(ARMY) Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler cut the cake at last year’s 237th birthday celebration.
The Army is just going to stay in and have a quiet family dinner on its 238th birthday this year.
Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno and Secretary of the Army John McHugh have canceled this year’s Army Birthday Ball (originally scheduled for June 13) in an effort to rein in unnecessary Pentagon expenditures.
“This action supports the department’s overall effort to reduce spending of appropriated funds,” they explained in a joint statement.
This only applies to the Army’s big Washington bash, though. The following smaller observances will still take place:
- June 10 Mount Vernon
- June 12 Capitol Hill event
- June 12 Twilight Tattoo
- June 13 Pentagon cake cutting
- June 14 Army run at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
- June 14 Wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery
Individual units, however, are still encouraged to celebrate the Army’s big day in their own ways. What kinds of Army birthday blowouts have you been to during your career?
