Understanding the US military / Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman.

The U.S. Military's context -- The U.S. Military in the Constitution / Thomas Sheppard -- Civil-military relations / Damon Coletta -- The branches of service and reserve component -- The United States Army / Michael Meese -- The United States Navy / Doyle Hodges -- The United States Air Force / Heather Venable -- The United States Marine Corps / Jim Seaton -- The United States Space Force / David Arnold -- The National Guard and Reserves / Miranda Summers Lowe -- Structural and normative constraints -- Command relationships / Francis J.H. Park -- The Joint Force / Cynthia A. Watson -- Strategy / Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman -- The U.S. defense budget / Todd Harrison -- Military justice / Michael A. Newton and Dru Brenner-Beck -- Military medicine / Robert B. Hulette -- Recruiting and strength management / Bruce R. Orvis -- Tactics / B.A. Friedman -- Training and education / Richard A. Lacquement

"This book offers an accessible introduction to the U.S. military as an institution and provides insights into the military's structure and norms. Designed for undergraduate students, the book offers an interdisciplinary overview of America's armed forces through three critical lenses. First, it introduces the military's constitutional and historical context. Second, it presents concise factual information chosen for its relevance to the military's structures, procedures, norms, and varied activities. Finally, it intersperses these facts with debates, theories, and questions to spark student interest, class discussion, and further research. The text is written for the beginner but covers complex topics such as force structure and the defense budget. With contributions informed by both scholarly approaches and long military careers, the book will prepare students for further studies in International Relations, civil-military relations, or U.S. foreign policy. It also encourages critical thinking, elucidating an institution that undergraduates and other civilians too often perceive as both baffling and above reproach. This book will be of much interest to students of the U.S. military, civil-military relations, U.S. politics and public policy"-- Provided by publisher.