Overview
The Department of Defense is responsible for providing the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country. The major elements of these forces are the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, consisting of about 1.3 million men and women on active duty. They are backed, in case of emergency, by the 825,000 members of the Reserve and National Guard. In addition, there are about 600,000 civilian employees in the Defense Department.
Under the President, who is also Commander in Chief, the Secretary of Defense exercises authority, direction, and control over the Department, which includes the separately organized military departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Joint Chiefs of Staff providing military advice, the combatant commands, and defense agencies and field activities established for specific purposes.
The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 redesignated the National Military Establishment as the Department of Defense and established it as an executive department (10 U.S.C. 111), headed by the Secretary of Defense.
--from US Government Manual, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html
Key Resources
- US Department of Defense Official Website
http://www.defenselink.mil/
The DOD website is the starting point for finding military information online. You'll also see additional resources for researching the US Military in general. The site features overall coverage of the military and includes military news, special interest features, humanitarian ops, podcasts with news magazines and information for military, their families, and other interested parties, websites, and imagery from all branches of the military.
- DoD 101: An Introductory Overview of the Department of Defense
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/dod101/index.html
Basic overview of the Department, its presence, organization, command areas, current operations, homeland security/defense, the Pentagon, and mission.
- Department of Defense Publications Page
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/
Publications include timely topics, statistics, policy, regulations, forms, and reports. Example: Measuring Stability and Security ion Iraq--June 2010.
- America's Heroes in the Global War on Terror
www.defenselink.mil/heroes/
Heroes from each state, operating in the current military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Searchable by map.
- Insignia, Ribbons, and Badges
http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/awards.html
The place to look for identification of stars, stripes, ribbons, badges, and all other insignia worn by professionals in the US Military.
Also see these broken down for Enlisted and Officer Rank:
Enlisted Rank Insignia - http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/insignias/enlisted.html
Officer Rank Insignia - http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/insignias/officers.html
- Image Gallery
http://www.defenselink.mil/multimedia/
Images of military personnel, in many settings, searchable by keyword, or browsable by topic. Photos include date, and photos are organized most recent first. "Other" Graphics section includes military seals. "Other" Sounds section includes official military hymns and songs.
Exercises
- Look up the following:
Insignia for rank of an Army Sergeant First Class
Insignia for rank of an Army Lieutenant Colonel
- Using the Image Gallery find military photos of soldiers with children. Enter keyword: children.
