Katherine Carroll is a non-tenure track associate professor at Vanderbilt University where she teaches courses on the U.S. military, the Iraq War, and the Middle East in the Department of Political Science. She is also the associate director of Vanderbilt’s Program in Public Policy Studies. William B. Hickman is a retired Major General in the U.S. Army, with extensive experience supporting our European Allies, deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and strategic and operational assignments focused on U.S. national security.

"Understanding the U.S. Military is by far the best primer in existence on the history and organization of the U.S. Department of Defense and military services, their role in American society, and the challenges they confront today. The authors have accomplished the near impossible – making comprehensible to the lay reader the myriad complex organizations and operations of the U.S. defense establishment. Highly recommended for course adoption at the undergraduate and graduate levels for education and training in national security and citizenship."Peter R. Mansoor, Colonel, USA (Ret.), Ohio State University, USA, Author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War "Understanding the U.S. Military has arrived just in time. American citizens are increasingly disconnected from those who serve and fight in their name. If the American people do not understand the requirements of national defense or the warrior ethos that is foundational to military effectiveness, our ability to deter conflict and, if necessary, to fight and win wars will be greatly diminished. That is why it is important to read and discuss this book.''H.R. McMaster, Lieut. Gen, (U.S. Army, ret.), Author of Battlegrounds and Dereliction of Duty"Service members often complain that citizens don't understand the military, but there has been no single place for people to learn about the armed forces, their relationship with society, and their role in national security decision-making. Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman have provided this vital volume so citizens can better understand the military and hold officials accountable."Retired US Army Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda, Strategic Leaders Academy, USA, Author of Zero-Sum Victory: What We're Getting Wrong About War''A superbly conceived and wonderfully presented primer that will do an excellent job in helping readers gain an understanding of one of America’s most respected institutions, the United States military.''General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA

• Introduction: Understanding the U.S. Military Section One: The U.S. Military’s Context 1. The U.S. Military in the Constitution 2. Civil-Military Relations Section Two: The Branches of Service and Reserve Component 3. The United States Army 4. The United States Navy 5. The United States Air Force 6. The United States Marine Corps 7. The United States Space Force 8. The National Guard and Reserves Section Three: Structural and Normative Constraints 9. Command Relationships 10. The Joint Force 11. Strategy 12. The U.S. Defense Budget 13. Military Justice 14. Military Medicine 15. Recruiting and Strength Management 16. Tactics 17. Training and Education 18. The Profession of Arms

Katherine Carroll is a non-tenure track associate professor at Vanderbilt University where she teaches courses on the U.S. military, the Iraq War, and the Middle East in the Department of Political Science. She is also the associate director of Vanderbilt’s Program in Public Policy Studies. William B. Hickman is a retired Major General in the U.S. Army, with extensive experience supporting our European Allies, deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and strategic and operational assignments focused on U.S. national security.

"Understanding the U.S. Military is by far the best primer in existence on the history and organization of the U.S. Department of Defense and military services, their role in American society, and the challenges they confront today. The authors have accomplished the near impossible – making comprehensible to the lay reader the myriad complex organizations and operations of the U.S. defense establishment. Highly recommended for course adoption at the undergraduate and graduate levels for education and training in national security and citizenship."Peter R. Mansoor, Colonel, USA (Ret.), Ohio State University, USA, Author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War "Understanding the U.S. Military has arrived just in time. American citizens are increasingly disconnected from those who serve and fight in their name. If the American people do not understand the requirements of national defense or the warrior ethos that is foundational to military effectiveness, our ability to deter conflict and, if necessary, to fight and win wars will be greatly diminished. That is why it is important to read and discuss this book.''H.R. McMaster, Lieut. Gen, (U.S. Army, ret.), Author of Battlegrounds and Dereliction of Duty"Service members often complain that citizens don't understand the military, but there has been no single place for people to learn about the armed forces, their relationship with society, and their role in national security decision-making. Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman have provided this vital volume so citizens can better understand the military and hold officials accountable."Retired US Army Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda, Strategic Leaders Academy, USA, Author of Zero-Sum Victory: What We're Getting Wrong About War''A superbly conceived and wonderfully presented primer that will do an excellent job in helping readers gain an understanding of one of America’s most respected institutions, the United States military.''General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA

• Introduction: Understanding the U.S. Military Section One: The U.S. Military’s Context 1. The U.S. Military in the Constitution 2. Civil-Military Relations Section Two: The Branches of Service and Reserve Component 3. The United States Army 4. The United States Navy 5. The United States Air Force 6. The United States Marine Corps 7. The United States Space Force 8. The National Guard and Reserves Section Three: Structural and Normative Constraints 9. Command Relationships 10. The Joint Force 11. Strategy 12. The U.S. Defense Budget 13. Military Justice 14. Military Medicine 15. Recruiting and Strength Management 16. Tactics 17. Training and Education 18. The Profession of Arms

Katherine Carroll is a non-tenure track associate professor at Vanderbilt University where she teaches courses on the U.S. military, the Iraq War, and the Middle East in the Department of Political Science. She is also the associate director of Vanderbilt’s Program in Public Policy Studies. William B. Hickman is a retired Major General in the U.S. Army, with extensive experience supporting our European Allies, deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and strategic and operational assignments focused on U.S. national security.

"Understanding the U.S. Military is by far the best primer in existence on the history and organization of the U.S. Department of Defense and military services, their role in American society, and the challenges they confront today. The authors have accomplished the near impossible – making comprehensible to the lay reader the myriad complex organizations and operations of the U.S. defense establishment. Highly recommended for course adoption at the undergraduate and graduate levels for education and training in national security and citizenship."Peter R. Mansoor, Colonel, USA (Ret.), Ohio State University, USA, Author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War "Understanding the U.S. Military has arrived just in time. American citizens are increasingly disconnected from those who serve and fight in their name. If the American people do not understand the requirements of national defense or the warrior ethos that is foundational to military effectiveness, our ability to deter conflict and, if necessary, to fight and win wars will be greatly diminished. That is why it is important to read and discuss this book.''H.R. McMaster, Lieut. Gen, (U.S. Army, ret.), Author of Battlegrounds and Dereliction of Duty"Service members often complain that citizens don't understand the military, but there has been no single place for people to learn about the armed forces, their relationship with society, and their role in national security decision-making. Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman have provided this vital volume so citizens can better understand the military and hold officials accountable."Retired US Army Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda, Strategic Leaders Academy, USA, Author of Zero-Sum Victory: What We're Getting Wrong About War''A superbly conceived and wonderfully presented primer that will do an excellent job in helping readers gain an understanding of one of America’s most respected institutions, the United States military.''General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA

• Introduction: Understanding the U.S. Military Section One: The U.S. Military’s Context 1. The U.S. Military in the Constitution 2. Civil-Military Relations Section Two: The Branches of Service and Reserve Component 3. The United States Army 4. The United States Navy 5. The United States Air Force 6. The United States Marine Corps 7. The United States Space Force 8. The National Guard and Reserves Section Three: Structural and Normative Constraints 9. Command Relationships 10. The Joint Force 11. Strategy 12. The U.S. Defense Budget 13. Military Justice 14. Military Medicine 15. Recruiting and Strength Management 16. Tactics 17. Training and Education 18. The Profession of Arms