standing army
Always-ready troops
A standing army is a permanent military force maintained in peacetime, as opposed to troops raised only during wartime.
The concept was historically controversial—early Americans feared a standing army could threaten liberty and preferred citizen militias.
The Constitution limits standing army appropriations to two years.
Soldiers' residential building
- garrisonStationed military force
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- battalionMid-sized military unit
- brigadeLarge military unit
division · enlistment · conscription · military-industrial · defense budget · national defense · career soldiers · armed forces
Ground combat troops
- cavalryMounted military force
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- soldiersMilitary personnel who fight
- troopsMilitary personnel collectively
officers · enlisted · platoon · company · squadron · corps · regulars · professionals
Prepared for armed conflict
- deployableReady for field use
- mobilizationOrganizing for action
- preparednessState of being equipped
- alertWarning or watchfulness
vigilant · trained · disciplined · equipped · operational · garrisoned · on standby · rapid response
Safeguarding a country's interests
- territorial defenseProtecting sovereign land boundaries
- border protectionSecuring national boundaries
- state powerGovernment's capacity to govern
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
geopolitics · alliances · treaties · neutrality · non-alignment · defense pact · collective security · balance of power
Pro-force national policy
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- quarteringDivision by four
- taxationCompulsory government revenue collection
oppression · citizen militia · military coup · martial law · civilian control · anti-federalist · praetorian guard · janissaries
barracks
Soldiers' residential building
brigade · division · enlistment · conscription · military-industrial · defense budget · national defense · career soldiers · armed forces · general staff
infantry
Ground combat troops
- cavalryMounted military force
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- soldiersMilitary personnel who fight
troops · officers · enlisted · platoon · company · squadron · corps · regulars · professionals · volunteers
combat-ready
Prepared for armed conflict
- deployableReady for field use
- mobilizationOrganizing for action
- preparednessState of being equipped
alert · vigilant · trained · disciplined · equipped · operational · garrisoned · on standby · rapid response · deterrence
national security
Safeguarding a country's interests
- territorial defenseProtecting sovereign land boundaries
- border protectionSecuring national boundaries
- state powerGovernment's capacity to govern
sovereignty · geopolitics · alliances · treaties · neutrality · non-alignment · defense pact · collective security · balance of power · sphere of influence
militarism
Pro-force national policy
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- quarteringDivision by four
taxation · oppression · citizen militia · military coup · martial law · civilian control · anti-federalist · praetorian guard · janissaries · political interference
- military forcesallied forces, soldiers, troops, coalition forces, militias
- Early Modern GermanyHoly Roman Empire, Protestant Reformation, Thirty Years War, Martin Luther, Brandenburg
- military policydefense strategy, defense budget, military spending, troop deployment, national security
- militiamilitia, citizen soldier, colonial militia, citizen soldiers, state militias
- American RevolutionDeclaration of Independence, Boston Tea Party, Continental Congress, founding fathers, Stamp Act
- military personnelsoldiers, soldier, midshipmen, officers, troops
standing armymilitia
Non-professional armed force
conscript army · citizen army · levies · citizen militia · reserves
standing armymilitia
Non-professional armed force
citizen soldiers · irregular forces · guerrilla fighters · partisans · volunteers
standing armydisarmament
Reducing or eliminating weapons
demilitarization · pacifism · demobilization · nonviolent resistance
stand, standing, army, stands, stander, standers, standee, standees