The U.S. Army at 248 Years Old

The U.S. Army’s birthday on June 14^th is its 248^th  since 1775.  While some Army National Guard units date back to when their states were colonies, The Army that actually created the Nation was born on the battlefield in 1775.

The Army undersells its birthday, just as it always undersells itself to Congress, the Executive Branch, and the American People.  The Army’s culture as “National Servant” makes it so subservient it’s to the detriment of National Defense – when more Army is needed in wars.  More than any other Service – everytime.

The Marine Corps makes their birthday a big deal ritual.  A close-knit corps needs rituals.  The Nation needs The Army to win wars.  In 1775, the Marine Corps was a piece of paper in a bar while The Army was in the field against the British outside Boston. Under the command of the greatest Virginian, George Washington – the Father of Our Country.

Regrettably, with the exception of Grenada (1983), Panama (1989), and Operation Desert Storm (1991), the war wins are severely lacking since World War II.

So, what’s gone wrong in 78 years?  What was done rightly and needs to be done so again?

[Special Note:  Returning the Army uniform to the Pinks and Greens of WW II is the best uniform decision ever.  If the Army prepares, plans, and fights like it did in WW II, the Nation will survive – even after China nukes us, bugs us with bio war, or invades.]

The Army has learned hard lessons from every conflict.  It learns as an institution and doesn’t make the same mistake twice. 

There are always new hard lessons in blood and treasure to be learned from new enemies on different battlefields.  But, catastrophes are avoided because of important changes and reforms.  The Army is a constantly evolving institution dedicated to the defense of the Nation with winning in Land Warfare.

When the U.S. became a world power after the Spanish-American War, the role of The Army changed significantly.  A standing Army which was seen as a parasite after winning at Yorktown became essential to national survival after 1900.

Likewise, when the U.S. engaged in a global World War II, became one of two Super Powers through the 40 year Cold War, and then the Sole Uber Super Power for 30 years after end of the Soviet Empire – the Army adapted to the challenges.

What went wrong in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan was a failure of political leadership.  Since war is an extension of politics as well as the final argument – the Ultima Ratio Regum and our military serves under Civilian control, accountability is at the top. 

Yet, the argument can be made that more senior officers should have resigned in protest if and when they saw the likely failure of the orders they were given. That’s easy to say when you’re not the officer doing his very best under extremely difficult circumstances.  The senior guys may think no one can do this better – and minimize the costs. 

I’m not throwing rocks at senior officers, unless they failed to give their best professional advice and neglected to explicitly tell their bosses the bad outcomes about to happen.  If the senior officers didn’t see easily predictable outcomes, like the debacle of the Afghanistan retreat in 2021, then they should be held accountable for their culpability in disaster – and fired.

The Army today has a problem like the Army coming out of Vietnam had.  There is a crisis of confidence.

The Army after Vietnam was an armed mob.  On the contrary,  The Army after OEF and OIF has a seasoned, professional NCO Corps.  It has the military education and training systems to plan and prepare for a war of survival against China.

Unfortunately, the senior officer leadership has been politicized since SecDef Rumsfeld personally began picking generals who used to be selected, based on their service alone, by the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff, Army.  Then, for 8 years under Obama the bleeding of hardcore officers and grooming of politically correct flag officers intensified.

Furthermore, a cancer entered the heart of The Army in the United States Military Academy at West Point.  The role of race in candidate cadet selection and inculcating the Cultural Marxism of  Critical Race Theory and Gay Pride, as well as expediently compromising the Honor Code, threaten the institutional mission of Duty, Honor, Country.  

A confident West Point wouldn’t have promoted a piss poor, biased academic to promote politically correct Presentism as the Head of the History Department.  Likewise, a self-assured Army would have kept the political appointees from stacking the deck on the naming commission to culturally cleanse all things “Confederate” from the Army.  Because The Army would make the case there is no military necessity for name changes.

Formerly, The Army led in social change when the social change, like racial integration, is essential for national defense.  Social experiments have no part of war winning.  Professional soldiers get it.  Politicians don’t.     

America isn’t sending its sons and daughters to serve.  Serving soldiers aren’t encouraging family members which is a huge part of recruitment.  The professional Army families that have grown significantly since WW II aren’t an autocratic anathema.  They’re the tribute of a truly professional volunteer force.

The Army reorganized itself after Vietnam.  GEN Creighton Abrams saw the need and moved the mountains.  GEN William DePuy made it happen.  His minions revolutionized training, created digitization, improved the quality of life for soldiers and their families, rebuilt the NCO Corps better, and took the study of Land Warfare to serious results.  The product was The Army that performed magnificently in ODS, through a decade of deployments, and won tactical battles decisively throughout OEF and OIF, against ISIS, and the other dust ups.

Time to do it again, Army.  Happy Birthday!