U.S. Army celebrates 245 years of service on June 14, 2020
Did you know our nation had an Army before it was constituted as a nation on July 4, 1776? In fact, the U.S. Army is preparing to celebrate 245 years of service since its founding on June 14, 1775.
Since then, the U.S. Army has made an impressive rise from bands of militia members to the world’s most renowned fighting force. The fields of Concord and Lexington were followed by the makeshift fighting positions of New Orleans then onto Mexico. Places like Bull Run, Gettysburg and Appomattox were soon immortalized before the 19th Century ended. The new century saw action in places like Germany, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East.
Today’s U.S. Army is engaged in operations worldwide in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and the Sinai Peninsula. Most importantly, it protects American interests here in the United States from coast to coast to Alaska, Hawaii and beyond.
If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’ve seen Army doctors and medical personnel on the frontlines of the pandemic. They have worked to supplement medical care in COVID-19 hot spots across the nation often putting themselves in harm’s way to alleviate suffering and bring hope.
Many packed up their gear, stuffed bits of their lives into a duffel bag and were off to help fellow Americans imperiled by this disease. Many volunteered to leave their homes and their families because that’s what soldiers do. They go where they’re needed and do what they can to help others.
Since 1973, the U.S. has had an all-volunteer Army. When the draft was abolished, many were skeptical on how we could field an Army with only volunteers. Would enough men and women willingly put their lives on the line to defend our nation?
For nearly 50 years, the answer has been resoundingly yes. The U.S. continues to maintain the world’s greatest Army equally capable of exerting maximum force or caring for the ill and injured at the site of a natural disaster.
How does the U.S. maintain this? The Army is blessed with young men and women throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Western Virginia and Southern Indiana who are willing to answer the call for service. Many have been inspired by family members who have previously served, and now they want to do their part to preserve our nation’s invaluable freedoms.
There’s many reasons young people don the Army green.
- Many join for adventure. They want the chance to be more and to do more with their lives.
- Some join to continue their education. The Army now offers up to $50,000 for the GI Bill or up to $65,000 in student loan repayment for those who qualify.
- Some join to learn a trade. They learn more than 150 military occupations, many of which lead to well-paying careers. Almost all Army training now comes with professional certificates recognized by industry.
- Others join simply to serve. They are looking for an outlet where they can be of service to their fellow human beings, and they’ve come to the conclusion that the Army is an ideal venue for these aspirations.
As our country reflects on the Army’s 245 years of service, let’s recall the sacrifices made and those that are made every day by our young men and women in uniform. It is these soldiers who made our Army what it is today: proud, determined and ready for anything.
To learn more about the U.S. Army or to find information on enlisting, please click here.