The US Army is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. As the oldest and largest branch of the U.S. military, its core mission is to preserve peace, provide national defence, and achieve sustained land dominance. Key activities include ground combat operations, peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and domestic support such as disaster response and infrastructure maintenance via the Army Corps of Engineers. The Army has played a pivotal role in U.S. history, from securing independence to participating in major global conflicts.