Uniformed services of the United States

The United States has seven uniformed services.

These are broken down into five military services (armed forces) and two services which are considered uniformed but are not military.

Military services

Other uniformed services

NOAA Commissioned Corps - a uniformed branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), formerly the Coast and Geodetic Survey
Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

Members of these services are paid on the same scale and wear similar insignia of rank.

Members of the NOAA Corps and Public Health Service Commissioned Corps wear uniforms closely resembling those of the U.S. Navy.

The distinction between a commissioned officer of a non-military uniformed service and a civilian is important under the laws of war. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (a predecessor to NOAA) originally began commissioning its officers so that if captured while engaged in battlefield surveying, they could not legally be tried as spies.

US Code:Title 5.Part III.Chapter 21. S 2101 See also United States armed forces.

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