Maj. Gen. James Bonner, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general (left), and MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood Command Sgt. Maj. Randolph Delapena (right), cut the Army Birthday cake Monday on Gammon Field, with the help of Garrison Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Marshall — the oldest Soldier on post, at 60 years of age — and Pfc. Camerin King, Company B, 31st Engineer Battalion — the youngest Soldier on post, at 17 years of age.

Lt. Col. Meghann Sullivan, 31st Engineer Battalionn commander (center), leads Soldiers from her battalion in the division-style Army Birthday run June 14 near Gammon Field. More than 6,000 service members took part in the three-mile run.

Soldiers from the Noncommissioned Officers Academy march in uniforms from World War I to the present, then perform a Retreat Ceremony June 14 on MSCoE Plaza.

Soldiers from the Noncommissioned Officers Academy perform a Retreat Ceremony June 14 on MSCoE Plaza.

Soldiers from the Noncommissioned Officers Academy perform a Retreat Ceremony June 14 on MSCoE Plaza.

Spc. Patrick Haley, from the 399th Army Band, gets into the music during a performance prior to the Army Birthday Retreat Ceremony June 14 at MSCoE Plaza.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Fort Leonard Wood is celebrating the 246th Army Birthday this week, with events for service members and their families.

June 14 began with a three-mile division-style birthday run, starting at 5:30 a.m. on Gammon Field.

Maj. Gen. James Bonner, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, thanked everyone for participating — making special note of the Airmen, Marines and Sailors on hand.

“I appreciate all the support from our sister services,” he said “Today marks 246 years of the Army — established in 1775, a year before the nation was established. It’s made up of people from different backgrounds, who swear to defend the Constitution of the United States.”

After the run, an Army cake-cutting ceremony took place on Gammon Field.

Alongside Bonner and MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood Command Sgt. Maj. Randolph Delapena, Garrison Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter Marshall — the oldest Soldier on post, at 60 years of age — and Pfc. Camerin King, Company B, 31st Engineer Battalion — the youngest Soldier on post, at 17 years of age — cut the cake with a ceremonial sword.

Later that day, the 399th Army Band performed rock music on MSCoE Plaza, before a Retreat Ceremony was performed by the MSCoE Noncommissioned Officers Academy.

As part of the ceremony, Soldiers wore period uniforms, representing World Wars I and II; the Korean and Vietnam wars; the Battle Dress Uniform worn from 1981 to 2004; the desert uniforms worn in operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom; the Army Combat Uniform worn from 2004 to 2015; and the current Operational Camouflage Pattern Uniform worn today.

More photos from the June 14 events are available on the Fort Leonard Wood Flickr page.

Army Birthday events continue June 18

A 5K fun run/walk, open to service members and Department of Defense civilians, and their families, begins at 7 a.m. in the Davidson Fitness Center parking lot.

Later Friday morning, a golf scramble is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Piney Valley Golf Course.