Of all the branches of the US military, the Air Force stays the quietest about their involvement in most things. Even their daily routine and duties are outside the realm of what we might consider normal jobs for members of the US Air Force. Below are five ways the US Air Force contributes to daily life that you may not have been aware of before.

Operation of GPS

Most people assume that global tracking systems are independently owned and operated, but they are actually a product and service of the US Air Force. Global tracking and airspace technology are among the many innovations that the US government has allowed the Air Force to release to the public as a means of improving quality of life over the years.

Provide Worldwide Weather Predictions

Due to the level of influence that the US Air Force has had over the skies for so long, they have had plenty of time to develop a means to map out changes in weather patterns from space. Meteorologists interpret these digital images as they receive them, but without this technology, we wouldn’t have our continual stream of updated weather forecasts.

Act as Global and Homeland First Responder

All branches of the military serve a dual role in that they defend both domestically and overseas. As such, any branch, including the Air Force, can be called back home to be utilized as first responders in the event of a natural disaster or invasion. There is a list of other protocols that might be used for this response system as well.

Protect American Airspace

The one responsibility that most people recognize as a duty of the Air Force is that they protect our skies and borders from an air invasion. They patrol and watch the skies constantly, as they are never off duty.

Conduct Drone Research

Drone technology has come onto the scene within the last few years. This is something that the US Air Force typically uses as military defense technology and to provide relief during natural disasters.

Drone research is conducted exclusively by members of the US Air Force, and servicemembers can often be seen wearing their USAF tactical caps while they conduct this research on tarmacs. This research is crucial to providing valuable information that protects the nation.

This list has outlined just five ways the US Air Force contributes to daily life, though they do much more. It’s good to have an idea about what they do so that we can support their efforts as much as possible.