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Military, as a noun and in its most common use means armed forces. As an adjective, it describes anything related to warfare and soldiers. This word originally derives from the Latin word militarius, which means soldier. In any nation, military comprises of different branches of the armed forces. The US Military has seven major branches. Those are - the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and their Reserve (part-time duty), the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard.

Military provides protection from the aggression of foreign armed forces. It further helps resolve internal conflicts. The armed forces act basically to achieve political objectives. They further the foreign policy program of their respective governing bodies. Larger countries usually divide the armed forces into three major branches - the Army, Navy and Air Force. The US Military too follows this division.

The US Army is the branch of the US Military responsible for carrying out land-based military operations. It came into existence on June 14, 1775 to handle the crisis of the American Revolutionary War.

The US Air Force (USAF) is responsible for air-based military actions. This branch of the US Military carries out assaults on targets in air, on water and on land using a wide range of fighters, bombers, helicopters and other aircrafts.

The US Navy is responsible for military operations on water. They can launch attacks from sea and ocean waters on targets on both land and water using different types of ships, submarines and aircrafts. The US Navy also transports weapons and personnel for other branches of the US military.

Besides the Army, Air Force and Navy, the US Military also includes Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard. All these forces are integral components of the American military system.

There is a distinct discipline to study the use of armed forces. It is called military science. It involves considering both offensive and defensive actions at three "levels" - strategy, operative art and tactics. The success of the US Military has a lot to do with its effective application of tactics and strategies.