Happy Birthday!!!

[Woot22]

To the United States Army. 236 years old today, first officially created on June 14th 1775. Completely not kilt related I know, but figured there was more than a couple of us former old Army troopers on the forum so just wanted wish the Army a Happy Birthday!!!

[Highlander31]

Thanks for the reminder. To the Army,... Happy Birthday and may it have many more.

[TheSp8]

Happy Birthday to the Army.

I propose a toast: To the Army and to our fallen comrades.

Tony
SFC, USA
Oct 90-present

[WillieMacG]

[Coastie]

*tips a glass* to my fallen comrades.

I find it baffling I was chatting with a friend who is a retired E-9. He said a friend of his, an Army WWII vet who earned the Silver Star (Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge vet) died last week. He went to the graveside service and was horrified to see an Air Force Junior ROTC rendering honors.

I was in JROTC, no disrespect to them. 16 years old's willing to show up at a graveside for a man 60 years older than they are is reaffirming. What I find depressing is the fact there was no active duty Army there to represent their tradition.

This was in the Seattle area and the family contacted the McChord Joint base SGTMAJ when they were told no one would be there. They got no response. Luckily the dead soldier was a member of the VFW and they provided someone to present the flag to his family.

I spent 4 years in the Army, service I am still to this day very proud of. One of the things I did was the Duty Battalion, and those duties included being Graveside Honor Guard. At the time I didn't think it was a big deal... now I know better. Thank goodness for my Command that ensured we respected our fallen heroes.

What made my friend the Master Chief more angry than anything else was the fact there was a French Army Officer there. It seems the French government decided years ago they would thank every veteran who was at Normandy with a certificate on their passing. The only active duty military person there was a Frenchman. No Americans.

[Coastie]

http://www.collectinghistory.net/dd6...ouamerica.html

And in case someone thinks I am off the mark, here is a site showing the certificate from the French Government. I can't say for certain every recipient had a graveside representative from the French Government but my friend's did.

[Redhawk]

The Army!

[TaxCollector]

I'm a day late but

[LANCER1562]

When I get home I put on my black polo shirt with the Army logo on the left chest in gold and my USA Kilt in the Army tartan and have a pint at the local pub.