237 years of Army Strong Service

Army Strong for 237 years—and counting! Today we celebrate the Army’s birthday and recognize 237 years of service to our Nation. For the past 10 years, this Army has been in a constant state of war. There are more than 94,000 Soldiers deployed today. These Soldiers are our guardians of freedom. The Continental Army was born on June 14, 1775. The following day, George Washington was selected to command the troops. That Army was composed of ordinary citizens. They were husbands and fathers, brothers and sons. Many of them were very young. Others of them were old enough to have learned some of life’s harder lessons. All of them believed in the cause of freedom and volunteered to defend it. Today’s Soldier is no different from those who served in the Revolutionary War, who assaulted the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, or fought gallantly in the jungles of Vietnam. Today’s Soldier has served in far flung places, with names such as Diyala, Kost, and Kabul. Many of these Soldiers are wounded warriors who have given so much in defense of our nation. Some of them made the ultimate sacrifice in a land far away to protect our freedom here at home. But it is not just our Service members who have sacrificed; their families have sacrificed as well. They have stood guard on the home front watching the news intently for perhaps just a glimpse of their loved ones. Their hearts have skipped a beat every time the phone rang or there was a knock on the door. They have sacrificed their own ambitions and goals in order to selflessly support their loved one in uniform. And after 10 years of war, our family members continue to support our troops. When I think of the men and women who have served our Army over the course of 237 years, I think about how fortunate I was to have worn the uniform. Over those very brief 10 years, I had different titles or call signs, but the one honor that I am most grateful for is to have been known simply as, “Soldier.” To our current Soldiers and Veterans: Happy 237^th. Army Strong!

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237 years of Army Strong Service