Which U.S. cabinet department oversees the military branches whose veterans are honored on Veterans Day?

The Department of Defense oversees the U.S. military branches whose veterans are honored on Veterans Day.

The Department of Defense, usually called the DOD or DoD, manages the nation’s armed forces through the civilian secretary of defense. The military departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force operate within the department, while the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy and the Space Force is part of the Department of the Air Force.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a different mission. It serves eligible veterans after or alongside their military service, providing benefits, health care, cemeteries, and other programs. The two departments are therefore connected but distinct.

Veterans Day recognizes former members of all six U.S. military branches, not only Army veterans.