As part of the National Security Act, which branch of the U.S. military was created?

• A. Army
• B. Air Force
• C. Navy
• D. Coast Guard

Answer: (B)

Air power began to stand as a distinct domain of national security, deserving its own organized, focused force. The National Security Act of 1947 created the United States Air Force as an independent military service, separating it from the Army to develop air doctrine, procurement, and operations under a dedicated command structure. This reorganization also formed the Department of Defense and established the National Security Council and the CIA to coordinate security policy, reflecting a broader shift in how the U.S. ran its national security apparatus. Before this act, air components were part of the Army (the Army Air Forces), so recognizing air power as a separate service was the key change. The other services existed, but the act's defining move was establishing the Air Force as its own branch.