Tennessee supplied so many soldiers for the War of 1812 and the Mexican War that it became known as the Volunteer State. During the Civil War, more than 100,000 Tennesseans fought for the Confederacy and about half that number for the Union. In World War I, some 91,000 men served in the armed forces, and in World War II, 316,000 Tennesseans saw active duty.
In 2002, there were 2,554 active-duty military personnel and 5,496 civilian personnel stationed in Tennessee, most of whom were at Millington Naval Air Station near Memphis. Tennessee firms were awarded defense contracts totaling almost $1.03 billion in 2002.
According to the 2000 Census, 560,141 veterans were living in Tennessee, of whom 91,043 served in World War II; 64,585 in the Korean conflict; 171,540 during the Vietnam era; and 70,025 during 1990–2000 (including the Persian Gulf War). Veterans' benefits totaled nearly $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2002.
In 2000, the Tennessee Department of Public Safety employed 899 full-time sworn officers.