Army's 250th Anniversary: Key facts to learn more about the Military

Washington, D.C., is filled with patriots. A large military parade floods the streets of the nation's capital, as part of the Army's 250th anniversary (it also coincides with President Donald Trump's birthday). This is the first large-scale military parade in more than three decades (since the 1991 parade commemorating the U.S. victory in the Gulf War).

The White House already announced that the June 14 parade would be a spectacle of military order and technology, an act of national unity, a tribute to those who serve under the American flag, and a reminder of the crucial role the military has played—and continues to play—in defending the nation's freedom, security, and sovereignty.

The importance of the military and an snapshot of how it is shaped

The Pew Research Center revealed six key facts about the military in an article to better understand how this great nation's Armed Forces function. Among them:

According to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), an official agency of the Department of Defense, as of the end of March 2025, 1.32 million people comprised the Army's active-duty personnel. This figure represents a 1.5% increase over the previous year, when the number hovered around 1.30 million.

Active duty includes military personnel working full-time for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force, and does not include reservists or the National Guard.

The Army has the most members, with nearly 450,000 active soldiers. It is followed by the Navy, with approximately 334,000 troops, and the Air Force and the Marine Corps, in third and fourth place, respectively.

The newest and smallest branches, the Coast Guard and Space Force, each have fewer than 50,000 members.

All branches experienced an increase in personnel over the previous year. The Navy gained about 7,300 new members. The Space Force grew by 6.1 percent, while the Coast Guard increased by 3.4 percent.

Domestic and international deployments

Eighty-six percent of active personnel are stationed within the United States. The remaining (14%) serve at overseas bases.

The number of personnel by state varies considerably: California leads with about 157,500 active members. It is followed by Virginia and Texas, both with more than 100,000 military personnel. On the other hand, Vermont only registers 128 active personnel.

By branch, Texas is home to about 65,400 Army soldiers, the largest number per state, and has five major military bases.

Virginia and California concentrate most of the Navy personnel, with 73,500 and 72,500, respectively. Colorado is the operational center of the Space Force, with 4,300 active personnel, three times more than any other state, thanks to its three space bases.

What do citizens think of its armed forces?

A poll by the Pew Research Center released on February 1, 2024, revealed that 60% of Americans believe the military has a positive effect, while 36% think the opposite. Another poll from October 2024 revealed that "79% of U.S. adults said they trust the military to act in the public's best interest. That included 30% who were very confident and 48% who were fairly confident."

Similarly, another survey from the December 2024 Reagan National Defense Survey indicated that 51% of respondents expressed a great deal of confidence in the military, up from 46% the previous year.

In another March 2025 Pew Research survey, 76% of Americans noted that the U.S. remains the world's leading military power for them. Only 14% believe China is, and 8%, Russia.

Voters of both parties widely share this view, although it is stronger among Republicans (80%) than among Democrats (73%).

Military power on a global scale

In scenarios of wars in different parts of the world, 69% of citizens believe that U.S. military power contributes to a safer world. Only 6% believe it makes it less secure, while 24% think it has no significant impact.

This view is more common among older adults: 87% of those 65 and older believe that U.S. military power improves global security, compared with 54% of young adults (ages 18-34).

In April 2024, 63% of Americans felt the United States should maintain its status as the world's sole military superpower. Only 33% considered it acceptable for another nation to acquire similar power.

Among Republicans, support for this position reached 77%. Democrats were more divided: 52% in favor, 45% opposed.