What is Military: Definition and 114 Discussions

A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically officially authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct military uniform. It may consist of one or more military branches such as an army, navy, air force, space force, marines, or coast guard. The main task of the military is usually defined as defence of the state and its interests against external armed threats.
In broad usage, the terms armed forces and military are often treated as synonymous, although in technical usage a distinction is sometimes made in which a country's armed forces may include both its military and other paramilitary forces. There are various forms of irregular military forces, not belonging to a recognized state; though they share many attributes with regular military forces, they are less often referred to as simply military.

A nation's military may function as a discrete social subculture, with dedicated infrastructure such as military housing, schools, utilities, logistics, hospitals, legal services, food production, finance, and banking services. Beyond warfare, the military may be employed in additional sanctioned and non-sanctioned functions within the state, including internal security threats, population control, the promotion of a political agenda, emergency services and reconstruction, protecting corporate economic interests, social ceremonies and national honour guards.The profession of soldiering as part of a military is older than recorded history itself. Some of the most enduring images of classical antiquity portray the power and feats of its military leaders. The Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC was one of the defining points of Pharaoh Ramses II's reign, and his monuments commemorate it in bas-relief. A thousand years later, the first emperor of unified China, Qin Shi Huang, was so determined to impress the gods with his military might that he had himself buried with an army of terracotta soldiers.
The Romans paid considerable attention to military matters, leaving to posterity many treatises and writings on the subject, as well as many lavishly carved triumphal arches and victory columns.

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  1. Strato Incendus

    Writing: Input Wanted Civilians in Space vs. Professionalism and Military Decorum

    A common criticism of the newer Star Trek shows is the lack of military decorum among Starfleet officers. From open insubordination and constantly questioning orders of superiors, to actually mocking superiors, attacking them personally (sometimes even physically), to oversharing of personal...
  2. L

    Difference between Boss seal industrial vs military fittings SAE specs

    Hi - attached is 3 pages from the PARKER o ring guide and I am having trouble with specs in the military straight thread tube fitting chart not fitting the designated o-ring. I can't find a different resource for something in my thread size needed - 5/8-18 Does anyone have an alternative...
  3. G

    Exploring Military SF: Realistic Energy Shields

    I am writing a military SF, and wonder, what could be the most realistic things, that are close to the old SF concept of energy shields. So far, i wrote that a small mecha uses a handheld plasma shield against an incoming missile. Like explosive reactive armor, it meant to shatter the...
  4. M

    Writing: Input Wanted Does this sound like a rip off of Halo?

    Does this sound too close to being a rip off of Halo. By the 23rd Century, a special component spread out over the Naval Defense Force, Ground Defense Forces, and United Space Force is SPARTAN or SPecial Assault opeRations TeAms Network. SPARTAN is broken up into 10 Units, the GDF has 5, the...
  5. fresh_42

    Newsticker to "the special military operation" of Russia in Ukraine

    In this thread, you will read news about the current situation in Ukraine. This service is especially for our Russian audience who hasn't access to news other than the official Russian sources. A typical message should not contain any comments (for comments please refer to...
  6. Matsukaze

    Chemistry Military for an undergrad

    NUPOC program specifically. In short, I get paid a salary to earn my bachelor's before being shipped off. From what I can tell, it's the single most efficient program in terms of time spent and money gained. I would like to get advice from people who understand my career pathway. I feel that a...
  7. AJSayad

    Online ME or AE Program for Active Duty Military Service Members

    Hello everyone, I have a friend who serves in the military, he enlisted right out of high school (about 3 years ago) and he is looking to start a program to earn his bachelors degree. Due to his current role in the military, he needs to take courses online in order to fulfill his duties. He...
  8. L

    Writing: Input Wanted Looking for Insight into an Obscure Type of Military Laser

    I’m writing a story about warfare several decades in the future. While I was doing research into possible directed-energy weapons, I came across something interesting. I don’t know if there is a name for the whole concept but it can be generally described as the use of brief laser pulses to...
  9. Tjcarney

    Programs Applied Math or Electrical Engineering (Active Duty Military)

    I am currently active duty military and an aspiring physicist(probably theoretical but I haven't decided). I'm planning to take college classes online but there aren't any accredited physics degree programs that are online (at least that I found). The next best thing that I can find are 2...
  10. AirmanX

    Programs Returning to Physics After 4 Years: Should I Refresh or Push On?

