The United States Army celebrated its 250th anniversary with the 2025 Washington parade tied to America250.
The Army dates its founding to June 14, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Its 250th birthday fell one year before the United States' 250th anniversary in 2026, making the parade an early event in the broader America250 period.
The grand military parade and celebration took place on June 14, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Its route ran from the Pentagon toward the National Mall. The event included soldiers, military vehicles, aircraft, horses, mules, parachutists, and bands.
The Army is described as the oldest of the six branches of the United States Armed Forces. Its anniversary is distinct from the nation's anniversary: the Army commemorates its 1775 founding, while America250 primarily commemorates the 1776 Declaration of Independence.