I was doing some research about the military and stumbled upon the term 'sixth branch'. I'm kinda confused since I'm only aware of five branches. What does this term 'sixth branch' refer to?
The term 'sixth branch' actually refers to the United States Space Force. The Space Force was officially established in December 2019, which makes it the newest branch of the U.S. military. It was formed to monitor and protect U.S. and allied interests in space, such as managing satellites, coordinating communication between other branches of the military, tracking space debris, and monitoring ballistic missile launches.
Before 2019, there were indeed just five branches of the U.S. military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The Space Force was added as a much-needed entity in the era of rapidly advancing technology and escalating global reliance on space-based operations. The term 'sixth branch' likely refers to the Space Force because it's the latest addition to the U.S. military.
I hope this clears up your confusion! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
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