Spotlight: 250 Years of the United States Army

The United States Army is commemorating its 250th birthday with a week-long celebration from June 7 to 14, 2025, culminating in a parade honoring the Army’s history, followed by a program on the National Mall. Established on June 14, 1775, the Army is the oldest and largest branch of the U.S. military. In fact, the Army is one year older than the country it defends. The Revolutionary War began in April 1775 in Massachusetts with the Battles of Lexington and Concord, where local militia skirmished with British troops. Volunteers from other New England colonies soon joined in the fight. The Second Continental Congress convened in May 1775 in Philadelphia. This body, most often remembered for adopting the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, recognized the need for a unified military force, funded by a central government. On June 14, 1775, delegates voted to create an army representing all 13 colonies and appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief. The Continental Army was born.

The U.S. Army is well known as the most lethal land fighting force the world has ever seen. As such, it has been at the forefront of significant technological and medical advances. An Army captain is credited with creating the world’s first blood bank on the Western Front in France in 1917 during World War I. He stored blood using a citrate-glucose solution, allowing it to be transported and kept for longer periods, ensuring a supply would be available for wounded soldiers. The Epi Pen, the brand name of a tool that delivers epinephrine, traces its roots back to 1973, when the Army developed a self-directed auto injector to administer an antidote to nerve gas exposure for troops in the field. The Army has also contributed to the development of many common household items, from bug spray to snacks. DEET was developed by the Army for direct application to skin to repel insects in 1946 and registered for use by the general public in 1957. Army culinary research led to a process for dehydrating cheese to remove water, resulting in powdered cheese which had a longer shelf life and was easier to transport. Frito Lay later used the powdered cheese to create the popular snack Cheetos. In the 1930s, aviator sunglasses were born when a U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel worked with Bausch and Lomb to create an alternative to the heavy, uncomfortable flight goggles worn by pilots at the time. The glasses that resulted were named Ray-Bans based on their purpose, banning the sun's rays from a pilot's eyes.

The uniforms have changed and the weapons are different, but the Army’s motto "This We'll Defend" has remained the same since the Revolutionary War. What began as a Continental Army battle cry continues to serve as a reminder that the Army’s purpose is timeless and clear: to fight and win our Nation's wars. Today’s Army consists of nearly one million uniformed men and women, supported by over 260,000 civilians.  With respect to the uniformed personnel, over 450,000 are active duty, joined by 325,000 Army National Guard personnel and 176,000 Army Reserve personnel.  

To learn more about the Army’s 250th birthday celebration, please visit https://www.army.mil/1775/index.html