- Navy
- Army
- Coast Guard
- Marines
The correct answer here is the US Army. The Army actually predates the United States itself, as it was formally created by the Continential Congress on June 14, 1775. The Navy followed closely on the Army's heals, as it was established on October 13, 1775. The Marines came shortly after that: November 10, 1775, also by the Continental Congress. The Coast Guard came fifteen years later: August 4, 1790, after the United States had officially become a country.
The Air Force, of course, is the newest military branch, having not been created until 1947.
I have to disagree. The oldest branch of military in the U.S. Is the National Guarc. Though now a reserve component of the Army and the Air Force. The National Guard can trace it's origins the 13 Dec 1636, when the oldest regiments met for their first drill in the Village Green in Salem Mass.
ReplyDelete"For three centuries a soldier in war, a civilian in peace-- of security and honor, I am the custodian, now and forever...I am the Guard."
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DeleteI agree and My ancestor, Capt John Underhill was one of 3 founding, organizers and professional soldiers brought in to train and lead the citizens.
Deletethe national guard is part of the army
Deletethe national guard isn't a branch its part of the army and the air force isn't technically the national guard it's the "air guard" which is similiar
DeleteI agree we guardsmen are part of the army nut that is not the question is it. Prerevolutionary war the millitia aka the guardsmen would come and fight in a minutes notice(minute men). This is the origin of the National Guard
DeleteThe Guard is not a branch it is a component.
ReplyDeleteThe National Guard
ReplyDeleteThe question was what is the oldest branch of the military? The US Army is the oldest branch. But Jon Selchert you are correct that the Army and Air National Guard are not branches they are components of the Army and Air Force. But if the question was asked what is the oldest militia in North America then yes it was the National Guard, they were known as the National Guardians Miltia and they were established in the late 1500's as more settlers arrived from Britian, Spain, France and Portugal. The National Guardians changed their Militant group to the National Guard in the early 1600's. They militia group was formed to protect the settlers from attacks from the Native American's. So both all are right it just depends on how the question is asked the oldest military branch is the Army, the first militia or militant group in North American history was the National Guard!
ReplyDeleteWe should start with when the United States had officially become a country, not before. Therefore the Coast Guard is the oldest branch, 1790.
ReplyDeleteWe became a country in 1776 and the Army started in 1775
DeleteWe became a country in 1776 and the Army started in 1775
Delete"We should change the rules so that my team wins"
Deleteyou want to get technical lets get super technical, it wasn't called the coast guard and wasn't a branch of the military until 1915. So arguing because the lighthouse board that would become a floating IRS that would become the cutter service that would eventually merge with the life saving service and become a part of the military counts then the Army gets to count the National Guards founding in the 1600s. Actually the army and navy which are basically just former royal army and navy members now fighting for the colonies get to claim all the way back to the founding of Englands Navy and Army. Its asinine logic.
The Army became an official branch first, but like 4 months, then the navy then a month later the marines, then 120ish years later in 1915 the coast guard then about 30 years later the Air Force. At least you can claim yourselves as the only military branch in the DHS right?
There are a number of different ways you can look at this. If you go with first established by the United States as a country then Coast Guard was number 1. National Guard was where Army came from. It was National Guard first then they wanted a full time militia and formed a full time Army derived from the National Guard. Established by the "United States" is Coast Guard. Army and Navy were grandfathered in. They were not branches of anything, The DOD did not exist at this time, The Revenue Cutter Service by Alexander Hamilton was the first official militia branch formed by the Constitute United States.
ReplyDeleteGetting technical they weren't a militia branch anymore than the BATF is now. They were not a military branch until Woodrow Wilson made them into the actual coast guard in 1915 with 38 Stat L 800. The continental congress was the governing body of the US until we could establish a more permanent governing body, and while were not an established and recognized nation our governing body existed and created three military branches through legislation. any part of any branches history before it was official established as a branch of the military is irrelevant to the question of oldest BRANCH of the military. The Army Marines and Navy have the oldest traditions and histories if you account for them evolving from the British services in the first place, but its irrelevant to this question.
DeleteIf the Army was the first Branch, what were they the first branch of? Under whom did they report to? Remember The US was not officially an independent body until 1776. You can not be a branch if you are the only unit. And the Army and the Navy reported to themselves so they are not a "Branch" of anything, your just claiming oldest full time regime.
