Soldiers from Iraq to Indiana celebrate Army's 235th birthday

By Army News ServiceJune 17, 2010

Soldiers from Iraq to Indiana celebrate Army's 235th birthday
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Roger Cloutier, commander 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, leads his brigade through a shower of water provided by Contingency Operating Station Falcon firemen, June 14, in Baghdad. The event was in recognition of the Army's... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers from Iraq to Indiana celebrate Army's 235th birthday
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Sal Katz, Pvt. Sepe Salik, and Sgt. Maj. Danilo Diaz cut an Army birthday cake during a ceremony, June 14, at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The event was in recognition of the Army's 235th birthday. Diaz and Salik served as the oldest and you... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 17, 2010) -- Soldiers in Iraq and the U.S. celebrated the Army's 235th birthday in a variety of non-conventional ways, enjoying the occasion with morale-boosting runs, barbecues and concerts.

Soldiers from Task Force Marne and other units in the 3rd Infantry Division stationed at Contingency Operating Base Speicher in Iraq took part in a June 13 ceremony that included cake-cutting, a barbecue, and a concert by the TF Marne rock band, "Sasquatch." The task force's celebration, held a day before the Army's actual June 14 birthday, coincided with the 3rd Infantry Division's 235th day in Iraq.

Command Sgt. Maj. Sal Katz, senior enlisted leader, Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Armored Division, joined Sgt. Maj. Danilo Diaz and Pvt. Sepe Salik, the oldest and youngest members of the 1st Armored. Division, respectively, for a cake-cutting in the Iron Oasis dining facility at Camp Liberty in Baghdad.

Members of the 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, in Baghdad, Iraq, followed Col. Roger Cloutier, brigade commander, on a morale-boosting 2-mile run. Every battalion in the brigade participated in the run.

Col. Linda Ross and Pvt. Justin Champion, attached to Joint Task Force Guantanamo, cut an Army Birthday Cake in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

A headquarters detachment from First Army Division West in Fort Hood, Texas and three of the division's subordinate brigades participated in a cohesion run. Following the run, Chief Warrant Officer Leroy Winbush and Spc. Casey Kelly, the oldest and youngest Soldiers, cut the celebratory cake.

Community members of Fort McCoy in Wisconsin celebrated on June 11 with numerous events including a commander's run, a drive-through breakfast, free T-shirts, a free lunch and a cake-cutting ceremony. Free car washes and bowling were also offered.

Servicemembers from the Air Force and Navy who were training at Camp Atterbury, Ind., attended an event supported by Moral, Welfare, and Recreation and the United Service Organization. The event included food courtesy of Hickory Hills Bar-B-Que from Edinburgh, Ind., music from the band "My Delilah," games and a free drawing for prizes.

The New York Army National Guard, headed by the commander of the New York Army National Guard's Headquarters 53rd Troop Command, led a ceremony at the Citizen Soldier Exhibit at the New York State Museum. During the event, 30 members of the New York Army National Guard re-affirmed their Army service.

(Information compiled by Danny Spatchek)

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235th Army Birthday