Which domain is reserved for the U.S military? You might have seen it from direct links on our articles! It is the .mil domain.
For more information on this mil extension, continue reading. We will explain what mil stands for in a web address and provide examples of mil websites.
So, you will have to read until the very end to get a complete understanding! Go on!
Table of Contents
A Bit of Background Context
Before we head to the details of the main question, “Which domain is reserved for the military in the U.S?” Let’s briefly go through a bit of background context.
1. What Is a Domain Name?
A domain name is what you put into the search bar when you access the Internet to navigate to a page. It ends with domain name extensions, like “.com”. “.net”, “.edu”, “.org”, and “.gov”. These are called TLDs or Top Level Domains.
To reserve a domain name, one must register it and renew it each year. The fees to do so vary but renewing fees are typically from $12. Specialty domain names, though, can cost hundreds of dollars. The registration process is straightforward and usually done through registrars.
Some domains are strictly reserved. For example, in the U.S, “.edu” is only for accredited universities and “.gov” is only for government organizations. Another one is “.mill”, which is for the U.S military — and is the subject of this article.
- Note: The .mil domain extension is often mistaken as a military IP address, but the latter is something different. You can search for more information about IP addresses (separately) if you are unfamiliar with them.
2. What Is “.mil”?
The .mil address is a domain name.
It is a sponsored top-level (sTLD) in the Internet’s Domain Name System. ‘.mil’ is reserved for the United States Department of Defense, its subsidiaries, and its affiliated organizations.
It was introduced 37 years ago on January 1, 1985. Its registry is the Defense Information System Agency and as an sTLD, it is sponsored by the DoD Network Information Center.
3. What Does “.mil” Mean?
Mil is not just three randomly selected letters. The extension is actually taken from the word “military.” It is the first three letters.
4. What Is Special About “.mil”?
It is the only top-level domain for the military. Hence, the United States is the only country with a domain as such. Other countries use second-level domains for their militaries. For example, the UK uses mod.uk for its Ministry of Defense.
5. What Are the Military’s Websites With “.mil”
The military’s service branches all have their own website and the .mil domain.
So, for example, the Army’s domain is .mil as well.
Here is the full list:
- The U.S Army’s website is https://www.army.mil/
- The U.S Marine Corps’ website is https://www.marines.mil/
- The U.S Navy’s website is https://www.navy.mil/
- The U.S Air Force’s website is https://www.airforce.com/
- The U.S Space Force’s website is https://www.spaceforce.mil/
- The U.S Coast Guard’s website is https://www.uscg.mil/
Do All of the Military’s Subsidiaries and Affiliated Organizations Use “.mil”?
No. Not all use “.mil”. Many websites use “.com”, “.edu” or “.gov”. For example,:
- Its recruitment sites use “.com” (goarmy.com)
- The Defense Commissary Agency’s website uses “.com” (commissaries.com)
- Its athletic programs sites (offered in service academies) use “.com”
The U.S Army – https://goarmywestpoint.com/
The U.S Marine Corps – https://www.usmmasports.com/
The U.S Navy – https://navysports.com/
The U.S Air Force – https://goairforcefalcons.com/
- Its service academies use “.edu”
The United States Military Academy (USMA) – https://www.westpoint.edu/
The United States Merchant Marine Academy – https://www.usmma.edu/
The United States Naval Academy – https://www.usna.edu/
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) – https://www.usafa.edu/
The Department of Defense itself uses “.gov” – https://www.defense.gov/
Where Else Can You See “.mil”?
.mil is also used in military email addresses. Each member of the military has an email address with .mil in it. The format is standard, for instance:
- A U.S Army mil email address would be [email protected]
- A U.S Marines mil email address would be [email protected]
- A U.S Navy mil email address would be [email protected]
- A U.S Air Force mil email address would be [email protected]
- A U.S Coast Guard mil email address would be [email protected]
Conclusion
As you have read, the answer to, “Which domain is reserved for the U.S military?” is .mil. It is an sTLD or a Sponsored Top Level Domain. The three letters m – i – l are taken from the word “military.” The domain is one-of-a-kind.
Registered by the Defense Information System Agency and introduced in 1985, it has since been the U.S’s military domain name. All the websites of the service branches end in .mil, although the Department of Defense’s website ends in .gov.
Hopefully, it has been interesting and informative. If you have any extra thoughts you would like to share or questions to ask, feel free to reach out to us in the comments below. We are always happy to hear from our readers. Also, if you know anyone who is looking for information on this topic, help us share it with them. We appreciate it and they will surely appreciate it too.
I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. My purpose in this project is to give honest reviews on the gear utilized and tested over time. Of course, you cannot go wrong when checking out our package of information and guide, too, as they come from reliable sources and years of experience.