ReplyDeleteThe second continental congress. They were military branches of the nation that was proposed by the continental congress. And down this same technical road you can't be a branch of service without it being official in writing and the coast guard didn't get their official in writing establishment until 1915 in 38 stat L 800. Prior to that they were a floating IRS/BATF/Customs agency
DeleteFirst of all how can the US Army predate the USA? Hmmmm
ReplyDeleteAny way if you look at it from a point of view of uninterrupted existence and when a service was authorized by the United States of America, not the Continental Congress, the appropriate order would be:
No 1. US Coast Guard has continuously existed as a US armed service since 1790. The Continental Navy was disbanded and the US Navy was reformed in 1794. Therefore, as the Revenue Cutter Service, it was the only US armed sea service from 1790 to 1794.
No 2. The Continental Army was disbanded in 1783 with only two regiments reformed into the Legion of the United States. The United States Army was officially formed in 1793
No 3. The Continental Navy was disbanded in and auctioned off into private hands in 1785. The actual US Navy was formed by the Naval Act of 1794.
No 4. The Continental Marines were also disbanded in 1793. The United States Marine Corps was formed in 1798 and later became part of the Navy.
No. 5 The USAF was the last to be authorized in 1947.
Even if you were to stretch each service's history to include Continental and other authorizing bodies, the US Coast Guard would still be the oldest since "custom's services existed at the colony and state levels since the early days of settlement.
The Marines and navy were disbanded in 1783 until 1798.
DeleteFALSE, 38 STAT L 800 established the coast guard as a member of the armed forces by combining the cutter service and life saving service in 1915. Prior to that it wasn't called the coast guard and it wasn't the armed forces. It was more akin to BATF meets IRS meets customs.
DeleteYour final statement is accurate, they are descended from the oldest customs service in the colonies and states, which is irrelevant to the question of "Which branch is the oldest branch of the military" Which they were not a branch of until 1915 and they still dont have a seat in the joint chiefs of staff(Which is absurd to me they should have a seat there by now)
I have a silly question, If someone wants to join, and they want to be a doctor, what branch do they need to be in.
ReplyDeleteAny branch
DeleteAny branch as an officer, otherwise you will be either a nurses assistant or EMT
DeleteThe Coast Guard is not a branch of the military. It is under the department of transporation
ReplyDeleteNo its under homeland security and when it was under transportation it was still a branch and military service for the armed forces
DeleteThat's like saying the Marines is under the department of Navy which it is a component of. Coast Guard has been apart from DOT for many years
DeleteCoast Guard has a lot of time on their hands to come up with the arguments. The Navy and the Army reported to the Continental Congress which was the first US authority.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone to claim US Coast Guard is not a branch of the military is sadly mistaken. USCG has always been a branch of the military, we have engaged in every single war from the revolutionary to civil to WW1, WW2, Korea, V/Nam all the way into Iraq and Afghanistan this of course does not include our War on Drugs or our renown reputation and the worlds premier high seas search and rescue agency. U.S. Coast Guard remain one of our Military's best kept secrets so much so that many active duty and veterans insist we are not a branch of the military ! We are the only branch NOT under DOD, We are the only branch exempt from Posse Commitatus, We are the only branch with civilian law enforcement authority and jurisdiction. ALL U.S. Coasties E-4 and above are "customs officers" and are authorized by law to make searches, seizures, arrests, etc. We are the Only branch of the Military which was also an agency within U.S. Treasury, Dept of Transportation and now U.S. Dept of Homeland Security. But, we have ALWAYS been a branch of the Military. I am a 100% compensated veteran of U.S. Coast Guard. There are only 2 branches of the military led by "Commandants"; USMC and USCG. The toughest boot camp is USMC followed by USCG. USCG have active duty personnel assigned to Navy Seal Teams, British War Ships, USN War Ships, Dutch War Ships, etc. For those who insist USCG is not a branch of the U.S. Military you have some things to learn. Semper Paratus !
ReplyDeleteThe USCG is unfortunately much rather the redheaded step child of the armed forces nobody cares to recognize as a "fighting force"
DeleteIn 1915 woodrow wilson established the coast guard as a military branch with 38 Stat L 800. Prior to that there was no Coast Guard, and the things they combined to form the Coast Guard were not military branches. There was no coast guard during the revolutionary war, the lighthouse board you ascend from wasn't founded until the end of 1789.
DeleteYou are under DHS unless you are fighting in a war then you are assigned to the Navy per that same 38 Stat L 800.
