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About This Quiz
Attention, Private! The military has served and protected the United States for over 200 years, and continues to do so today. It has a long history filled with many unusual facts, ranging across everything from mascots to secret technology. There's also the more well-known things such as positions and branches. Do you know what the functions of each of the branches are?
Do you know what type of bullets the military uses? What about the mottoes that the different branches use? Can you name a celebrity who has served in the military? Can you name the items found in a military survival kit? If you found those questions easy, you won't need a survival kit for this quiz!
Do you know the rules that must be followed by members of the military? Can you name the largest military base? Do you know what brand the military helped out? Can you name the headquarters of the Department of Defense? Make sure you know your military history, you'll be going back in time!
From the inventions, to the history, geography and the brave personnel, you'll want to know it all to get a good score. If you think you're a military expert, take the quiz to see how well you really know the troops!
Which celebrity has served in the Air Force?
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash served in the Air Force in 1950. He spent four years on the force and even then pursued music with a band he formed called "The Landsberg Barbarians."
Isaac Newton
John Wayne
Tom Cruise
How many presidents have been part of the military?
26
26 presidents have served in the military. In the 1800s, it was common for a president to serve in the military before their term, and they were of course still involved during it.
10
2
50
Which of the following can't a Marine do while in uniform?
Put their hands in their pockets
Marines cannot put their hands in their pockets while in uniform out of respect and to show their seriousness about their role. The gesture may seem simple, but it is very important.
Shop
Leave their base
Eat
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What did members of the Navy do to mark where they have been while serving?
phone their relatives
mark their passports
pick up a memento
get a tattoo
Members of the Navy used to get tattoos to remember the places that they visited. They also got tattoos to remember their accomplishments.
Is it true or false that the Coast Guard is part of the military?
True
This is true. The Coast Guard is a branch of the military that deals with matters back at home in the United States. The Coast Guard deals with matters such as drugs and illegal immigration.
False
In what state would you find the headquarters of the Department of Defense?
New York
Washington
Georgia
Virginia
The Department of National Defense is headquartered in Virginia, the location being known as the Pentagon. The building gets its name from the shape of the building, which is in fact a pentagon.
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What did the military invent to eliminate the noise of clothing?
Discreet airhorns
Buttons
Zippers
Silent velcro
The military invented silent Velcro that does not make the loud ripping sound of regular Velcro. The invention is used for the uniforms of the troops.
Which of the following items is included in the military survival kit?
Condoms
Condoms are used in military survival kits because of their ability to hold water. They can be life saving in situations where you need to have fresh water.
Fork
Cell phone
Mountain Dew
What changed in the military in 1973?
Conscription
Conscription to the US military changed in 1973, as people would no longer be drafted to the war. This meant that people who wanted to enlist could still do so, but others who qualified would not be forced to by law.
Requirements
Rations
Roles
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Is it true or false that the army was around before America became a country?
True
This is true. The US Army was first formed in 1775, which is one year before the country declared independence. This makes the military older than the United States itself.
False
What are the Warrior Games?
A board game night for soldiers
A wrestling match
A series of sporting events in the military
The Warrior Games is a sporting event that is held for the soldiers who served and were injured. The games were created in 2010 and they include a number of sports.
A stampede
Which of the following can the military take orders from?
President
The military can take orders from the president, who is also the commander in chief. Even though they do what the president orders, this can also have its limitations.
Governor
Judge
Police Officer
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What was the previous name of the Department of Defense?
Department of War
The Department of Defense was originally called the Department of War. It was created in 1789 and it was officially renamed in 1947.
Defense Treasury
Department of Defense Relations
Department of Overseas Affairs
Which movie influenced the enlistment of Air Force recruits?
"Groundhog Day"
"Reservoir Dogs"
"Good Will Hunting"
"Top Gun"
"Top Gun" influenced the number of recruits to the Air Force significantly after its release. After watching, many people decided that they wanted to be a pilot as well.
Is it true or false that the Department of Defense is the largest employer in the United States?
True
This is true. The Department of Defense employs over 3 million people in the United States. It is even considered among the largest employers in the world.
False
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What type of specialized bullet does the US military use in some cases?
