Who Maintains the Military? Which Branch of Government is That?

Hi there. I'm currently in my AP Government class and we're covering how our government functions. But I'm slightly confused on who exactly maintains our military. It's one of the government branches, right? Which one?

The United States military is overseen and maintained by the executive branch of the U.S. Government, with the President serving as the commander-in-chief. The Department of Defense, a federal agency within the executive branch, carries out most of the logistics, operational planning, and day-to-day administration of the military.

The Department of Defense includes offices like the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the various departments for each branch of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force.

Meanwhile, the legislative branch (Congress) also plays a critical role in the functioning of the military. They hold the responsibility for declaring war and have the power to make rules for the military. Additionally, they control the funding for the military through the budget process and can oversee military activities through various committees.

Overall, the maintaining of the military is a shared responsibility across multiple branches of the U.S. government, with the executive branch playing the primary role in operations, and the legislative branch involved in funding and oversight.