Members of the media are invited to attend the Army’s 250th birthday week-long celebration from June 7-14, 2025. This year’s birthday theme, “This we’ll defend,” was first used as a battle cry by the Continental Army. Today, it reminds us that our Army’s purpose is clear: to fight and win the nation’s wars. We remain committed to honing our warfighting skills, enforcing standards and discipline, and living the values that have defined our Army for the past 250 years.
June 7
On June 7, a new exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army called “Call to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War” will be open and free to the public. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be rare Revolutionary War artifacts from the original colonies, England, France and Canada on display. Opening weekend activities from June 7 to 8 include special, family-friendly, Revolutionary War-themed events such as powder horn carving demonstrations, uniform and equipment displays, and story times. The Revolutionary War 250 special exhibit and companion educational programming are included in the museum’s free admission and will be offered through June 2027.
To learn more, please visit the website at www.thenmusa.org. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to the museum’s Director of Public Affairs Susan Fazakerley- Smullen at usarmy.belvoir.hqda.mbx.publicaffairs-division@army.mil.
June 11
On June 11, the Twilight Tattoo hosted by Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, will start a pre-show at 6:30 p.m. and a show at 7 p.m. at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. The action-packed military experience will feature Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington's ceremonial units. It will also be livestreamed on @USArmy social media platforms. To learn more, please visit the website at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/twilighttattoo/. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.
June 13
The Army birthday run (or walk) will start at 7 a.m. at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Media interested in broadcasting live at the start of the run, please reach out to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Director of Public Affairs Jason Shepherd, jason.shepherd8.civ@army.mil.
Army Day with the Washington Nationals will begin at 6:45 p.m. Army leaders and personnel will hold their annual Army-focused celebration as the Washington Nationals play the Miami Marlins. Media interested in attending or would like more information, please reach out to Nationals’ Director of Communications Erica George at erica.george@nationals.com.
June 14
The Army Birthday Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at 8:15 a.m. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.
The Army Fitness event will be held at 9:30 a.m., and the Army Birthday Festival will begin at 11 a.m. at the National Mall, Washington D.C. The festival will provide opportunities to interact with Soldiers, Army Astronauts, NFL representatives and Medal of Honor recipients, and to watch military demonstrations, explore equipment displays, participate in a cake cutting ceremony and take part in a variety of activities.
At 6:30 p.m. the Army Birthday Parade will celebrate the Army’s history and will feature Army equipment, flyovers and 6,600 Soldiers in uniforms from the past and the present. The parade’s best viewing area will be south of Constitution Avenue. The day will end with an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony, a parachute demonstration by the Golden Knights and a fireworks display.
Live music will be featured throughout the day.
To register to attend the free festival and parade, click here.
Members of the media who would like to attend should RSVP by 12 p.m., June 10. There will be a designated media riser for a limited number of credentialed outlets. Members of the media should click here to register.
To learn more about the Army’s 250th birthday, visit:
U.S. Army Celebrating 250 Years - https://www.army.mil/1775
DVIDS 250th Army Birthday - https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ARMY250
U. S. Army Center of Military History - https://history.army.mil/Revwar250/
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