by Robert M. Traxler
The 250th anniversary of the United Stares Army is a milestone in our nation’s history, honoring the role of the Army created even before the founding of the United States.
The nation would not exist if it were not for the Army. A good question to ask is why many in our media are criticizing the parade celebration? Points like “the parade was celebrating militarism” and “a waste of money.” The parade “sent the wrong signal to the rest of the world.”
I could not disagree more.
Honoring the history of the Army, those of us who served, is objectionable to the progressive left, but it is a necessary undertaking. It is much easier and more comfortable for Americans to stay home and be safeguarded by others than to step up and serve our nation. Motivating young people to do their duty is a necessary part of the volunteer Army, and having served during both the draft Army and volunteer Army, I can attest to the superiority of the volunteer force.
For a time, many felt that nuclear war made armies obsolete. Fat chance! As an old ROTC instructor of mine said, if we have a nuclear war an enemy infantryman will be standing on top of the rubble with a rifle saying, “come on, you son of a b*tch.”
The Army had some 8.3 million soldiers in World War II. Today it has an authorized strength of 2.1 million, including National Guard and Reserve soldiers. This is with a population that has doubled in the years after WWII.
The national U.S. Army birthday and parade recognized the service of soldiers past and present. That is not a bad thing, and the recruiting budget will pay a large share of the cost.
The recruiting budget has an excess, as the recruiting goals were met with six months left in the fiscal year. The parade was well managed and well attended, even though the progressive movement staged counter “parades” or demonstrations in every major city, calling it not the Army’s birthday, but “no kings day.” A confusing title, as the United States Army fought to ensure we were not ruled by a king.
The talking heads in the progressive media made a big deal out of President Donald Trump’s birthday being on the same day as the Army’s. Well, our Army was born well before President Trump’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather were born, but not to worry — the facts never confuse the progressives.
Watching the parade made this old soldier ask where all the new high-tech weapons systems were. Let’s hope that they are developed and fielded but not for public display. The wars in the Mideast and Eastern Europe have shown us the vital need for innovative thinking, and a new direction in manned and unmanned asymmetrical warfare.
So to the progressives who have parades for a large number of other causes, give our Army a chance to celebrate its 250th birthday. My opinion.
