Uniformed Services | TRICARE Glossary & Definition | TRICARE.com

*TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program. For official policy, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Definition The Uniformed Services are the eight federal entities whose members (and their dependents) are eligible for TRICARE health benefits, including the six branches of the Armed Forces plus two non-combatant services.

## What it means in practice While many people use "military" and "Uniformed Services" interchangeably, the distinction is vital for TRICARE eligibility. The Uniformed Services include the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, as well as the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). If you are an active duty member or a retiree from any of these eight branches, you and your family are eligible for TRICARE coverage.

For a TRICARE beneficiary, your status within the Uniformed Services determines your "Sponsor" status. Your specific branch does not typically change your out-of-pocket costs, but it does dictate which personnel office manages your DEERS (Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service) records. For example, a USPHS officer and an Army Captain both utilize the same TRICARE Select or Prime plans, but the USPHS officer may have different administrative procedures for updating their family status compared to a member of the Department of Defense (DoD).

In 2026, TRICARE costs are categorized by "Groups." Group A includes sponsors who initially enlisted or were appointed before January 1, 2018. Group B includes those who joined on or after that date. Regardless of which of the eight Uniformed Services you belong to, your enrollment fees and copays are tied to this group status and your rank (E-1 to E-4 vs. E-5 and above) rather than your specific service branch.

It is also important to note that while NOAA and USPHS are not part of the Department of Defense, their members still receive care through the Military Health System (MHS). This means they can seek treatment at Military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) on a space-available basis, just like their counterparts in the Armed Forces, and they use the same regional contractors (Humana Military in the East and TriWest Healthcare Alliance in the West).

## Related terms * **Sponsor:** The active duty, retired, or Guard/Reserve member whose service makes family members eligible for TRICARE. * **DEERS:** The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System; the database that tracks eligibility for all eight Uniformed Services. * **Active Duty Service Member (ADSM):** A full-time member of the Uniformed Services entitled to TRICARE Prime at no cost. * **Military Health System (MHS):** The global network of military hospitals and clinics, plus civilian providers, that serves the Uniformed Services. * **T-5 Contract:** The fifth generation of TRICARE contracts (starting 2025) that manages healthcare delivery for all Uniformed Service members.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil: Eligibility for Uniformed Service Members (https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility) * U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: USPHS Commissioned Corps (https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/index.html) * National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: NOAA Corps Benefits (https://www.omao.noaa.gov/noaa-corps)