Velacruz Armed Forces

Armed Forces of New Velacruz
Fuerza Armada de Nueva Velacruz
War flag of New Velacruz
Founded	1842
Service branches	Army Air Force Navy
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Cárdenas Rendón
Minister of Defence	Elisabet Carrasquill
Chief of the Defence Staff	General Teócrito Cintrón
Personnel
Military age	17 (voluntary) 18 (conscription)
Conscription	Yes
Available for military service	5,364,028 males, age 16-49, 5,811,031.2 (2008 est.) females, age 16-49
Reaching military age annually	177,473 males, 174,655 (2009 est.) females
Active personnel	270,114
Expenditure
Budget	$157,000,000 (2008 est.)
Percent of GDP	0.62%
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of New Velacruz

The Velacruz Armed Forces (Veleaz: Fuerzas Armadas del Velacruz ) are the military services of New Velacruz, comprising independent Army, Navy and Air Force components. Their primary mission is to safeguard the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity against any threat. As a secondary mission they participate in economic and social development as well as in civil defense tasks.

The National Gendarmerie of New Velacruz while classified as a part of the armed forces, has been attached to the Ministry of the Interior since 2009. Criminal investigations are run under the supervision of prosecutors or investigating magistrates. Gendarmerie members generally operate in uniform, and, only occasionally, in plainclothes.

While the Federal Police has a wholly civil mission, its training and activities over more than two decades as an anti-terrorist, anti-piracy force have produced markedly military characteristics, giving it the appearance of a virtual fourth military service with significant land, sea and air capabilities and approximately 140,000 personnel.