revenue Cutter Service, have seen combat in every war of the United States since 1790, including the U.S. occupation of Iraq.</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of 1,523 [[km²]] (588 [[square mile|mi²]]). 1,517 km² (586 mi²) of it is land and 6 km² (2 mi²) of it (0.42%) is water.

===Major Highways===

Approximately 1.4 million personnel are currently on active duty in the military with an additional 1,259,000 personnel in the seven [[Reserve Component of the Armed Forces of the United States|reserve components]] (456,000 of whom are in the Army and Air [[United States National Guard|National Guard]]).<ref>Additionally, both the Coast Guard and the Air Force have volunteer civilian auxiliaries: the [[United States Coast Guard Auxiliary]] (Coast Guard) and the [[Civil Air Patrol]] (Air Force).</ref> There is currently no [[conscription]]. Women are not allowed to serve in some combat positions, but they are allowed to serve in most non-combat [[Military Occupational Specialty|MOS]]. Due to the realities of war some of these non-combat positions see combat regularly. <ref>{{cite web | author = Go Army | title = Careers & Jobs | url = http://www.goarmy.com/JobDetail.do?id=47 | accessdate = May 8 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

*[[Image:I-55.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 55]]

*[[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 51]]

*[[Image:US 84.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 84]]

===Adjacent Counties===

==Capabilities==

*[[Copiah County, Mississippi|Copiah County]] (north)

*[[Lawrence County, Mississippi|Lawrence County]] (east)

*[[Walthall County, Mississippi|Walthall County]] (southeast)

*[[Pike County, Mississippi|Pike County]] (south)

*[[Amite County, Mississippi|Amite County]] (southwest)

*[[Franklin County, Mississippi|Franklin County]] (west)

*[[Jefferson County, Mississippi|Jefferson County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==

Much of U.S. military capability is involved in [[logistics]] and transportation, which enable rapid buildup of forces as needed. The [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] maintains a large fleet of [[C-5 Galaxy]], [[C-17 Globemaster]], and [[C-130 Hercules]] transportation aircraft. The [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] maintains [[Marine Expeditionary Unit]]s at sea with the [[United States Navy|Navy]]'s Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. The Navy's fleet of 12 active [[aircraft carrier]]s, combined with a [[military doctrine]] of power projection, enables a flexible response to potential threats. The United States military is considered the most powerful in the world due to its capabilities and strength.

{{USCensusPop

|1870= 10184

|1880= 13547

|1890= 17912

|1900= 21552

|1910= 28597

|1920= 24652

|1930= 26357

|1940= 27506

|1950= 27899

|1960= 26759

|1970= 26198

|1980= 30174

|1990= 30278

|2000= 33166

|estyear=[[2006]]

|estimate=34404

}}

As of the [[census]][[Geographic references#2|²]] of 2000, there were 33,166 people, 12,538 households, and 9,190 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was 22/km² (57/mi²). There were 14,052 housing units at an average density of 9/km² (24/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.38% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 29.67% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.24% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.16% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.37% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 12,538 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.

The [[United States Army]] is not as expeditionary as the Marine Corps, but Army Chief of Staff [[Peter Schoomaker|General Peter Schoomaker]] has announced a [[Transformation of the United States Army|reorganization]] of the Army's active-duty units into 48 [[brigade]] groups with an emphasis on [[power projection]]. There will be three classes of brigade group: light, medium, and heavy, with a different mix of armored and infantry units. In Army reorganization, however, battalions will still be affiliated with traditional regiments, and brigades will still be affiliated with traditional divisions. Reorganized brigades began operation in Iraq in the third quarter of 2005.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.70% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

==Organization==

Under the [[United States Constitution]], the [[President of the United States]] is the [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the Armed Forces.

To coordinate military action with diplomatic action, the President has an advisory [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]].

The median income for a household in the county was $27,279, and the median income for a family was $33,552. Males had a median income of $29,060 versus $18,877 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,961. About 16.00% of families and 19.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.80% of those under age 18 and 17.10% of those age 65 or over.

Under the President is the [[United States Secretary of Defense]], a [[Cabinet]] Secretary responsible for the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]].

== Miscellany ==

Both the President and Secretary are advised by the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]].

