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.
Types of Service. 1  The Military is comprised of 12 branches: five Active Duty and seven part-time duty. 2  Active-duty service members are full-time members of the Military. 3  They are employed either domestically or overseas.o problem. In this section, you'll find a brief overview of each Service branch, the differences between full-time and part-time duty and links to complete information on each Service. 1  Overview. 2  Army. 3  Marine Corps. 4  Air Force. 5  Coast Guard.