Posse comitatus "The Act only specifically applies to the United States Army and, as amended in 1956, the United States Air Force" though the Navy and Marines choose to adhere to it, and it does not apply to the nation guard units. Though yes, the Coast Guard is the only agency with a civilian law enforcement charter. Being a part of any of those other departments is irrelevant to the rest of the military who have been members of the department of defense the whole time its existed. Again you werent a branch until 1915, before that it was multiple smaller agencies akin to BATF and as you compared yourselfs customs. Coast Guard is more academically challenging than the others as the others forego most academic rigor in boot camp choosing to save it for technical training post boot camp instead choosing to focus on physical training and building discipline. Your PT standard for boot camp is identical to the Navys less rigorous than the Army or marine corps and more rigorous than the Air Forces. So all in all it depends on how you rate it. Your boot camp I would say is more challenging than the air force because yours is longer(the same 9 weeks as the army and navy) you likely have equal or greater academic rigor and definitely have greater physical rigor. Your boot camp is more challenging than navy boot camp because at the end of the day the PT tests are exactly the same and you have greater academic rigor. The army is more physically rigorous and I would say you are equally challenging for that reason just different levels of challenge. Then because the Marine Corps is so much more physically and psychologically rigorous and several weeks longer(13) It is likely the most challenging.
That being said the Coast Guard is an integral and vital part of the military now, and as such should really have a seat on the JCoS.
Semper Paratus
I meant different kinds of challenging not levels, I am an idiot.
DeleteWell said... My husband is 100% retired Coastie and I read to him what you wrote and he agreed whole-heartedly with every word... There are 5.... Count them...FIVE... Branches of the military...he said he could not have said it better than you did.... SEMPER PARATUS
ReplyDeleteYay I love this :) I'm working on a Eagle staff to represent all my brothers and sisters in arms and I need a bit more info so that I could personalize this staff and represent the 5 branches properly... HUA!!! Thanks for all the info. Sincerely a veteran ;)
ReplyDeleteYay I love this :) I'm working on a Eagle staff to represent all my brothers and sisters in arms and I need a bit more info so that I could personalize this staff and represent the 5 branches properly... HUA!!! Thanks for all the info. Sincerely a veteran ;)
ReplyDeleteYay I love this :) I'm working on a Eagle staff to represent all my brothers and sisters in arms and I need a bit more info so that I could personalize this staff and represent the 5 branches properly... HUA!!! Thanks for all the info. Sincerely a veteran ;)
ReplyDeleteWell said!! As a US Marine and a friend of someone who served with the US Coast Guard, I know for sure the Coast Guard is a part of the military!
ReplyDeleteI think people are missing the point is a big way. It's not about who was first, it's about service to our country and its freedoms brought about by the blood shed by the many who have sacrificed either their lives, or by injuries received on the battlefield or on the seas. No branch is less than another, or greater for that matter. We all serve (or have served) because we love our country and have a passion to literally put our lives on the line to protect its citizens and our freedoms overall! The National Guard, though it falls under the Army, is as legit as any other branch. Even though they don't deploy overseas, they help keep peace here on our own soil and have been involved in many dangerous situations when engaged in riots and civil disturbances!
ReplyDeleteIt's not about who's the biggest and baddest, it's about service, respect, honor and integrity! The Battle of Iwo Jima is a good example; it wasn't just Marines that raised the American flag back up, there was a Navy corpsman and multi-cultural men who did it together.
Each branch serves in a unique capacity with specific training that allows them to bring special skills into action. We need each branch working together to be successful, especially now more than ever before.
I'm proud to have served as a US Marine, but I have a lot of friends from other branches and I am proud of and thankful for each one of them!!
So instead of getting all hotheaded about who came first, which is clearly a mute point at this day and time, just thank each of us for our willingness to serve and in many cases, at the cost of our lives!!
Let me be the first to thank all of you, regardless of you military branch, for your service to our country and our freedoms!!
Where do you get your information that the national guard don't deploy overseas, who do you think is sent on deployment most often. Here's a hint it isn't active duty.
DeleteI agree Tracyk57. The Navy can't do it without Marines, Marines can't do it without the Army, the Army can't do it without the Air Force, and the American people at home wouldn't be safe without the Coast Guard. We need every branch working together to keep America strong and safe.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, I just wish more Americans did as well. US Army Vet
DeleteMan I agree. 5 Branches all serve under god, to protect what we have built. All races and all men and women who stand for what is right. We couldn't have done it without everyone being a branch.
ReplyDeleteSemper Fortis.