Hello all! I've been looking into post-high-school options, and the Coast Guard's been catching my interest. But I'm confused—is it officially considered a military branch or not? Could someone help me out with this?
Indeed, the United States Coast Guard is officially considered one of the six branches of the U.S. military. The current six branches are the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard. Despite the Coast Guard's unique peacetime mission and placement under the Department of Homeland Security during normal times, it does become part of the Department of Defense during times of declared war or by Presidential direction.
Coast Guard members receive the same basic pay as members of the other military branches and have the same rank structure. So, if you are interested in the Coast Guard, you would be joining the US military, even if the mission and daily operations might seem a little different from what you might picture for the military.
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