From the NFRW Armed Services Committee

The U.S. Army will celebrate its 248th birthday on June 14, the same day we celebrate Flag Day. Older than the United States of America, the U.S. Army started as an all-volunteer army when it was created in 1775.

Today, the U.S. Army is also an all-volunteer force. It is not only the oldest branch of service but also the largest. The U.S. Army currently has one million soldiers across Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard. In addition, there are approximately 500 working military dogs in the U.S. Army. 

The U.S. Air Force was known as the U.S. Army Air Corps until 1946 when it became a separate branch of service. The U.S. Army is the principal land service, responsible for conducting land warfare operations. The U.S. Army is responsible for the majority of mapping our country.

Of our 45 presidents, 31 served in the military, 24 of whom were in the U.S. Army. President Theodore Roosevelt received a Medal of Honor posthumously for heroism during the Spanish-American War. Seventy percent of all Medal of Honor recipients are from the U.S. Army. 

Remember the U.S. Army as you celebrate Flag Day, and thank a soldier if you know or see one.