Armed Services
In most countries the armed forces are divided into three or four Armed Services (also called branches): an army, a navy, and an air force.
Many countries have a variation on the standard model of three or four basic Armed Services. Some nations also organize their marines, special forces or strategic missile forces as independent armed services. A nation's coast guard may also be an independent armed service of its military, although in many nations the coast guard is a law enforcement or civil agency. A number of countries have no navy, for geographical reasons, and some other variations include:
- Brazil: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Firefighters
- Canada: Army, Navy, Air Force
- Chile: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
- Egypt: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
- Germany: Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Support Service, Joint Medical Services
- Hungary: Army, Air Force
- India: Army, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Missile Force, Coast Guard, Paramilitary Forces
- Indonesia: Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police
- Italy: Army, Navy, Air Force, Military Police
- Poland: Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Forces
- People's Republic of China: Army, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Missile Force
- South Africa: Army, Navy, Air Force, Military Health Service
- The Netherlands: Army, Navy, Air Force, Military Police
- United States: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard
- Venezuela: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Militia
- Vietnam: Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Coast Guard
In larger armed forces the culture between the different Armed Services of the armed forces can be quite different.
Most smaller countries have a single organization that encompasses all armed forces employed by the country in question. Third-world armies tend to consist primarily of infantry, while first-world armies tend to have larger units manning expensive equipment and only a fraction of personnel in infantry units.
It is worthwhile to make mention of the term joint. In western militaries, a joint force is defined as a unit or formation comprising representation of combat power from two or more branches of the military.
Read more about this topic: Military Organization
Famous quotes containing the words armed and/or services:
“There are lone figures armed only with ideas, sometimes with just one idea, who blast away whole epochs in which we are enwrapped like mummies. Some are powerful enough to resurrect the dead. Some steal on us unawares and put a spell over us which it takes centuries to throw off. Some put a curse on us, for our stupidity and inertia, and then it seems as if God himself were unable to lift it.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“The community and family networks which helped sustain earlier generations have become scarcer for growing numbers of young parents. Those who lack links to these traditional sources of support are hard-pressed to find other resources, given the emphasis in our society on providing treatment services, rather than preventive services and support for health maintenance and well-being.”
—Bernice Weissbourd (20th century)