14 June 2026. 0000
On 14 June 1775, before the United States was even a formally recognized nation, the Continental Congress passed a resolution creating the American Continental Army. Born out of a desperate necessity to defend liberty against tyranny, a ragtag militia of farmers, merchants, and tradesmen united under the leadership of General George Washington. From those humble yet fierce beginnings in the American Revolution, the United States Army has grown into the world’s premier land combat force, serving as the ultimate vanguard of freedom for 251 years.
Throughout its storied history, the Army has answered the call to protect the nation and its allies across generations and continents. During the Civil War, Union soldiers preserved the United States and shattered the institution of slavery. In the twentieth century, the Army deployed millions of its sons and daughters overseas to defeat global tyranny. From the muddy trenches of the Western Front in World War I to the harrowing amphibious landings of D-Day in World War II, the unyielding grit of the American soldier repeatedly turned the tide of human history. Through the bitter cold of the Korean War, the dense jungles of Vietnam, and the grueling desert sands of the Global War on Terrorism, the Army has consistently stood between the innocent and the forces of oppression.
Today, as we commemorate this historic 251st birthday, we extend our deepest praise, respect, and eternal gratitude to all United States soldiers—past and present. To our veterans and fallen heroes who marched into harm’s way, leaving behind their homes to secure the peace we enjoy today: your profound sacrifices are permanently etched into the fabric of our nation. To the active duty, National Guard, and Reserve soldiers currently standing watch on freedom’s frontier: thank you for your unwavering vigilance, your discipline, and your selflessness. For over two and a half centuries, the American soldier has remained “This We’ll Defend”—willing to sacrifice everything so that liberty may endure. Happy 251st Birthday to the United States Army.
I am not a veteran. I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. But in 1991, personal loss brought me to a place I never left.
Over two decades later, that loss led me to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where I took on the coordination of Wreaths Across America — which grew into the largest and fastest growing veterans program in the state. I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it for them.
In 2016 I founded the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin. Not because I served, but because I believe those who did deserve to be honored, connected, and kept alive.
Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. I knew about that number before it became a hashtag. I knew it personally, long before anyone was talking about it.
This publication exists because that number is unacceptable. Because every veteran in Connecticut deserves to know someone gives a damn.
That someone is me.
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