Military Branches

The US military has 6 service branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force.

Latest in Military Branches

Image: U.S. Sailors man the rails on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the ship's final departure from Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Mar. 7, 2026. Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations as part of a scheduled homeport shift to Norfolk, VA. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad) 
Navy

USS Nimitz sets off for Latin America in its last deployment

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted 35 Minutes Ago

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers died March 5 from injuries sustained during a rescue a week earlier.
Coast Guard

Coast Guard swimmer dies from injuries sustained in offshore rescue

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 6, 2026

U.S. Army Pvt. Stallone Ealey, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, carries his gear after conducting a mass tactical airborne operation at North Wind 26 at Hokudai-en in Hokkaido, Japan on Jan. 22, 2026. North Wind is a bilateral U.S. Army Japan and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force winter field training exercise in Hokkaido, Japan—running from Jan. 20–Feb. 3—focused on enhancing bilateral tactics, techniques and procedures for extreme cold-weather conditions and enhancing interoperability and readiness between U.S. and Japanese forces. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Michelle Mayancela)
Army

Your next Army Field Manual might be written with AI

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Mar 6, 2026

Marine swim qualifications
Marine Corps

Marine Corps swim qualification tests are about to get tougher

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 6, 2026

A painting by Charles Waterhouse of Marine Capt. John W. Ripley, who braved enemy fire for more than three hours planting explosives on the Dong Ha Bridge on April 2, 1972. Congress cleared the way last month for Ripley to receive the Medal of Honor.
Marine Corps

Marine who crawled under bridge to plant explosives approved for Medal of Honor

By Matt White

Posted on Mar 5, 2026

Army Materiel Command, Command Sergeant Major J. Garza, sits with Soldiers inside 42 Bistro, the Army's first Campus-Style Dining Venue. The CSDV pilot transforms the way the Army fuels its soldiers by leveraging industry experts’ experience to operate restaurants on installations that offer more food options, better service, ambiance and hours.
Army

Army expands its new dining halls to 6 bases, but pauses its pilot test for food delivery

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Mar 5, 2026

251217-N-QR679-1019 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 17, 2025) - Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) steams forward off the coast of Guam during a photo exercise, Dec. 17, 2025. Assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, Annapolis is one of five fast-attack submarines forward-deployed in the Pacific. Renowned for their unparalleled speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, fast-attack submarines serve as the backbone of the Navy's submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. James Caliva)
Navy

Why Iran’s warship ‘didn’t have a chance’ against a Los Angeles-class submarine

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 4, 2026

Deputy Undersecretary of the Army Mario Diaz hosts a direct-commissioning ceremony for U.S. Army Capt. (Dr.) Robert Cancio at Southeast Academy High School in Los Angeles, Ca., June 1, 2024. Dr. Robert Cancio is a Board Member of the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District and was recently promoted to the rank of Captain in the United States Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs officer. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Deonte Rowell)
Army

The Army hopes to lure civilian tech workers by letting some join as captains

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Mar 4, 2026

Japes Capers
Marine Corps

Senate authorizes Trump to award Recon Marine the Medal of Honor

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 4, 2026

U.S. Sailors prepare to stage ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, Feb. 28, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo)
Navy

Sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln scrawl their names on bombs headed to Iran

By Matt White

Posted on Mar 3, 2026

Karachi consulate
Marine Corps

Marines opened fire after group attempted to storm US consulate in Pakistan

By Jeff Schogol

Updated on Mar 3, 2026

NELLIS AFB, NV - APRIL 25: A United States Air Force pilot (L) and weapons system officer look out the cockpit of their F-15E Strike Eagle as the jet is prepared for takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base while participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 (JEFX 06) April 25, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. JEFX is a biannual test of new systems and technologies by every branch of the military in an attempt to speed their introduction into the modern battlefield. This year's tests involve about 1,400 personnel from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia studying new technologies during mock combat over the Nevada desert and center on finding better ways to communicate critical information between armed forces. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Air Force

Former fighter pilots explain what it’s like to eject, following Kuwait shoot downs

By Matt White

Posted on Mar 3, 2026

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. The USSF-87 payload includes the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) system that will improve our ability to rapidly detect, warn, characterize and attribute disturbances to space systems in the geosynchronous environment. (U.S. Space Force photo by Gwendolyn Kurzen)
Space Force

Space Force to refine ‘orbital warfare’ maneuvers with new prototype

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 2, 2026

From left, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Levi Grant and Senior Airman Ivan Chen, 137th Airlift Squadron flying crew chiefs, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York, sit and kneel on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 105th AW, while preparing to transport 177th Medical Group (MDG) airmen, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, at the 177FW, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Sept. 13, 2024. More than 30 airmen with the 177th MDG will attend clinical rotations at Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, as part of Medical Facility Annual Training, Operation Pacific Surge. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Connor Taggart)
Air Force

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add to confusion over benefits

By David Roza

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

Medals of Honor March 2026
Army

These 3 soldiers will be awarded Medals of Honor

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

Candidates with Lima and India Company, Officer Candidate School (OCS) perform their initial Physical Fitness Test aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., May 24, 2016. The mission of OCS is to educate and train officer candidates in order to evaluate and screen individuals for qualities required for commissioning as a Marine Corps officer. (U.S. Marine Corps Combat Camera photo by Cpl. Laura Mercado/Released)
Marine Corps

Marines remain the few, the proud, the skinny under new standards

By Jeff Schogol

Updated on Feb 26, 2026