The United States Army is America’s first national institution and was established on June 14, 1775.
Following a long eight-year struggle against Great Britain, the U.S. Army brought freedom to the nation. The United States will celebrate its birthday — the 250th anniversary of the g of the Declaration of Independence — in 2026.
The official motto or anthem for the U.S. Army is “This we’ll defend.”
This June, the Army is celebrating its 250th birthday with a week of events, culminating in a festival on the National Mall on Saturday and a parade in Washington, D.C.
Here are some of the little-known things about the Army:
The U.S. Army is older than the U.S.
The Army was established over a year before the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This makes the Army older than the United States of America. The country will turn 249 years old on July 4, 2025.
Presidents who have served in the Army
Out of the 45 presidents of the United States, 31 have served in the military. The first president, George Washington, served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, which later became the Army.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, served in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War of 1832. Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter are among other notable presidents who served.
The Old Guard
The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, is the oldest active-duty infantry regiment in the Army. This unit has been serving the country since 1784, according to t Base Andrews’ website.
The Old Guard performs several duties, which include rendering final honors to the country’s fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery, conducting dignified transfer of remains of soldiers at Dover Air Force Base, serving as the official Army Honor Guard and Escort to the President and guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a national monument that honors unidentified service killed in war.
A real estate mogul
The Army owns 15 million acres of land across the country, which is about 24,000 square miles, according to the U.S. Army website. The Army owns a total of 1,442,843 acres in Texas, according to the Texas Comptroller website.
Army installations in Texas include Fort Bliss in El Paso and Fort Cavazos — which the Trump istration announced in June will once again be known as Fort Hood — in Central Texas near Killeen.
Army astronaut program
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command can provide to NASA. There are currently three USASMDC active-duty astronauts serving in the flight crew for NASA space programs. They help enhance the Army’s use of space capabilities and serve as Army ambassadors to NASA and the public, according to the USASMDC website.