Hi guys! I need some input. I am aware there are more than just the 5 main branches of the military. I came across a term mentioning '12 branches'. Does anyone have any info about these lesser-known branches?
Absolutely, happy to share some information on this!
In the U.S., there are six main branches of the military that are part of the Department of Defense: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the newest branch, Space Force. These are all widely recognized branches.
However, when we amplify the list to include components that carry out military-like work, we can come up with more branches. This usually includes reserve branches and special service forces. Each of the primary branches (except for the Coast Guard and Space Force) have a Reserve component. The Reserve components are: Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Air Force Reserve. There are also two National Guard components – the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.
The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps also sometimes considered as military branches because of their uniformed service. However, they're under the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Commerce respectively, not the Department of Defense.
So, if we add all these up, we have twelve "branches". Please note that some of these are more auxiliary or reserved-based compared to the primary six branches mentioned initially. If you are considering a career in the military, you'd likely be looking at the primary branches first, depending on your skills and interests, but knowing about all the components could widen your options.
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