On June 14th, 1775, the Continental Congress established our Army. It began with just ten companies of riflemen who pledged to enlist as soldiers for one year to face the world’sstrongest military of that day.
On the Army’s Birthday, we thank every Soldier, Civilian and Family member who has ever served in our ranks for your dedication to duty and the selfless service that have made us all Army Strong. Happy Birthday!
A Veterans Day Ceremony to celebrate and honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice will be held on November 9, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Frisco Veterans Memorial in Frisco Commons Park, 8000 McKinney Road, Frisco, TX 75033. The American Legion Post 178 and Auxiliary Unit 178 are coordinating the ceremony.
The ceremony will include special guests from the City of Frisco and speakers Raymond Kemp with 33 years’ service, Fleet Master Chief US Naval Force Europe, US Naval Forces Africa and Darrell Utt a Retired Green Beret US Army Special Forces
The public and all veterans are invited to attend. Seating will be available.
On October 26th, National Day of the Deployed annually honors the United States military personnel deployed around the globe. The day recognizes all of the brave military personnel who have been deployed, are sacrificing, or have sacrificed their lives to defend our country. It also acknowledges their families who are separated from them during deployment and the sacrifices they make in order for their family members to serve our country.
Many deployed troops leave their families behind to serve their country. They make the greatest sacrifices to keep their country secure. A few ways to recognize their services include:
Every year on June 14th, the United States Army celebrates its creation in 1775.
Formed from amateur troops of volunteer soldiers defending colonies against British tyranny, the oldest military force in the United States began before the U.S. formally existed. Their forces consisted of mostly inexperienced militiamen commanded by independent colonial armies.
According to resources, there were never more than 48,000 Continental soldiers at one time. Today, the United States Army consists of over one million active-duty service members and an additional 800,000 National Guard and Reserves members. It is the largest branch in the U.S. military.
The enduring history of the U.S. Army means it has been integral to many of the United States military, peace-keeping, and humanitarian efforts. It has operated or helped to facilitate humanitarian operations in many other countries and provided civil engineering and modernization projects in nations that need certain types of infrastructure.
The evolution of the U.S. Army also has included changes in the demographics of those who serve; from an exclusively male active-duty force to a diverse and multicultural force that is far more representative of the American population than in previous decades.
The United States Army Reserve celebrates its 113th birthday in 2021. That century-plus milestone is a significant achievement for what the Army Reserve official site describes as “the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal Federal Reserve force in the history of the Nation” and while the United States Marine Corps Reserve might take a bit of exception to that statement, there is no denying that the Army Reserve has played an important role in American military history.
The Army Reserve celebrates its contributions to two World Wars, the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War, and many other missions.
There are Army Reserve communities located in every state in the Union, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Reservists have deployed to roughly 30 countries.
Today the U.S. Army Reserve rotates its part-time troops through active-duty mobilizations and monthly training. Some are categorized as “Army Reserve troop program units,” some serve as Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMA), and still others are placed as non-drilling Individual Ready Reserve members. Army Reservists also have the option to serve on active-duty status known as AGR or Active Guard/Reserve status.
The role of the Army Reserve is more critical than ever in an age characterized by the persistent presence of asymmetric threats of terrorism and radical groups as well as the emerging, dynamic, and highly contentious challenges presented by potential adversaries with the capability, propensity, and willingness to contest America’s military power in all domains.” The Army Reserve continues to play an important part in national defense, humanitarian outreach, and combat operations.
The Veterans History Project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the firsthand accounts of American wartime veterans so that future generations may learn about veterans’ experiences in their own words to better understand the realities of war. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP) in 2000, and the project is overseen and archived by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (LOC).
All veterans who reside in the 26th Congressional District are encouraged to register to be interviewed for the Veterans History Project. Interviews will be conducted every Tuesday at U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess’ Lake Dallas district office.
You can sign up by submitting your interview request to Congressman Burgess’ office by mail, email, or by calling his district office at 940-497-5031. (If you are unsure of your residency, please check here.)
The Project collects first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from the following wars:
In addition, U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) also are invited to share their valuable stories.
Note: This post does not constitute an endorsement of U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess on the part of the American Legion or its members.