Janelle B. Moore - The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships

Thinking about Getting Married?

W HEN MOST PEOPLE GET MARRIED, THEY, inherit a second family of in-laws. When you marry into the military, you get a very large third family. Your new third familywhether it is Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guardcan also be quite a culture shock. They often speak what appears to be a different language and use expressions and acronyms that take a lot of getting used to. They tell time differently. They have rules and standards of conduct that you as a military spouse are expected to follow and ways of doing things that may be very strange to you at first. There is the chain-of-command structure, and you have to learn to recognize ranks and insignias. Living on base involves heightened levels of security. And this is all on top of getting married and setting up home.

The good news is that while it may all seem very strange and even daunting at first, there is a lot of help on hand. Other married couples will be quick to welcome you and help you get organized. There are support groups and clubs, social workers, chaplains, and a host of other people all waiting to help you get acclimated and familiar with your new third family.

First, it is useful to know a little about the military structure of the U.S. armed forces.

Who's Who and Who Does What?

There are five military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The Army is commanded by a four-star general, known as the Army Chief of Staff. The Army Chief of Staff reports to the Secretary of the Army (for most matters). The top military member in the Air Force is the Air Force Chief of Staff. This four-star general reports (for most matters) to the Secretary of the Air Force. The Navy is commanded by a four-star admiral, called the Chief of Naval Operations. The Marine Corps is commanded by a four-star general called the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Both the Chief of Naval Operations and the Marine Corps Commandant report (for most matters) to the Secretary of the Navy.

Note how we indicated that they report "for most matters" to their respective service secretaries. These four flag officers also make up a group called the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JSC). The Joint Chiefs of Staff comprise the four service chiefs, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The chairman is nominated by the president and approved by the Senate (as are other general and flag officer positions). For operational matters (such as war or conflict), the JCS bypasses the individual service secretaries and reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and the president.

That leaves the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard does not fall under the Department of Defense. Until recently, the Coast Guard was under the Department of Transportation. Recent legislation has moved the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security. However, the Coast Guard is considered a military service, because during times of war or conflict the President of the United States can transfer any or all assets of the Coast Guard to the Department of the Navy. In fact, this has been done in almost every single conflict that the United States have ever been involved in. The Coast Guard is commanded by a four-star admiral, known as the Coast Guard Commandant.

So what are the different functions of the five branches of the military?

Army

The Army is the main ground force of the United States. The Army's main function is to protect and defend the United States (and its interests) by way of ground troops, armor (tanks), artillery, attack helicopters, tactical nuclear weapons, and so on. The Army is the oldest U.S. military service, officially established by the Continental Congress on June 14,1775. The Army is also the largest U.S. military service. There are approximately 76,000 officers and 401,000 enlisted members in the active duty Army. The Army is supported by two reserve forces. The reserve forces can be tapped for trained personnel and equipment during times of need: the Army Reserves and the Army National Guard. The primary difference between the two is that the reserves are "owned" and managed by the federal government, and each state "owns" its own National Guard. However, the President of the United States or the Secretary of Defense can "activate" state National Guard members into federal military service during times of need.