    Perhaps this isn’t the place to ask, but I was just looking to hear opinions from some people on here about my situation. I’ve been out of school for 4 years now, having left to enlist with the Air Force. While in school I was majoring in Physics/Mathematics. I was a B student in Physics 1, 2...
  11. Quentin_alex

    Engineering Materials engineer in the military as a civilian

    What is it like to work as a materials engineer as a civilian with the Department of Defense?
  12. S

    Programs Any other military here pursuing a physics degree?

    Online classes... changing duty stations, maybe even deployments. Trying to pursue any degree is difficult while active duty military, but especially when you're pursuing a degree that requires many labs that are difficult or even impossible to complete fully online or with a lab kit. I'm a...
  13. D

    Physics Will Serving (4Yrs) in Military Inhibit Grad School Chances

    Hello, I am currently an undergraduate student on track to get a physics degree than try to pursue graduate school options. However I also am also athletic and was planning on joining the marines with officer candidate school (maybe/hopefully). The problem is that I was wondering if that ~4 year...
  14. Andrehm99

    Schools Study in college or join the US Air Force?

    Hello, thanks to everyone who is reading this. First of all, I'm sorry if i made a mistake on my english, I'm learning. My name is Andre I will tell a brief story of my life so you can understand my situation. My parents are peruvian and traveled to usa because of all the problems that Peru...
  15. Zeppelin34

    Programs Can you earn a Physics degree while in the military?

    I was wondering if one could earn a Physics degree while on active duty. I was thinking about joining the Air Force.
  16. J

    Physics Is a physics degree good for a stable job?

    I am really interested in physics, and have a knack for it (am currently in my second year of physics at college, so I think I can honestly match myself up with other physics majors), but am not a savant or anything. I would love to push through and finish the degree, but the degree doesn't seem...
  17. J

    Engineering US military career change to engineering and need advice

    I am interested in pursuing a career change to electrical engineering with the specific goal of working in the space industry. I have served 18 years in the US Army in a field that has nothing to do with engineering or any other technically oriented field. I am committed to four more years of...
  18. T

    Which ROTC program is best for a physics major at Virginia Tech?

    So I just got accepted into Virginia Tech and I will be participating in the Virginia Tech Corp of Cadets as a physics major. I am currently signed up for Air Force ROTC but I'm starting to have second thoughts and am now considering Army ROTC. I was wondering if anybody could tell me what there...
  19. T

    Mechanical Engineering and the military?

    Hello I'm curios to know if any of you have been affected by my current situation. Currently I go to school and major in Mechanical Engineering, I live on my own(with a roommate) have a full time job and go to school all at the same time. I wouldn't be doing all of that if I didn't have to but...
  20. G

    In military, need online courses

    Hey there! My name is Alex and I am a new member to the foum. Hopefully, I am able to reach out to some people and talk to people who are interested in what I find fascinating. I do have a question for anyone who might be able to help me though. I am currently in the military and can't really...
  21. Borek

    History Uncle Mietek: Tracing Family History in a Military Cemetery

    When I was a kid my Dad told me stories about uncle Mietek – brother of his mom (and my grandmom). Not that he remembered him – uncle Mietek joined Polish Army somewhere in nineteen thirties, went to Military Academy, and was killed in early September, just a few days after the WWII started. Dad...
  22. J

    First year (unusual situation)

    Background: I am a non-traditional student currently enrolled in a large research-centric university planning on majoring in physics. Graduated H.S. in 2009. Spent 5 years in the military working in a field wholly unrelated to any of my studies(current or planned) The situation: I see a lot of...
  23. TNesher

    Why are the words corps and corpse so similar?