Lincoln County is home to an above-average number of millionaires. [[MCI Worldcom]] CEO and founder [[Bernard Ebbers]] resided near Brookhaven prior to his conviction in the scandal that collapsed the company.

Lincoln County is served by the newspaper [http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1377 ''Daily Leader''], printed daily except Saturday.

The '''Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986''' (PL 99-433) reworked the command structure of the [[United States Military]], introducing the most sweeping changes to the [[United States Department of Defense]] since it was established in the [[National Security Act of 1947]]. The Goldwater-Nichols Reorganization Act was signed into law by [[Ronald Reagan|President Ronald Reagan]] on [[October 1]], [[1986]].

The county is served by two separate public school districts, a private school, and a couple of smaller Christian schools. The Lincoln County School District consists of four K-12 schools. These include Loyd Star, Bogue Chitto, West Lincoln and Enterprise. The Brookhaven City Schools serve those children within the city limits of Brookhaven.

The Goldwater-Nichols Act streamlined the military [[chain of command]], which now runs from the President through the [[Secretary of Defense]] directly to unified combat commanders, bypassing the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], who were assigned to an advisory role. Each service is responsible for providing military units to the commanders of the various Unified Commands.

== Officers ==

===National Command organizational chart===

The [[Board of Supervisors]] of Lincoln County currently (June 2006) has the following members:

[[Image:US National Command.png|thumb|center|600px]]

* District 1: Rev. Jerry Wilson (vice-president)

* District 2: Bobby J. Watts

* District 3: Nolan Earl Williamson

* District 4: Doug Moak

* District 5: Gary Walker (president)

The offices of president and vice-president rotate annually.

===Joint Chiefs of Staff===

The 4 Service Chiefs together with the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Chairman]] and [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Vice Chairman]] form the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]].

{|

|[[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]||Gen. [[Peter Pace]] ([[U.S. Marine Corps|USMC]])

|-

|[[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]||Adm. [[Edmund P. Giambastiani]] ([[U.S. Navy|USN]])

|-

|[[Chief of Staff of the United States Army]]||Gen. [[Pete Schoomaker|Peter J. Schoomaker]] ([[U.S. Army|USA]])

|-

|[[Chief of Naval Operations]]||Adm. [[Michael Mullen|Michael G. Mullen]] ([[U.S. Navy|USN]])

|-

|[[Commandant of the Marine Corps]]||Gen. [[James T. Conway]] ([[U.S. Marine Corps|USMC]])

|-

|[[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force]]||Gen. [[T. Michael Moseley]] ([[U.S. Air Force|USAF]])

|}

== Communities ==

===Unified Combatant Commands===

*'''Cities'''

There are 9 Unified Combatant Commands- 5 geographic and 4 functional.

**[[Brookhaven, Mississippi|Brookhaven]]

{| class="wikitable"

|- align="wrap"

|'''Command'''||'''Commander'''||'''Home Base'''||'''Area of Responsibility'''

|-

|[[United States Northern Command]] (NORTHCOM)

||Admiral [[Timothy J. Keating]] ([[United States Navy|USN]])

||[[Peterson Air Force Base]], [[Colorado]]

||[[North America]]n [[homeland defense]] and coordinating homeland security with civilian forces.

|-

|[[United States Central Command]] (CENTCOM),

||General [[John Abizaid]] ([[U.S. Army|USA]])

||[[MacDill Air Force Base]], [[Florida]]

||The [[Horn of Africa]] through the [[Persian Gulf]] region, into [[Central Asia]].

|-

|[[United States European Command]] (EUCOM)

||General [[John Craddock]] ([[United States Army|USA]]) (also [[Supreme Allied Commander]] Europe (SACEUR))

||[[SHAPE]] (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), [[Belgium]] (USEUCOM HQ in [[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]])

||[[Europe]] and [[Africa]]n and [[Middle East]]ern nations not covered by CENTCOM.

|-

|[[PACOM|U.S. Pacific Command]] (PACOM)

||Admiral [[William J. Fallon]] ([[United States Navy|USN]])

||[[Camp H. M. Smith]], [[Oahu]], [[Hawaii]]

||The [[Asia]]-[[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] region including Hawaii.

|-

|[[SOUTHCOM|U.S. Southern Command]] (SOUTHCOM)

||Admiral [[James Stavridis]] ([[U.S. Navy|USN]])

||[[Miami, Florida]]

||[[South America|South]], [[Central America]] and the surrounding waters

|-

|[[United_States_Special_Operations_Command|U.S. Special Operations Command]] (SOCOM)

||General [[Bryan D. Brown]] ([[U.S. Army|USA]])

||[[MacDill Air Force Base]], [[Florida]]

||Provides special operations for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

|-

|[[United States Joint Forces Command|U.S. Joint Forces Command]] (JFCOM)

||General [[Lance L. Smith]] ([[U.S. Air Force|USAF]]) (also [[Supreme Allied Commander]] Transformation (SACT))

||[[Naval Support Activity Headquarters (Norfolk) and Suffolk]], [[Virginia]]

||Supports other commands as a joint force provider.

|-

|[[STRATCOM|United States Strategic Command]] (STRATCOM)

||General [[James E. Cartwright]] ([[USMC]])

||[[Offutt Air Force Base]], [[Nebraska]]

||Covers the strategic deterrent force and coordinates the use of space assets.

|-

|[[United States Transportation Command|U.S. Transportation Command]] (TRANSCOM)

||General [[Norton A. Schwartz]] ([[USAF]])

||[[Scott Air Force Base]], [[Illinois]]

||Covers global mobility of all military assets for all regional commands.

|-

|}

<table align="center">

<tr><th align="center">'''The 5 Geographic Commands'''</th></tr>

<tr><td>[[image:Unified Command map s.jpg|600px]]<td></tr>

</table>

*'''Unincorporated places'''

==Personnel==

**[[Auburn, Mississippi|Auburn]]

**[[Bogue Chitto, Lincoln County, Mississippi|Bogue Chitto]]

**[[Ruth, Mississippi|Ruth]]

*'''Ghost towns'''

The United States military is ranked second largest in the world, and has troops deployed around the globe. As in most militaries, members of the U.S. Armed Forces hold a [[military rank|rank]], either [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] or [[enlisted]], and can be promoted.

**[[Woolworth, Mississippi|Woolworth]]

===Personnel inSee eachalso service===

*[[Dry counties]]

''As of 2004''

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"

|- align="wrap"

|'''Service'''||'''Total Active Duty Personnel'''||'''Percentage Female'''||'''Enlisted'''||'''Officers'''

|-

|[[United States Army|Army]]||500,203||15.2%||414,325||69,307

|-

|[[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]||180,000 <ref>{{cite web | author = www.military.com | title = Marines Dispute QDR | url = http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,88496,00.html | accessdate = July 27 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>||6.0%||157,150||19,052

|-

|[[United States Navy|Navy]]||375,521||14.5%||319,929||55,592

|-

|[[United States Air Force|Air Force]]||358,612||19.6%||285,520||73,091

|-

|[[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]]||40,151||10.7%||31,286||7,835

|-

|Total||1,450,689||14.9%||1,196,210||254,479

|}

{{Mississippi}}

===Personnel deployed===

{{main|Deployments of the U.S. Military}}

{{coord|31.54|-90.45|display=title|type:adm2_region:US-MS_source:UScensus1990}}

====Overseas====

As of 1999, the United States occupied military bases in 30 different countries.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/basestructure1999.pdf

|title = Base Structure Report

|accessdate = 2006-09-12

|date = 1999

|publisher = USA Department of Defense}}</ref> Some of the largest contingents are:

{||[[Iraq]]||129,000 (July 2006)

|-

|[[Germany]]||69,395

|-

|[[Japan]] ([[United States Forces Japan]])||35,307||

|-

|[[South Korea]] ([[United States Forces Korea]])||32,744

|-

|[[Italy]]||12,258

|-

|[[United Kingdom]]||11,093

|-

[[Category:Mississippi counties]]

|}

[[Category:Lincoln County, Mississippi| ]]

As of mid- 2006, nearly 150,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed in the Middle East. Most of these forces are currently engaged in [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] in [[Afghanistan]], and [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] in [[Iraq]].

[[de:Lincoln County (Mississippi)]]

====Within the United States====

[[lmo:Lincoln County, Mississippi]]

''Including U.S. territories and ships afloat within territorial waters''

[[no:Lincoln County i Mississippi]]

[[nds:Lincoln County (Mississippi)]]

A total of 1,112,684 personnel are on active duty within the United States including:

{|

|[[Continental United States|Continental U.S.]]|| 900,088

|-

|[[Hawaii]]||33,343

|-

|[[Alaska]]||17,714

|-

|Afloat||109,119

|-

|[[Guam]]||3,784

|-

|[[Puerto Rico]]||1,552

|}<ref>{{cite web | author = United States Department of Defense | title = U.S. Military Deployment | url = http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/military/history/hst0605.pdf | accessdate = July 21 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

===Types of Personnel===

====Enlisted====

After enlistment, new Army recruits undergo [[Basic Military Training]] (BMT), followed by schooling, referred to as [[Advanced Individual Training]] (AIT), in their primary [[Military Occupational Specialty]] (MOS) at any of the numerous MOS training facilities around the world. Other branches may use different terminology; for example, Air Force BMT graduates attend Technical Training, colloquially called "Tech School," and upon completion are awarded an [[Air Force Specialty Code]] (AFSC).

Initially, recruits without higher education or college degrees will hold the paygrade of E-1, and will be elevated to E-2 usually after the completion of Basic Combat Training and with a minimum of six months Time-In-Service (TIS). Different services have different incentive programs for enlistees, such as higher initial ranks for college credit and referring friends who go on to enlist as well.

With parent/guardian permission, applicants can enlist at the age of 17 and participate in the [[Delayed Entry Program]] (DEP). In this program, the applicant is given the opportunity to participate in locally sponsored military-related activities, which can range from sports to competitions (each recruiting station DEP program will vary), led by recruiters or other military liaisons. Participation in this programs is an example of the different opportunities the recruits have to elevate in rank before their departure to Basic Combat Training.

There are several different authorized paygrade advancement requirements in each junior enlisted rank category (E-1 to E-4), which differ by service. Enlistees in the Army can attain the initial paygrade of E-4 (Specialist) with a full four-year degree, but the highest initial entry paygrade is usually E-3.

====Officer====

There are five common ways for one to receive a commission as an [[officer (armed forces)|officer]] in one of the branches of the U.S. military (although other routes are possible).

*[[ROTC|Reserve Officer Training Corps]] (ROTC)

*[[Officer Candidate School]] (OCS): This can be through active-duty military academies, or, in the case of the National Guard, through state-run military academies.

*[[United States military academies|Service Academies]] (U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London; and the [[United States Merchant Marine|U.S. Merchant Marine]] Academy at Kings Point, New York.)

*[[Direct Commission Officers (DCOs)]] - civilians who have special skills that are critical to sustaining military operations and supporting troops may receive what are called "direct commissions". These officers occupy leadership positions in the following areas: law, medicine, dentistry, nurse corps, intelligence, supply-logistics-transportation, engineering, public affairs, chaplin corps, oceanography, and others.

*[[Direct Battlefield Commission]] - enlisted personnel who have skills that separate them from their peers can become officers if an overseeing general/commander feels such a promotion is appropriate/necessary. This type of commission is rarely granted and is reserved only for the most exceptional enlisted personnel, and it is done on an ''ad hoc'' basis.

Officers receive a [[Commissioned officer|commission]] assigning them to the Officer Corps from the [[President of the United States|President]] (with the consent of the [[United States Senate|Senate]]).

Through their careers, officers usually will receive further training at one or a number of the many [[U.S. military staff colleges]].

====Warrant Officer====

Additionally, all services except for the U.S. Air Force have a [[Warrant Officer]] corps. Above the rank of Warrant Officer One, these officers are also commissioned officers, but usually serve in a more technical and specialized role within units. More recently though they can also serve in more traditional leadership roles associated with the more recognizable officer corps. With one notable exception, these officers ordinarily have already been in the military often serving in senior NCO positions in the field in which they later serve as a Warrant Officer as a technical expert. The exception to the NCO rule, are helicopter and fixed wing pilots in the U.S. Army; although most Army pilots have indeed served some enlisted time, it is also possible to enlist, complete basic training, go directly to the Warrant Officer Candidate school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and then on to flight school.

==History<ref>{{cite book|title=The Wars of America|author=[[Robert Leckie (author)|Robert Leckie]]|publisher=Castle Books|year=2003|___location=New York City}}</ref>==

{{main article|Military history of the United States}}

Prior to and during the founding of the United States, military forces were supplied by untrained militia commanded by the states. When the [[Congress of the Confederation|Continental Congress]] first ordered a Continental Army to be formed, it was to be made up of militia from the states. That army, under the command of General [[George Washington]], won the [[American Revolution|Revolutionary War]], but afterwards was disbanded.

However, it soon became obvious that a standing army and navy were required. The United States Navy began when Congress ordered several frigates in 1794, and a standing army was created, however it was still only minimal and it relied mostly on contributions from state militia in times of war.

Between the founding of the nation and the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], American military forces fought and won against [[Barbary_pirates#Barbary_pirates_and_the_U.S._Navy|Barbary Coast pirates]]; fought the [[War of 1812]] against the British, which ended in the status quo; and won several southwestern territories from the Mexicans in the [[Mexican-American War]]. In 1861, with the beginning of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], many military forces, including the nation's best generals, became part of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] military, and both armies fought a long, bloody struggle which consumed 600,000 lives and ended in [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] (U.S.) victory in 1865.

In the period between the Civil War and the 1890s, the military was allowed to languish, although units of the U.S. Army did fight Native Americans as settlers moved into the center of the United States. By the end of the century, though, America was rapidly becoming a new superpower. The military fought the [[Spanish-American War]] and the [[Philippine-American War]], along with several Latin American interventions, and Teddy Roosevelt sent the [[Great White Fleet]] around the world in a display of American power. In addition, the [[Militia Act of 1903]] established the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]].

The United States entered [[World War I]] in 1917 and played a minor role in the Allied victory. It languished in the interwar period, but as tensions mounted leading up to [[World War II]], the force was put back into shape. U.S. Army troops were a large component of the forces that took [[North Africa]], [[Italy]], and landed in France at [[D-Day]], and U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army troops were heavily involved in [[Pacific theater|Pacific campaign]] against [[Japan]] and its allies.

The end of World War II was the start of the [[Cold War]], a large but ultimately non-violent struggle between the United States and its [[NATO]] Allies and the [[Soviet Union]] and its [[Warsaw Pact]] allies. Thousands of U.S. troops were deployed to Europe in anticipation of a struggle that never came.

However, U.S. troops did participate in [[proxy war]]s in [[Korean War|Korea]] and [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]. The Korean War, with [[North Korea]] and [[People's Republic of China|China]] against [[South Korea]], the U.S., and other [[UN]] troops, ultimately returned to the status quo. The Vietnam War between [[North Vietnam]] and [[South Vietnam]] and the U.S., was ultimately a failure, resulting in U.S. pullout and unification of the country under communism.

In the 1980s, the U.S. military fought [[Operation Just Cause]] in [[Panama]] and [[Operation Urgent Fury]] in [[Grenada]]. In addition, the [[Goldwater-Nichols Act]] completely reorganized the military. By 1989, it was clear the Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse and it looked like the U.S. military would be left with no one to fight. However, when [[Iraq]] invaded [[Kuwait]] in 1991, the United States entered the [[Persian Gulf War]]. The military forces of the U.S. and other nations easily defeated the [[Iraqi Army]] with minimal losses, proving the combat readiness of the new all-volunteer military. After this brief war and the breakup of the Soviet Union, the U.S. military had relatively little to do throughout the remainder of the 1990s, barring interventions in [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Kosovo]].

After the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks|September 11th terrorist attacks]] in 2001, U.S. military forces were an integral part of the [[War on Terror]]. U.S. and NATO forces [[Operation Enduring Freedom|invaded]] [[Afghanistan]] in 2001, and in 2003 the U.S. and several other countries [[Iraq War|invaded]] Iraq. While the initial invasion was successful, the occupation quickly bogged down, with daily violence and terrorist attacks. However, some milestones have been reached, such as the capture of [[Saddam Hussein]] and democratic elections.

==Expenditures==

[[Image:Military expenditure percent of GDP.PNG|thumb|300px|Military spending as a percentage of [[GDP]]]]

[[Image:Worldwide military spending 2005 (horizontal).svg|right|310px]]

{{main|Military budget of the United States}}

The military expenditure of the [[United States Department of Defense]] for fiscal year [[2006]] is:

{|

|'''Total Funding'''||'''$441.6 Billion'''

|-

|Operations and maintenance||$124.3 Bil.

|-

|Military Personnel||$108.8 Bil.

|-

|Procurement||$79.1 Bil.

|-

|Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation||$69.5 Bil.

|-

|Military Construction||$12.2 Bil.

|-

|Department of Energy Defense Activities||$17.0 Bil.

|}<ref>{{cite web | author = United States Department of Defense | title = Fiscal Year 2006 Budget | url = http://defenselink.mil | accessdate = July 18 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

The [[United States]] [[military budget]] is larger than the military budgets of the next twenty largest spenders combined, and six times larger than [[China's military budget|China's]], which places second. The United States and its closest allies are responsible for approximately two-thirds of global military spending (of which, in turn, the U.S. is responsible for the vast majority). Military spending accounts for 19% of the United States' federal budget, and approximately half of its federal [[discretionary spending]], which comprises all of the U.S. government's money not accounted for by pre-existing obligations.[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2007/tables.html] <ref>{{cite web | author = Global Issues That Affect Everyone | title = High Military Expenditure in Some Places | url = http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsTrade/Spending.asp | accessdate = May 8 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

However, in terms of per capita spending, the U.S. ranks third behind [[Israel]] and [[Singapore]]<ref>{{cite web | author = NationMaster | title = Military Statistics > Expenditures > Dollar figure (per capita) by country | url = http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mil_exp_dol_fig_percap-expenditures-dollar-figure-per-capital | accessdate = July 4 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>. It is also number 26 in terms of military spending per dollar GDP. <ref>{{cite web | author = CIA World Factbook | title = Rank Order - Military expenditures - percent of GDP | url = https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html | accessdate = August 4 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

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.

As a percentage of its GDP, the United states spends 3.7% on military, ranking it 26th in the world. This is higher by percent than France's 2.6%, and lower than Saudia Arabia's 10%<ref>{{cite web | author = CIA World Factbook | title = Military expenditures percent of GDP | url = https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2034rank.html | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>. This is historically fairly low for the United States. <ref>{{cite web | author = Truth and Politics | title = Relative Size of US Military Spending from 1940 to 2003 | url = http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>

However it must be remembered that the figure presented for United States Military spending has dramatically increased since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, and ensuing military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Also, due to its significantly higher GDP, the United States' all-volunteer military has dramatically higher personnel costs compared to the militaries of countries which use [[conscription]], many of which have far more [[List of countries by number of total troops|troops]] than the United States. Six countries have more troops than the United States, five of them through conscription.

==Notes and sources==

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</div>

==See also==

{{portal|Military of the United States|Naval Jack of the United States.svg|65}}

*[[Military history of the United States]]

**[[List of military actions by or within the United States]]

**[[United States military historical joint commands]]

*[[United States military academies]]

*[[Awards and decorations of the United States military]]

*[[United States military staff colleges]]

*[[Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance]]

*[[List of United States military books]]

*[[Full-spectrum dominance]]

*[[List of United States military history events]]

*[[Uniformed services of the United States]]

==External links==

*[http://www.defenselink.mil/ Official U.S. DOD site]

*[http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9059/usaob.html United States Order of Battle]

*[http://www.kamouflage.net/camouflage/00181/en_index.php Kamouflage.net > U.S. Military camouflage patterns]

*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/index.html Global Security on U.S. Military Operations]

*[http://www.todaysmilitary.com Today's Military website]

*[http://www.military-quotes.com/military-rank.htm US Military ranks and rank insignia]

*[http://www.military-quotes.com/mottos/USA.htm US Military Mottos]

===Branch links===

*[http://www.army.mil/ U.S. Army]

*[http://www.navy.mil/ U.S. Navy]

*[http://www.af.mil/ U.S. Air Force]

*[http://www.marines.mil/ U.S. Marine Corps]

*[http://www.uscg.mil/ U.S. Coast Guard]

{{NATO}}

{{United States armed forces}}

[[Category:Military of the United States|*]]

[[Category:Time magazine Persons of the Year|Military of the United States]]

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