Celebrating the Army's 250th birthday in S.C. at Shaw

As part of the nationwide celebration, U.S. Army Central soldiers on Friday, June 13, celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Army's founding with a traditional birthday cake-cutting ceremony at Patton Hall.

Using a Patton Saber, ARCENT Chief of Staff Col. Sidney Knox, ARCENT senior enlisted advisor Command Sgt. Maj. Eric McCray as well as the oldest soldier, Lt. Col. William Doolan, along with the youngest soldier, Pfc. Jacob Herrera, made the ceremonial first cut.

The leaders were also presented with proclamations from the state, county and city declaring June 14 as Army Day in honor of this anniversary.

The 250th celebration theme is "This We'll Defend," which reaffirms the patriotism, lethality, warfighting capabilities and warrior ethos of our fighting force. One year older than the nation it defends, since June 14, 1775, the Army has been prepared to fight and win our nation's wars.

The local celebration continued in the evening as the Columbia Fireflies hosted Army Night at the ballpark, including a ceremonial first pitch by ARCENT Public Affairs Sgt. Maj. Tyrone Marshall, Army recruiters with giveaways on site and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" led by a local soldier.

Saturday the national celebration and parade will be in Washington, D.C., while locally the South Carolina Military Museum in Columbia holds an Army Field Day and Fort Jackson hosts the annual South Carolina Army Birthday Ball at the 1917 Club.

The largest of the armed services, America's Army consists of more than 1.2 million people across the globe who defend our country.

ARCENT, also known as Third Army, commands, controls and sustains all U.S. soldiers in the Middle East and Central Asia. With forward headquarters in Kuwait and Jordan as well as the Main Command Post in Sumter, ARCENT provides the lethal land power that prevents conflict, shapes the environment and, when necessary, wins the nation's wars.