Military Careers

  • The United States Department of Defense oversees the military forces needed to ensure our nation’s security. With nearly 3 million service members and civilians, the Department of Defense (DoD) is our country’s largest employer. The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard are the branches of the armed forces of the United States.  The National Guard (Army National Guard and the Air National Guard) are reserve components of their branches and operate in part under state authority.

    • Army: The Army is the largest and oldest branch of the service and provides ground forces that protect the U.S.
    • Marine Corps: The Marine Corps is a component of the U.S. Navy and provides amphibious and ground units for security and combat operations.
    • Navy: The Navy is deployed globally, providing the U.S. peacetime protection and wartime force on, above, and below the water. 
    • Air Force: The Air Force provides rapid, lethal air service and protection for the U.S. around the globe. 
    • Coast Guard: The Coast Guard provides maritime safety enforcement, marine and environmental protection and military naval support. In peacetime the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security and in wartime is under the Department of the Navy.
    • Space Force: The Space Force was established within the Department of the Air Force and organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force.
    • National Guard: Comprised of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, the National Guard supports combat missions, domestic emergencies, humanitarian efforts, homeland security, and more.

    One goal of military service is to develop individuals who possess strong moral character, integrity, and job specific skills which are desirable to civilian employers after service is completed. About 85 percent of all jobs in the service do not involve direct combat operations. Therefore, many individuals choose to stay in the military and pursue life-long careers.

     

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