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

The United States Army celebrated its 250th birthday with a 2025 Washington parade.

The Continental Congress created the Army on June 14, 1775, during the Revolutionary War. That makes the Army the oldest of the six branches of the United States Armed Forces. Its anniversary came one year before the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The 250th Anniversary Parade took place on June 14, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. It was presented as part of the lead-up to the United States Semiquincentennial and included historical military formations as well as modern equipment.

The Army is not the same institution as the National Guard, although the Army National Guard is one of the Army’s reserve components. The other U.S. military branches are the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard.