Government Documents: Military

The United States Air Force will be a trusted and reliable joint partner with our sister services known for integrity in all of our activities, including supporting the joint mission first and foremost. We will provide compelling air, space, and cyber capabilities for use by the combatant commanders. We will excel as stewards of all Air Force resources in service to the American people, while providing precise and reliable Global Vigilance, Reach and Power for the nation.

National Guard aviation emerged early in the twentieth century during a period of enormous organizational and technological ferment within the American military establishment. Reformers were bent upon transforming it from what amounted to a small, constabulary focused on such tasks as policing the Indians and developing the nation's infrastructure to a modern force whose primary role was to engage in combat against other major industrial powers. It was also beginning the difficult task of determining how to incorporate such startling new developments as radios, automobiles and trucks, machine guns, and aircraft into its doctrines and operations.

The Army, as one of the three military departments (Army, Navy and Air Force) reporting to the Department of Defense, is composed of two distinct and equally important components: the active component and the reserve components. The reserve components are the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard.

The Army National Guard (ARNG) is one component of The Army (which consists of the Active Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.) The Army National Guard is composed primarily of traditional Guardsmen -- civilians who serve their country, state and community on a part-time basis (usually one weekend each month and two weeks during the summer.) Each state, most territories and the District of Columbia has its own National Guard, as provided for by the Constitution of the United States.

Globally engaged for more than 15 consecutive years of war, the Army Reserve has been, and continues to be, an essential element of the Total Army and the Joint Force, meeting high operational tempo demands, providing predictable operating and generating forces to Combatant Commands as required. Since 2001, Army Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized more than 335,000 times and deployed across the globe, to include every major combat zone.

The Coast Guard is the principal Federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports and waterways. In this capacity, the Coast Guard protects and defends more than 100,000 miles of U.S. coastline and inland waterways, and safeguards an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) encompassing 4.5 million square miles stretching from North of the Arctic Circle to South of the equator, from Puerto Rico to Guam, encompassing nine time zones – the largest EEZ in the world. As one of the five Armed Services of the United States, the Coast Guard is the only military branch within the Department of Homeland Security.

The mission of Defense.gov is to support the overall mission of the Department of Defense by providing official, timely and accurate information about defense policies, organizations, functions and operations. Also, Defense.gov is the single, unified starting point for finding military information online.

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps is to develop, coordinate, resource, execute, and evaluate training and education concepts, policies, plans, and programs to ensure Marines are prepared to meet the challenges of present and future operational environments.

The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.

The 123d Airlift Wing provides professional, highly adaptive Airmen to Combatant Commanders and the Governor of Kentucky in order to support combat-ready airlift, air logistics expertise, contingency response, special operations, civil engineering, medical support, medical operations, explosive ordnance disposal and base operating support to meet United States' national security objectives; and to provide public protection, mitigation, response and recovery during state and national crises.

The Commissioner, Office of Kentucky Veterans Centers (health services), cemetery services, and headquarters are located in Frankfort. The Field Operations headquarters is co-located with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) Regional Office in downtown Louisville. There are three major, distinct operational elements in the Department: field operations, healthcare services, and cemetery services.

The Kentucky National Guard remains ready to assist communities with disasters on the homefront. Whether it is a flood, tornado, snow or ice storm – or providing security for high-profile events such as the Kentucky Derby – the Kentucky National Guard is here for the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

A collection of special reports compiled by the DOD.

Veterans may find resources for finding employment after leaving the Armed Forces here.

A collection of eBooks published by agencies within the Department of Defense relating to military and national security topics.

This document provides the population of veterans by each Kentucky county for each year from 2010 until 2013.