- The US military posts hundreds of photos and videos every day from exercises and missions around the world.
- Insider selected these 11 photos as some of the most visually striking US military images from the past year.
The US military, despite the rise of powerful rivals, remains an unmatched military force with more than 2 million active-duty and reserve troops ready to defend the homeland and protect American interests abroad.
Insider took a look back at the thousands of photos of the military in action and selected its favorites.
The following 11 photos, many of which were also Department of Defense favorites, were the ones we chose.