    Hi, I was just wondering, is there a reason why the word corps (a branch of a military organization assigned to a particular kind of work) and corpse (a dead body, especially of a human being) are sounding so similar?
  24. L

    I want to design Missiles for the Navy -- what should I study?

    i would like to design and build missiles for the navy which upper school subjects should i take and then which uni corses should i follow them up with
  25. A

    Help with selecting materials -- military surveillance application

    1. To carry out a materials selection exercise for a military/surveillance portable infrared imager tripod. The exercise will be carried out by means of any legal and valid technique possible and applicable, including (but not withstanding) techniques described in lectures, textbooks &...
  26. Astronuc

    News Russian and Chinese military reaching out

    Chinese warships in first call at an Iran port http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-warships-first-call-iran-port-205315307.htmlU.S., Canadian jets intercept 8 Russian aircraft http://news.yahoo.com/us-canadian-jets-intercept-8-russian-aircraft-232846452.html [Broken]...
  27. S

    Ex-Grad School Physics Major looking at Military for Job

    Hello, I currently hold a B.S. in Physics with a minor in Mathematics, but personally felt that to be more prepared for a job in industry, I would need to obtain a Master's degree, so I went through the whole graduate school application process, got into graduate school, and just recently...
  28. B

    Can military naval vessels easily survive any hurricane/typhoon?

    This question is for any naval military folk out there . . . Can naval vessels, from the largest aircraft carriers down to the smaller ships, easily survive severe ocean weather like hurricanes and typhoons? If so, do they even change their training schedules due to bad weather?
  29. A

    Programs Prior military thinking of physics/engineering degree

    So, about 3 years ago I was on these forums getting an idea of what I wanted to do after I got out of the military. My how time flys because my military service is almost up as I have a little more than a year left. My job in the Air Force is an avionics tech on fighter jets. I love my job...
  30. P

    Exploring Military Enlistment Options for Higher Education Pursuits

    Hello, forum I would like to finish some higher education. Given my present situation I do not think I am able to finish all the courses at my CC with a job and a shared room. I have a somewhat empty resume and honestly don't think I am able to take care of myself. So, I am seriously looking...
  31. C

    Merging Mech. Engineering & Chemistry for work in the Military Sectoror

    Hi there. I am currently a freshman Mechanical Engineering major. I'll try to keep things short. I have a vision for my future; I want to design body armor and personal protective equipment for the military/paramilitary. This interest has lead me to pursue Mechanical Engineering as a...
  32. A

    How to get into military research with a masters?

    Come June I will have my masters from a top uni in the field of astrophysics (though most of my thesis work was in statistics). I'm looking for jobs just about anywhere but I've heard good things about civilian military research. How does one get into doing research in something like particle...
  33. A

    Bullet Proof Shields For Military Infantry

    mechie's i saw some news footage awhile ago and the troops were running across an airport runway being sniped at. where are they at with developing and issuing shields now? anybody have first hand experience. is the thinking keep the heavy pack on so you don't get shot in the back? if so...
  34. J

    Physics Exploring a Career in Physics with the Military: Advice for JD

    Hello All, call me JD. I'm strongly considering joining the military to begin my career in physics. My ultimate goal is to obtain a PhD in theoretical physics and do research in a yet to be determined specialization. What I'm looking for is some general advice for starters. I've seen most...
  35. Ivan Seeking

    News The US military role in Iraq has officially ended

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/15/us-exit-iraq-withdrawal-ambivalence?newsfeed=true For the US, IIRC, ~4500 dead, 30,000 injured, 1.5 million have served with perhaps 810,000 suffering from PTSD, and about $1 trillion in financial costs. When the war started, I had been traveling...
  36. J

    News National Defense Authorization Act: Military can detain US citizens?

