“A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
“This We’ll Defend,” the motto of the United States Army since 1775, embodies an enduring commitment to safeguard the nation, protect its citizens, and uphold its values. Source. On June 14th, 1775, the Continental Army, now the United States Army, was formed to fight against the British for independence. The Second (we are now under the 118th) Continental Congress, which governed the original thirteen colonies, voted on this day to establish “The Army of the United States,” over one year before the Declaration of Independence. Today’s Army draws its roots from state and local militias such as the Minutemen of the New England colonies, known for their ability to assemble in minutes to defend their fellow citizens. The Army and our nation will celebrate its 250th birthday on the week of June 8th, 2025, in Washington D.C., with a grand parade and other celebratory events – a year before America’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The U.S. Army, America’s primary land force, is the largest of the services. It stands at just under one million service members – over 452,000 in the active force and the remainder in the National Guard and Army Reserves. While not uniformed, the U.S. Army also employs over 265,000 dedicated civilian personnel. Today’s U.S. Army is on the go and worldwide, deployed to over 170 countries, including Iraq, South Korea, Kuwait, and Guam, to name only a few. Source. The U.S. Army is in your neighborhood with over 1,400 recruiting stations in each of our 50 states and abroad. Source.
The Army is not just a fighting force. It builds much of our infrastructure, such as dams and bridges. It deploys to combat infectious diseases such as the Ebola outbreak in Africa. It responds to disasters such as flooding and hurricanes. The Army protects our southern and northern borders in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. It trains other allied militaries worldwide and serves as a peacekeeping force to ensure stability in war-torn areas, as it has done across the African continent.
Here are some fun facts provided by the American Legion that you may not know. The U.S. Army has its own ‘Navy’ and ‘Air Force’ with over 130 ships and 4,600 manned and unmanned aircraft. The Army was tasked with mapping America, including the Lewis & Clark expedition. Army officers were some of the first American citizens to see Pikes Peak and the Grand Canyon. Twenty-four U.S. presidents served in the Army, including in state militias that supported it during the American Revolution and the Civil War. There are Army astronauts who wear astronaut wings. One is retired Colonel Douglas Wheelock, who logged 178 days in space after serving as the first active-duty soldier to command the International Space Station. If the Army was a city, it would be the 10th-largest in the United States, and it owns so much land that if it was a state, it would be larger than Hawaii and Massachusetts combined. Today, each soldier requires approximately 22 gallons of fuel per day on average; a soldier during World War II only required 1 gallon of fuel per day on average. The oldest active-duty infantry unit is the famous 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as “The Old Guard.” Stood up in 1784, the 3rd is an official ceremonial unit and escort to the president of the United States and is also in charge of the “Changing of the Guard Ceremony” at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
I am a U.S. Army Soldier. I served in her ranks for over twenty-seven years as an Infantryman, Ranger, and Paratrooper. At a young age, the Army stripped me of my individuality and made me a soldier. It gave me a mission – a cause greater than myself and a band of brothers and sisters with whom I formed deep and lasting bonds – bonds which cannot be described in words. Today, nearly ten years from my retirement, I still espouse the U.S. Army Values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. I lead my blinds business and painting business using the leadership lessons the Army taught me. I serve this Appalachian community with the same aspiration for service that the Army instilled in me.
The Army gave, but it also took. It took me from my wife and children on three combat deployments to the Middle East, humanitarian service missions such as relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and countless training exercises far from home. It called on me at all hours of the day and night. I missed birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmases. Today, my body reminds me of the rigor the Army demanded of me, parachuting from airplanes, climbing steep mountains, traversing unforgiving deserts, and wading through swamps laden with hundreds of pounds of equipment and body armor.
The Army, like any organization, has its warts. It was slow to integrate race and gender. It failed to embrace military spouses and families prior to and through the Vietnam era. It did not address sexual assault and harassment as quickly and effectively as it should have, and it failed to properly vet individuals who violated her values and even caused harm or death to non-combatants and its own soldiers.
Through all the giving and taking, it was the honor of my life to be a U.S. Army Soldier. I stood in the ranks of great leaders who came before me. I carried on the rich traditions of the units I served. And I, like so many others, made my historical imprint on an institution which has persevered for 250 years. My spouse served just as I did. She may not have a chest full of ribbons, but her volunteer work and advising on matters such as healthcare and education of children made an indelible impact. My children bear the emotional scars of watching me deploy to war, but they are the better and stronger for having experienced life in the Army. They were raised in a values-based society and traveled and experienced the world with my wife and me.
Today’s Army is the best our nation has ever fielded. It will indeed be tested again, whether through the pressures of a changing American society, our politics, or by the evolving threats which face our nation. While I won’t be present on an Army base to witness the tradition of the oldest and youngest soldier in the formation swinging a cavalry sword to cut the ceremonial birthday cake, I celebrate and honor my Army just the same. “This,” our nation and its citizens and indeed the free and peace-loving world, “We,” the United States Army, “Will Defend” today and every day. Happy 250th birthday to the United States Army. Here’s to another 250 years and more!
Colonel Rob Campbell
Tri-Cities Veteran and Military Spouse Advocate.
Small Business Owner