Nitrogen
Aluminium
Uranium
The US Military uses uranium bullets, which are strong enough to penetrate through vehicles. It is commonly used by tanks in the military as opposed to rifles.
Balsa wood
The military has over 2,000 what?
Weapons
Commanders
Soldiers
Dogs
There are over 2,000 dogs in the military. These dogs are used for many different things including sniffing out bombs and they also bring comfort to the troops.
Which country captured the USS Pueblo?
North Korea
North Korea captured the USS Pueblo in 1968. It is famous for being the only U.S. ship captured in the history of the United States military.
Australia
England
Japan
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How many times has the United States officially declared war?
11
The United States has declared war only 11 times in history. Some of the official declarations of war include war against Japan and declarations of war during World War I.
42
99
39
Is it true or false that Ray Bans were invented because of the military?
True
This is true. The military needed sunglasses for their aviators and had them made by a company, starting the Ray Ban trend. The glasses also eliminated the glare.
False
Which department uses the motto "Semper Paratus"?
Navy
Army
Air Force
Coast Guard
This is the motto for the Coast Guard branch which means "always ready." The motto is also included in the coat of arms for the branch.
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Which branch of the military has the most personnel?
Marines
Coast Guard
Army
The Army has more personnel than any other branch. In contrast, the Coast Guards are by far the smallest branch, with less than 50,000 personnel.
Navy
What can you not use to pay in a store on a US military base?
Pennies
Pennies are not accepted at military bases due to being more hassle and cost associated with them. Instead, costs are rounded up or down.
Bills
Credit cards
Nickels
What was the U.S. military's first battle?
Vietnam War
World War I
American Revolutionary War
The first battle of the U.S. military was the American Revolutionary War at the time of the military's formation. It was a successful conflict for the United States that ended up winning them their independence.
World War II
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Is it true or false that the military owns land worldwide?
True
This is true. The military owns land worldwide, and a lot of it! Over 600 million acres of land worldwide is under the ownership of the U.S. military.
False
On Christmas, which department of the military handles calls about Santa Claus?
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
U.S. Army Space and Missile Command
U.S. Fleet Forces Command
U.S. Air Defense Command
The U.S. Air Defense Command handles all calls about Santa on Christmas. They are better known now as NORAD, and they even have a website that tracks Santa on Christmas Eve.
When is Veteran's Day?
April 9
August 5
November 11
Veteran's Day is on November 11, and it celebrates all of the veterans who have fought or are currently fighting in the military. It takes place yearly and there are ceremonies all around the country.
July 19
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Which branch uses the motto "Semper Fidelis"?
Marines
The Marines use this motto, which means "always faithful." The motto has been in use by the branch for over 100 years and it was also adopted 100 years after the formation of the branch.
Coast Guard
Navy
Army
What is the mascot for the US Navy?
Goat
The mascot for the Navy is a goat, named Bill the Goat. Bill has a rich history in the Navy, becoming the mascot way back in the late 1800s.
Shark
Beaver
Bear
What is the largest U.S. military base?
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is the largest U.S. military base in the world. It is located in North Carolina, where it covers more than 100,000 acres of land.
Camp Schwab
RAF Mildenhall
Westover Joint Air Reserve Base
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How many people currently serve in the military?
Over one million
There are over 1 million service members in the United States military. Even though that might seem like a lot, it is less than one percent of the American population.
100,000
10,000
18,000
What is FLIP?
A boat
FLIP stand for "Floating Instrument Platform" and it is a boat-like structure that can do exactly as its name suggests, flip on its side. The purpose is to study and research the ocean and anything underwater.
A base
A unit
A weapon
Where is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier located?
New Jersey
Nevada
Virginia
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located in Arlington, Virginia, the same place as the Pentagon. The tomb is dedicated to all soldiers who lost their lives and were unable to be identified.
Texas
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What is the unofficial mascot of the US Marines?
Dolphin
Elephant
Rhinoceros
Bulldog
The mascot for the Marines is a Bulldog, as the nickname for the branch is "Devil Dogs." The real bulldog that served as mascot was named Chesty.
You Got:
/35
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