June 14 is the United States Army’s Birthday. The Army is turning 246 years old! The Army was created in 1775 and originally consisted of volunteer soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. Today, the Army is the biggest branch of the U.S. military.
There was a time when the military had less than 48,000 Continental soldiers. Today, there are more than one million soldiers on duty in the Army, plus 800,000 Reserve and National Guard members. There’s also 800 military installations overseas by the United States and 30 million acres of land owned by The Department of Defense. Thirty American presidents served in the U.S. Army, but only two were five-star generals. Those two presidents were Dwight Eisenhower and George Washington. The only president who served in the Army and was also awarded the Medal of Honor is Theodore Roosevelt.
There are a few traditions that celebrate the United States Army. Cake cutting ceremonies are hosted at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. The cake is cut by an Army saber and the highest and lowing ranking officials are the ones who do the cutting. This fun ceremony often features flying icing and broken tables.
If you want to celebrate the Army in your own way on June 14, consider throwing a party. You can also learn the history of the Unknown Soldier or say “hello” to a veteran. You can even extend a donation to SRQ Vets. We are a local organization led by local veterans who help serve fellow local veterans. A donation to our organization can go towards providing a veteran with mental health care, home improvements, or other community projects. We hope you will consider supporting SRQ Vets on the Army’s Birthday.
