Which U.S. military branch celebrated its 250th birthday with a 2025 parade linked to America250?

The United States Army celebrated its 250th birthday with a 2025 parade linked to America250.

The parade took place on June 14, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. It commemorated the Army’s establishment on June 14, 1775, making the branch’s anniversary one year earlier than the nation’s July 4, 2026, semiquincentennial observance.

The event was treated as a “soft launch” of official America250 festivities. Its route ran from the Pentagon area to the National Mall, connecting Arlington with the capital’s central ceremonial space. The date also coincided with Flag Day in the United States.

The Army is the oldest of the six branches of the United States Armed Forces. The 2025 event is therefore distinct from America’s national 250th anniversary: it marked the Army’s creation, while America250 commemorated the nation’s independence milestone. The shared 250-year timing made the parade part of the broader anniversary calendar.