10 Interesting Facts About the US Military You Didn't Know

image
Published: 30 Jun, 2012
Updated: 13 Oct, 2022
2 min read

The United States’ Military and Department of Defense make up a huge portion of our country’s expenditures and has greatly influenced our government and citizens. Many Americans, however, don't know the facts. Our nation considers the security of our citizens and our nation to be of the utmost importance in terms of our government's priorities.

Here is a list of ten interesting facts about the US military and the Department of Defense that you may, or may not have known:

1. 30 of the 43 Presidents served in the Army, 24 during time of war, two earned the rank of 5-star General (President Washington and President Eisenhower) and one earned the Medal of Honor (President Theodore Roosevelt)

2. Less than

28 percent of Americans between the ages of 17-23 are qualified for military service, that’s only about 1-in-4.

3. The Department of Defense employs about 1.8 million people on active duty. It is the single largest employer in the United States, with more employees than Exxon, Mobil, Ford, General Motors, and GE combined.

4. The Army was in charge of exploring and mapping much of America. For example, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was comprised of Army officers and noncommissioned officers.

Click for more military coverage: 

5. The total known land area occupied by US bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles — bigger than Washington DC, Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined

6. The Pentagon unveiled a 2013 budget plan that would cut

$487 billion in spending over the next decade.

7. The Coast Guard seizes 169 pounds of marijuana and 306 pounds of cocaine, worth about $9,589,000.00 everyday.

8. Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon.

IVP Donate

9. The Pentagon has no marble because it was built during World War II, and Italy, the source of marble, was an enemy country.

10. In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year.

What’s your opinion of these 10 interesting facts about the US military and Department of Defense? Speak up!

Latest articles

10 reasons nothing ever gets done on the border
10 Reasons Nothing Ever Gets Done on the Border Crisis
ICE raids, Los Angeles riots, “No King” protests. It’s all people can talk about these days as immigration is front and center in the American social and political zeitgeist. For many voters, this all may seem familiar....
13 Jun, 2025
-
11 min read
I voted sticker being put on someone.
Republican Joins Democrats in Maine to Give Voters More Choice
Showing an independent streak in keeping with Maine’s political tradition, Sen. Rick Bennett (R–Oxford) broke ranks with his party this week to join 91 Democrats in supporting a bill that would finally fulfill the will of Maine voters: implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) in all state general elections....
13 Jun, 2025
-
7 min read
How It Really Works Health Care Behind Bars
Health Care Behind Bars - How It Really Works
The health care crisis behind bars affects two distinct but deeply connected groups: incarcerated individuals and correctional officers. While incarcerated people are constitutionally entitled to care, access remains inconsistent, and most enter custody with significant medical and mental health needs. They face higher rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, and psychiatric conditions than the general public....
12 Jun, 2025
-
20 min read