An Outsider's Look at the US Military

It is always nice to learn new things, especially on territories that you are likely not be able to venture. But if you are interested with how things go about in certain fields, all you have to do is conduct a basic research to open your mind to what you thought was very unfamiliar. This is also true for people who are very interested with the US military. Not everybody is fit to join this profession. If you have family or friends who have been to this line of duty, you may already have basic view of how hard it can be. Your physical limitations will be put to test. But more than that, military personnel must be open to any possibilities. They must make sure that they know what they are getting into before they commit to it.

It takes some time and a lot of thinking before one can agree to join the military. If you are in this kind of dilemma right now, you have to think beyond the recruitment process. You have to imagine yourself years after you have qualified for the branch of the military where you have to chosen to apply. You must be there for the right reasons. For some people, they do it thinking that this is an easy recourse to earn a living. But more than earning from a stable job, the job itself has no stability. You don't know what tomorrow may pose as challenge for you and as threat to the nation that you have to help conquer.

Looking In

For those who are simply interested with how's it like to be part of it, just read about the success and travails of people who have experienced what it's like. And to enlighten you about the subject, here are some more facts about the organization and how things work inside the military.

All branches of the military are among the uniformed services of the United States. All these are under civilian control and being managed by their Commander-In-Chief. This person is the president of the country. This designation was authorized by the US Constitution. All branches are under the Department of Defense, except for the Coast Guard. The Department of Defense is handled by its head, the Secretary of Defense. The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security when everything is peaceful and there are no posed threats to the country. But when there is war or the country is in battle, the Coast Guard is then being transferred under the Department of the Navy, which is part of the Department of Defense.

The president is being guided by advisors to be able to implement the right action in the military field as well as diplomacy. This is being headed by the National Security Advisor who works under the National Security Council. The president can also turn to the next in line in terms of military duties, the Secretary of Defense. This person is a member of the Cabinet and serves as head of the Department of Defense. The President and the Secretary of Defense are being guided in the decisions that they make with regards the US military actions and procedures by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are the service branch chiefs such as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
