Defense

How many troops are in the US military?

Data updated February 19, 2025
About 2.1 million in June 2024. This includes 1.3 million active duty troops and 762,000 reserve troops. This includes active duty troops or full-time training duty in the reserves. Reserve troops are withheld from initial action to be deployed at a later time and are subject to call to active duty.

2.1M

people in the US military (June 2024)

63%

of US troops were active duty personnel (June 2024)
The military had about 2.1 million troops in FY 2023, 10.2% fewer than the recent peak in 2010. From FY 2010 to FY 2023, the military’s size has grown or shrunk by 3% or less annually. About 63.3% of troops were active duty in FY 2023.

In FY 2023, 1.3 million troops were active duty and 767,000 were in the reserves.

Troops in the armed forces by fiscal year and by type

The number of troops in each armed forces branch varies. As of June 2024, the Army had the most active duty and reserve troops of any branch: over 443,000 and 498,000, respectively. The Navy has the second-highest active duty troops level at 329,000, and the Air Force has the second-highest Reserve numbers at 169,000 troops.

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The Army has the highest levels of both active duty and reserve troops.

Troops in the armed forces by type and branch, June 2024

Unlike reservists, active duty personnel are continuously engaged in full-time military service, making them the primary force deployed to maintain US military presence and operations around the world.
Data can provide insight into what unclassified locations troops are assigned to. It does not include all personnel on temporary duty or deployed in support of emergency missions.
Out of the 1.3 million active duty troops with known locations, 12.8 percent, or about 166,000 troops, were stationed abroad (including US territories) in June 2024. The military’s presence was largest in Japan and Germany, where about 53,000 and 35,000 active-duty troops, respectively, were assigned.

Out of the 166,000 troops overseas, most were in Japan and Germany as of June 2024.

Active duty troops stationed abroad, June 2024

Active-duty troops are also stationed domestically. As of June 2024, about 1.1 million troops were stationed in the US. California, Virginia, and Texas had more than 100,000 troops assigned to bases within their state lines, accounting for 34.8% of active duty troops. Twenty-three states and Washington, DC, have over 10,000 troops.

California had the most active duty troops as of June 2024, about 161,000.

Active duty troops stationed in the US, June 2024

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Defense Manpower Data Center

    The Defense Manpower Data Center provides data on Department of Defense personnel and workforce. Its data includes information on active-duty troops, military and civilian personnel, and reserve troops.