With over 3 million employees, the United States Department of Defense is the country's largest employer. 1)
Every year, around 79,000 individuals join the United States Military.2)
If the United States Army were a city, it would be the tenth biggest in the country, with a population greater than that of prominent cities such as San Francisco, California; Jacksonville, Florida; and Austin, Texas.3)
The United States Department of Defense controls around 27 million acres of land worldwide.4)
The US Army Special Forces has 450,000 personnel stationed in 135 of the world's 195 recognized nations.5)
Unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counterinsurgency, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, information operations, counter proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and security force support are some of the responsibilities they carry out in these nations.6)
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the world's largest office skyscrapers, with three times the floor space of New York City's Empire State Building. The Pentagon, which was built during WWII, has a characteristic five-sided form with 17.5 miles of corridors.7)
The United States Army is older than the country itself. The Continental Army, formally founded and led by future first president George Washington in 1775, contributed to the Revolutionary War triumph over the British, permitting the foundation of the United States of America in 1776.8)
The Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy are the five armed service branches of the United States Military. Active duty (full time), reserve and guard forces (keep civilian occupations but can be summoned to full time if needed), veterans and retirees are the three types of military employees (past members).9)
The Commander in Chief of the United States Military is the President of the United States of America, who makes all final decisions concerning the Armed Forces. The Secretary of Defense is the head of the Department of Defense, and he has control over the military and each branch except the Coast Guard, which is controlled by the Department of Homeland Security.10)
The US Military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a chip that can be implanted in the brain to directly connect soldiers to computers. The chip, which is little bigger than a cubic centimeter, or two nickels back-to-back, will be utilized to boost a soldier's hearing and eyesight. DARPA is also credited for the invention of GPS, voice translation, the Internet, and several other valuable technologies.11)
In 2010, the US government built a supercomputer for the Department of Defense out of 1,700 PlayStation 3 game consoles. Using consoles instead of traditional computer components was thought to be much more cost effective and environmentally friendly.12)
Every November 11, America's Veterans are honored for their service to their country on Veteran's Day. The date was chosen to commemorate Armistice Day, or the end of World War I, which occurred on the 11th month, 11th day, and 11th hour of 1918.13)
The United States Army consumes roughly 1 billion gallons of petroleum every year. Each soldier alone required 22 gallons of gasoline per day on average in 2011, but a soldier during World War II only required 1 gallon per day on average.14)
The United States Air Force developed functioning robots that stood over 26 feet tall and could lift up to 2,000 pounds in the 1960s. The “Beetle” robots were meant to replace nuclear materials, payloads, and irradiated parts in situations when a person would be too risky. The Beetle never saw official usage in the US Military because the missions for which it was intended were canceled.15)
The US Military uses a variety of robots in combat circumstances, including scoping for traps, hauling heavy equipment, looking for survivors, underwater diving, taking casualties to safety, and battle with enemy. Drones are a common military gadget that are remotely operated aircraft that carry high-grade cameras, explosives, or missiles.16)
Since the Cold War, the US military's nuclear arsenal has been decreased by 84%. The arsenal now has 3732 deployed nuclear weapons and thousands more in reserve storage.17)
Non-lubricated condoms are standard issue in US military parachute pack survival kits. Not only do they provide a safe sex option, but they also serve as an emergency water canteen, holding a liter of water.18)
The Civil War was by far the worst conflict in US military history, with over 618,000 troops killed. World War II ranks in second, with around 405,000 lives lost.19)
The United States Military used blue uniforms until shortly after the Spanish-American War in 1898, when it switched to khaki. Camouflage colored uniforms were first used during WWII and were developed by artists. Computer-generated, pixilated camouflage is now employed. For formal events, blue uniforms are still used.20)
Jeeps, a popular civilian vehicle manufactured by Chrysler, originated as a vehicle for the United States military during World War II. Over 650,000 General Purpose vehicles (GPs) or “Jeeps” were constructed for military usage, including transporting personnel and supplies to the front lines, transporting wounded soldiers securely, and even engaging in combat assault.21)
At the age of nine, John Lincoln Clem sought to enroll in the Union Army at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. Clem eventually joined the 22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which sawed down his musket to make it more kid-friendly. Before his release in 1864, Clem was promoted to sergeant and became a national hero. He rejoined the US military in 1871 and rose to the rank of major general before retiring in 1915.22)
The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II were all official declarations of war by the United States. However, the US Armed Forces have been deployed overseas over 300 times for “non-routine peacetime objectives,” including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.23)
More than 400,000 US active duty soldiers are laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. It also houses “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” which contains the remains of unidentified US military troops from World Wars I, II, and III. Since 1998, when DNA testing confirmed the mystery remains as Air Force 1st Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, the Vietnam War grave has been vacant.24)
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment, often known as “The Old Guard”, is the army's oldest active-duty infantry regiment. The infantry is an official ceremonial unit that escorts the president of the United States and is also in responsible of the “Changing of the Guard Ceremony” at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which began in 1784.25)
Casper W. Weinberger, Secretary of Defense at the time, announced April to be “The Month of the Military Child” in 1986. The month is intended to celebrate military families, particularly their children, who are frequently relocated and separated from family members.26)
Currently, the US Military has deployed 2,700 Military Working Dogs (MWDs) to 600 conflict zones across the world. MWDs discovered 12,500 pounds of explosives in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2005 and 2010. Each dog is said to be responsible for saving between 150 and 1,800 lives.27)
In January 2014, the United States was predicted to have 49,933 veterans, a 33% decline from 2010. Veterans in the United States are twice as likely as normal citizens to become chronically homeless, and women veterans are four times as likely than men to become homeless. Veterans of the United States Military spend an average of 6 years homeless, compared to 4 years for non-Veterans.28)
Poverty, a lack of support from clubs or networks, and inadequate housing are all issues that contribute to veteran homelessness in the United States. Around half of homeless veterans have impairments, and two-thirds have drug addiction issues.29)
According to estimates, one in every three returning troops has or is at risk of developing major mental health and/or psychological difficulties, such as PTSD or depression. Because of this possibility, US troops have greater rates of divorce, suicide, unemployment, and homelessness than normal civilians.30)