The U.S. Army, a proud legacy of 233 years of service

What does the birthday of the U.S. Army really signify? Is it made more important that, at 233 years old, the Army is older than the Nation it serves? Is it significant that its honorable heritage goes back more than a year before our Declaration of Independence?

During the course of the 233 years and 10 wars since its inception, the U.S. Army has won independence for this great Nation, defended its lands from foreign invaders and served in every corner of the globe — from Europe to Asia, from Africa to Latin America and even to the Arctic Circle. No fewer than 12 Army Generals have gone on to become President of the United States.

It’s doubtful that any of the Founding Fathers could have envisioned this great legacy when they voted the original Continental Army into existence. On June 14, 1775, after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, men such as John Adams, Ben Franklin, James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson of the Second Continental Congress created the Army to overthrow the British and named their peer, George Washington, to be its first Commander.

But the U.S. Army does much more than just fight and it has proudly served in humanitarian missions in the United States and around the world. The same Army Corps of Engineers which responded to the 2005 flooding of New Orleans first responded to a flood in 1882 when the Mississippi River overflowed its banks. As part of the Marshall Plan, the Army helped to rebuild the countries it had just defeated in World War II, and was part of the United Force that helped restore order to Somalia in the 1990s. Today‘s Army, more than 518,000 Soldiers strong and supplemented by almost 550,000 Guard and Reserve troops, is heavily involved in rebuilding and stabilization efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army celebrates its birthday like a large, extended family with events held around the country and around the world. The largest event will be an Army Ball held at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center on June 14. Other events include races and marathons, Army Day at Major League Baseball games and even parachuting demonstrations by the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. For a list of events, go to http://www.FreedomTeamSalute.com/ArmyBirthday.

So what does the 233rd birthday of the U.S. Army stand for? It stands for strength, determination, pride, valor and respect. It honors entire families who have long traditions of service. It honors Soldiers who fight for the freedoms that we hold as dearly today as our 18th-century brethren did when they won independence for these United States of America. This great legacy is what we honor each year when we celebrate the Army birthday.