Updated February 8, 2022
Defense Primer: The Military Departments
Military Departments
DOD. The Army is composed of the Regular Army, Army
The three military departments within the Department of
Reserve, and Army National Guard of the United States.
Defense (DOD), created by the National Security Act of
The Department of the Army’s FY2022 budget request is
1947, are the Department of the Army, the Department of
$173 billion. The total numbers of actual or estimated
the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force (P.L. 80-
personnel in the Department of the Army for FY2020,
253). A military department prepares and provides
FY2021, and FY2022 are in Table 2.
strategic, conventional, and special operations forces for
military operations conducted by DOD. Each department
Figure 1. Department of the Army
has an executive headquarters for administering its
Secretary of the Army
activities, personnel, and organizations. The type and
number of personnel permitted to work in an executive
Office of the Secretary of the Army
headquarters are limited by law and differ among the three
departments (Table 1).
Armed Service
Service Chief and Service Staff
Table 1. Executive Headquarters Personnel Limits
Army
Generals/
Other
Civilian
Total
Source: CRS analysis of military department statutory authorities.
Admirals
Officers
Employees
Department of the Army
Table 2. Department of the Army Personnel
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
67
1,833
1,350
3,250
Category
Actual
Estimate Estimate
Department of the Navy
Active Army
485,383
486,000
485,000
74
1,726
1,350
3,150
Army National Guard
336,100
336,500
336,000
Department of the Air Force
Army Reserve
188,700
189,800
189,500
60
1,590
1,100
2,750
Army Civilian
190,899
194,128
196,111
Source: 10 U.S.C. §§7014, 8014, 9014.
Total
1,201,082
1,206,428
1,206,611
Note: Personnel limits do not apply in time of war and they may be
Source: DOD, Defense Manpower Profile Report – Fiscal Year 2022,
increased by 15% of such limits in time of national emergency.
July 2021, pp. 2-3 (FY2020 Reserve and National Guard data rounded
Secretary of the Military Department
by source).
The military departments are led by a civilian secretary
Department of the Navy
whom the President of the United States appoints with the
The Office of the Secretary of the Navy administers the
advice and consent of the Senate. The authority of a
Department of the Navy; secretarial authorities are set forth
secretary runs from the President through the Secretary of
in 10 U.S.C. §8013 (Figure 2). The department’s armed
Defense. The secretaries of the military departments are
services are the Navy and the Marine Corps, which are the
responsible for training, equipping, and organizing their
principal maritime forces in DOD. The Navy is composed
departments’ armed services. A secretary may present
of the Regular Navy, Fleet Reserve, and Navy Reserve. The
departmental recommendations to Congress after notifying
Marine Corps is composed of the Regular Marine Corps,
the Secretary of Defense. Principal officials of the
Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, and Marine Corps Reserve.
department reporting to a secretary include the under
The Department of the Navy’s FY2022 budget request is
secretary, assistant secretaries, and general counsel. These
$211.7 billion. The total numbers of actual or estimated
officials typically are appointed by the President with the
personnel in the department for FY2020, FY2021, and
advice and consent of the Senate. Specific areas of
FY2022 are in Table 3.
responsibility for the assistant secretaries include logistics,
manpower, acquisition, and financial management.
Department of the Army
The Office of the Secretary of the Army administers the
Department of the Army; secretarial authorities are set forth
in 10 U.S.C. §7013 (Figure 1). The department’s armed
service is the Army, which is the principal land force in
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Defense Primer: The Military Departments
United States Coast Guard
Table 4. Department of the Air Force Personnel
The Coast Guard is an armed service normally operating in the
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It has contingent
Category
Actual
Estimate
Estimate
roles in DOD as a principal maritime force. During wartime, or
if directed by the President, the Coast Guard would transfer
Active Air Force
332,101
336,800
337,700
from DHS to the Department of the Navy (14 U.S.C. §103).
Air National Guard
107,400
108,100
108,300

Air Force Reserve
69,100
70,600
70,300
Figure 2. Department of the Navy
Air Force Civilian
169,736
177,453
180,515
Secretary of the Navy
Total
678,337
692,953
696,815
Office of the Secretary of the Navy
Source: DOD, Defense Manpower Profile Report – Fiscal Year 2022,
Armed Services
July 2021, pp. 2-3 (FY2020 Reserve and National Guard data rounded
by source).
Service Chiefs and Service Staffs
Notes: Air Force onboard personnel data include Space Force.
Navy
Marine Corps
Projected military end strength and civilian ful -time equivalents for
Space Force in FY2022 are 6,434 and 3,545, respectively, for a total
Source: CRS analysis of military department statutory authorities.
of 9,979 authorized personnel.
Table 3. Department of the Navy Personnel
Armed Services
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
A military department contains at least one armed service.
Category
Actual
Estimate
Estimate
The President appoints a four-star general or admiral of an
armed service as its service chief for four years with the
Active Navy
336,551
342,316
347,800
advice and consent of the Senate. A service chief reports to
the secretary of the department and is responsible for the
Active Marine Corps
180,958
181,204
178,500
activities, personnel, and operations of the service. The
Navy Reserve
59,200
59,000
58,600
service chiefs in the military departments also are members
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in DOD. Each armed service has
Marine Corps Reserve
35,500
36,200
36,800
a service staff with the principal role of assisting the service
chief and the office of the secretary of the department. The
Navy Civilian
196,767
198,614
200,248
secretary of the department determines the duties, titles, and
Marine Civilian
22,206
22,553
22,653
membership of a service staff, unless prescribed by law.
Total
831,182
839,887
844,601
Uniformed Services
Source: DOD, Defense Manpower Profile Report – Fiscal Year 2022,
The armed services in DOD and DHS constitute six of the eight
July 2021, pp. 2-3 (FY2020 Reserve data rounded by source).
uniformed services (10 U.S.C. §101). The two remaining
uniformed services have contingent roles in the military
Department of the Air Force
departments during wartime or if directed by the President.
The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force administers the
Public Health Service Corps (PHS Corps). PHS Corps is a
Department of the Air Force; secretarial authorities are set
uniformed service in the Department of Health and Human
forth in 10 U.S.C. §9013 (Figure 3). The department’s
Services. If transferred to DOD, it would become a branch of
armed services are the Air Force and the Space Force,
the armed services (42 U.S.C. §217).
which are the principal aerospace forces in DOD. The Air
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Corps (NOAA
Force is composed of the Regular Air Force, Air Force
Corps). NOAA Corps is a uniformed service in the Department
Reserve, and Air National Guard of the United States. The
of Commerce. If transferred to DOD, it would become part of
Space Force contains the Regular Space Force. The
any military department as determined to be in the best
Department of the Air Force FY2022 budget request is
interests of national security (33 U.S.C. §3061).
$173.7 billion. The total numbers of actual or estimated
personnel in the department for FY2020, FY2021, and

FY2022 are in Table 4.
Figure 3. Department of the Air Force
Related CRS Publication
CRS In Focus IF10543, Defense Primer: The Department of
Secretary of the Air Force
Defense, by Kathleen J. McInnis
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

Armed Services
Alan Ott, Analyst in Defense and Intelligence Personnel
Service Chiefs and Service Staffs
Policy
Air Force
Space Force
IF10550
Source: CRS analysis of military department statutory authorities.
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Defense Primer: The Military Departments


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10550 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED

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