Named for Revolutionary War general and South Carolina native Thomas Sumter, Fort Sumter was one of nearly 50 forts built as part of the so-called Third System, a coastal defense program implemented by Congress in 1817.
In simple terms, the U.S. Armed Forces are made up of the five armed service branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
(Each Service has different requirements, but some apply to the Military as a whole.) They include factors such as age, education level, physical condition and U.S. citizenship status. Exploring Branches & Types of Service The Military is comprised of 12 branches: five Active Duty and seven part-time duty.