The United States military was the armed forces service of the United States of America on Earth. The commander in chief of the US military was the President of the United States.
History[]
The United States military grew from the military of the American Revolution, with the US military becoming active in several 20th century global conflicts on Earth.
Of these, the US armed forces was a major participant in World War I, World War II, and the "Brush Wars" in Asia. The United States and the Soviet Union also engaged in a decades-long Cold War, where each side was poised to strike and destroy the other through the use of nuclear weapons. (TOS: "Space Seed", "A Private Little War"; DS9: "Our Man Bashir", "Little Green Men"; ENT: "Storm Front")
It has been implied, although never directly stated, that the U.S. military also participated in the Eugenics Wars (r.f. ENT: "Hatchery") as well as World War III (r.f. Star Trek: First Contact).
The United States military focused on both external projection of military power and homeland defense against enemy invasion, both direct and indirect. In 1996, when the USS Voyager violated United States air space, the United States military took "great interest" in the occurrence, even though more legitimate news agencies had dismissed the incident as a hoax. (VOY: "Future's End, Part II")
Branches of the US military[]
The United States military was divided into four major branches, each in charge of a specific defense area. Specifically, the United States Air Force patrolled Earth's atmosphere, the United States Navy its oceans, and the United States Army was in charge of land defense. The United States Marine Corps was an amphibious assault force attached to the Navy. The United States National Guard were the nation's reserve unit.
Another branch of the armed forces was the US Coast Guard, who were credited for assisting in the making of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. However, they have never been mentioned on Star Trek.
US military ranks[]
- See: United States military ranks
- See: United States military uniform
- See: Awards of the United States military