Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Deziree Lau | Brig. Gen. John D. Rhodes, deputy commanding general of the Army Reserve’s 99th...... read more read more
Subscribe
PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Army Reserve helped celebrate Flag Day and the U.S. Army’s 251st birthday during a ceremony held here June 14 at the National Constitution Center.
Brig. Gen. John D. Rhodes, deputy commanding general of the Army Reserve’s 99th Readiness Division, delivered remarks highlighting the Army’s history and current relevance.
“One year older than the nation it defends, the U.S. Army has dedicated itself to fighting and winning our nation’s wars for more than 250 years,” Rhodes said. “Millions of men and women over the past two-and-a-half centuries have raised their right hands and taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
“As the 21st century continues to present an increasingly complex global environment, today’s Army is a critical component in supporting and sustaining the Joint Force as it responds to threats from across the globe,” he continued. “The Joint Force simply cannot deploy, fight, and win without the U.S. Army.”
The event also featured remarks from Steven Sims, Independence National Historical Park superintendent, and re-enactors portraying Betsy Ross and George Washington.
“’Resolved, that six companies of expert riflemen be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; … that each company, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army,’” Washington said, quoting the resolution passed by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, that marked the official birth of the United States Army.
This event kicked off a day-long slate of events that included a Flag Day/Army Birthday celebration outside Independence Hall and a U.S. Army birthplace marker unveiling next to the Public Ledger Building in Center City.
“How fitting it is that the Army shares its birthday and birthplace with Old Glory, as our Soldiers serve every day to ensure that our Flag continues to fly over the land of the free and the home of the brave,” Rhodes said. “From the Revolutionary War to present-day missions, our Soldiers have consistently demonstrated their resolve to defend freedom at home and abroad.”
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2026 12:19 |
| Story ID: | 568011 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Army Reserve leader helps celebrate Army’s 251st birthday in nation’s birthplace, by Shawn Morris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
