Understanding the Heads of Military Branches

Hey folks, I've been considering my options after high school and the military keeps popping up. I'm a bit confused about the various roles, especially the heads of different military branches. Could someone explain who they are and what they do?

Each branch of the U.S. military is headed by a civilian (a person who is not on active service in the military) known as a Secretary. They are authorized by Congress to conduct all the affairs of their respective departments.

The Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, and Secretary of the Air Force, are in charge of the Army, Navy (including Marine Corps) and Air Force, respectively. Their roles include managing all affairs in their departments, including the recruitment, organization, training, equipping, and care for their personnel. They report to the Secretary of Defense.

In addition to these civilian leaders, there are also the chiefs of staff for each branch (the Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations for the Navy, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force). These are the highest-ranking military officers within their respective services. They serve as the main military advisors to the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council, and the President.

Finally, there's the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). The CJCS is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces. The CJCS acts as the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council, but does not exercise military command over any of the service branches.

In the Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, a similar structure exists. The highest-ranking official is the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Commandant of the Coast Guard serves as the service chief, similar to the roles in the other military branches.

These are just the broad strokes - each service branch also has its own extensive hierarchy and specific roles, with various tasks and responsibilities spread among them.