U.S. Military

The real life U.S. Military, known collectively as the Armed Forces of the United States, are the combined military forces of The United States of America.

Pre-Apocalypse

The U.S. Military is made up of five armed service branches: Army (both regular army and National Guard) Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Each branch of the military has a unique approach towards protecting America's interests and ensuring global peace.

Collectively, they are informally referred to as the "Military" within the realms of this fictional universe.

The Military attempted to contain the outbreak, but were ultimately overrun by the sheer numbers of the undead as well as being whittled down by desertions and break downs in the chain of command. As such, many scattered outposts, vehicles, and equipment remain behind as many of its members have either fallen victim to the hordes of walkers, have retreated to the safety of their bases or have deserted to be with their families. In Fear the Walking Dead, the military is active in Season 1, but as of Season 2, the fate of the military is unknown.

Outbreak and Operation Cobalt

Early in the outbreak, once it became apparent that local law enforcement could no longer handle the outbreak, an executive order was made to deploy the military, mainly the National Guard. In many cities, they set up safe zones to quarantine survivors and protect them from the infected. They were authorized to use deadly force in order to maintain order. Many of those who did not make their way to the safe zones tried to make their way out of infected cities.

Soldiers clearing a suburb of Los Angeles

With the epidemic spreading and command and control beginning to falter, a decision was taken somewhere up the chain of command to abandon the safe zones and withdraw the military from the cities and back to the safety of their bases. Soldiers were instructed to withdraw from the safe zones in an orderly fashion during the night so as not to spook civilians. The operation also included an order for the "humane termination" of individuals in quarantined areas. Judging by conversations between various soldiers and as mentioned by Dr. Bethany Exner, the soldiers and medical staff are being evacuated to Edwards Air Force Base (though some believe that the base is no longer functional).

The National Guard conducting a mission at the West View Library

The second stage of the operation was large scale napalm bombing of major cities to wipe out walkers that had infested urban areas. Cities known to have been bombed include :

• Los Angeles, California
• San Diego, California
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Atlanta, Georgia

Most of these cities were named by George Geary in his conversation with Travis Manawa, while the bombing of Los Angeles was witnessed by Travis and his group from aboard The Abigail. After the bombing of Los Angeles and as survivors were escaping via boat, the Coast Guard broadcast a message that they were unable to lend assistance to people in any form. Whether this was was due to loss and/or damage of equipment, loss of personnel to the infected or loss of personnel to desertion is unknown.

In addition to the Safe-Zones within cities, the military seem to have established camps outside the cities-- such as the Unnamed Military Camp. While this camp was eventually overrun, it currently houses at least two survivors, Sierra and the Gabi.

Los Angeles is firebombed by the military

Bases

• Edwards Air Force Base
• Marine Base
• Unnamed Military Camp

Trivia

• In The Walking Dead, evidence suggests that only units of the regular military were deployed, while in Fear only National Guard units have been seen to be deployed. It is unknown when this change occurred. (The evidence in question is that after waking up and exiting the hospital, Rick Grimes comes accross a Huey bearing the markings of the 7th Cavalry).

  

  Rick Grimes comes across the Huey bearing the marking of the cavalry (Days Gone Bye).

• It is possible that part of the reason the Coast Guard could no longer aid civilians was due to the loss of equipment. In Season 2, while aboard The Abigail, the survivors come across a boat that has been sunk by heavy machine gun fire. The damage to the boat suggests .50 caliber rounds - the same caliber used for the mounted machine guns aboard US Coast Guard ships to bring down smuggler boats. Since the Coast Guard stated they were no longer operational, then pirates must have gotten hold of their hardware.
• It's also possible that the boat was destroyed by the Mexican Military, the Flotilla that was patrolling the border between Mexico and the US.
• It is unknown whether or not San Francisco was bombed or not. However, it would be logical to assume it was.
• Many members of the National Guard seem to think that there are no more "higher ups" (i.e. senior officers) left. This may be one of the reasons members of combat units outside the military hospital went AWOL-- they believed there was no one left to punish them.

Gallery

Entrance to Edwards Air Force Base

The military bomb Los Angeles

A dead soldier at an abandoned military compound, as seen if Fear the Walking Dead: Passage

Infected soldiers, as seen in Fear the Walking Dead: Passage