The United States Armed Forces (USAF or Armed Forces) are the military forces of the United States. The Armed Forces include six distinct forces:
• Army
• Navy
• Air Force
• Marine Corps
• Coast Guard
• Space Force
The President of the United States is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and works with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to formulate U.S. military policy.
In North Dakota, as in all states, the United States Armed Forces operate under the federal laws and regulations that govern the entire nation. The President, as Commander in Chief, oversees the six branches of the Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force. The Department of Defense (DoD) is the primary agency responsible for the military forces, with the exception of the Coast Guard, which is under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during peacetime but can be transferred to the DoD during wartime or by presidential order. Military policy and operations are federally managed, and thus, while state laws in North Dakota may impact the daily lives of service members and their families, the regulation and administration of the Armed Forces themselves are not governed by state statutes but by federal law.