    The National Defense Authorization Act was passed in the Senate 93-7. In this bill, language was inserted that may be interpreted to mean the military can hold US citizens indefinitely without trial. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/senate-military-detention/ Is a Wired editorial on...
  37. T

    How do I get envolved with designing weapons for the military?

    I am a high school senior looking for advice about a career plan. I have some experience with CNC and am taking a few engineering courses through my high school. I want to design weapons for the military. However, I do not want to serve in the armed forces. I am looking to begin working with the...
  38. T

    The Invasion of Normandy: Military Tactics & Missed Opportunities

    The invasion of Normandy was very bloody and as detailed in Saving Private Ryan very brutal with many casualties. My question is of the military tactics. The date of the invasion was secret,but why weren't the German Bunker positions bombed by allied forces just 20 minutes before the first...
  39. D

    Australian aerospace student - military, then PhD, or straight to PhD?

    Hi all, I am a third year Bachelor of Aerospace engineering student at an Australian university seeking career advice. I am currently 22 and will be 24 when I graduate. As it stands, I am looking at committing to a 3 year period of service in the Australian military as an aerospace...
  40. nismaratwork

    News 1st Amendment protects military funeral protesters

    http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/02/scotus.westboro.church/index.html?hpt=Sbin So, these hatemongers can continue to protest military funerals... which is no surprise as it's a pretty clear-cut issue of free expression. By the same token, I hope their hell is real, and reserved just for them...
  41. J

    Joining Military after Receiving Phd

    My question is to whether or not anyone has experience with joining the US military after graduating from graduate school. I know (from what I have heard) that direct commission is available (in at least the Navy and Air Force) for those that have college degrees. My questions are whether or...
  42. F

    US Military OCS, physical scientist.

    Does anyone have any experience with the military officer candidate school career path for physical scientists? I would like to put my physics B.S. to use, but I don't think I can get into a graduate program. I also don't want to join just to get shipped into a combat zone. What's it like?
  43. Mech_Engineer

    News Navy serviceman accused of trying to sell classified military documents

    Seriously, what's with the rash of leaking classified military documents?? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/06/AR2010120607109.html
  44. A

    Schools Going to grad school after military service? GRE scores and NUPOC.

    Hello, I'm a freshman physics and ME major(which will be switched to nucEng when i transfer to purdue, right now it is strictly for thermodynamics and other courses that overlap between ME and nucEng) looking at joining the navy through a program called NUPOC. NUPOC is a program that aims to...
  45. E

    Nuclear power plants, perfect military targets

    Power plants are among the first targets in a war, and a nuclear reactor blast by a weapon would release its radioactivity accumulated in normal use just as an accident like Chernobyl does. A country with many reactors transformed into dirty bombs would be uninhabitable. Unfortunately...
  46. O

    Engineering ROTC and Joining the military with physics/engineering PhD

    Hey guys, I was recently considering the option of doing ROTC to pay for school and was wondering a few things. I don't know if this is the right place to be posting this so sorry if its in the wrong spot but here it goes: - This is the most important question: If you do ROTC in college and...
  47. A

    News The reason you cant be flat footed in the military

    the reason you can't be flat footed in the military is because you have a lot of back, hip, and knee problems. I have wanted to join the military since i was a little kid. but recently i have just found out that i can't since i am flat footed. and that is the reason. I know for a fact because I...
  48. G

    Aerospace Rails - Floor of Military aircraft

    I am looking for aerospace mounting rails...I remember that in the cargo bays of several large military aircraft, there are long rails with threaded holes that are used to bolt 19" racks, chairs, etc too. I need to select rails to install on the underside of an aircraft to support a radome...
  49. K

    News Legal status of US military presence in Iraq

    I've seen it claimed that under international law, we're still at war in Iraq. In contrast, I'm under the impression that the war ended the moment we replaced the Saddam regime with the Coalition Provisional Authority, with the status being one of military occupation since then. My basis for...
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