Defense Primer: The Military Departments (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 9, 2023 |
| Report Number |
IF10550 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Heidi M. Peters; Lynn M. Williams |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The Department of Defense (DOD) is comprised of three
military departments: the Department of the Army, the
Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air
Force. The organization of each military department is
outlined in Title 10 of the United States Code.
The term military department refers to a department’s
senior civilian official and senior military officer, as well as
all departmental headquarters staff offices, field
headquarters, armed forces, reserve components, civilian
employees, installations, activities, and functions under the
control or supervision of the department’s senior officials.
Each department is organized under the leadership of a
Secretary, a civilian official appointed by the President with
the advice and consent of the Senate. The three department
secretaries all carry out the functions of their positions
under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary
of Defense.
The term armed forces refers to the five U.S. military
service branches: the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the
Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard. While the Coast Guard
is statutorily considered to be a military service, it generally
operates under Title 14 authorities. Title 14 states that the
Coast Guard “shall be a service in the Department of
Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in
the Navy” upon the declaration of war, if so directed by
Congress in the declaration, or upon the direction of the
President (see Section 3 of Title 14, U.S. Code).
