Southwest Asia --
The 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment celebrated the U.S. Army’s 240th birthday by hosting a five-sport event at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia June 12-13.
The activities included a 5K color run, volleyball, softball, tug-o-war and dodgeball. Several teams, made up of U.S. Soldiers and Airmen as well as other coalition forces, participated throughout the two-day festivities.
Lt. Col. Mike Solis, 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment battalion commander, touched on what it meant to have the various services share this special occasion.
“We were truly honored that we were able to celebrate our Army's birthday among the Joint and Coalition forces,” said Solis. “The very roots of our Nation and Army’s history are joint and coalition warfare; we would not have won at Yorktown if it had not been for French Naval forces. At the beginning of WWII, our Army was able to regroup, reorganize and counterattack thanks to the security and support of our coalition partners, who subsequently fought at our sides to close out that theatre; and of course, there is no better friend to land power than air power, as we depend on so many U.S. Air Force capabilities to succeed at our mission.”
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica website, the Army was established and recognized as the first regular U.S. fighting force on June 14, 1775 during the American Revolution.
The Army also holds the title of oldest U.S. military branch and within its long history lays the beginning of the U.S. Air Force. After the U.S. Army Signal Corps formed an Aeronautical division in 1907, its progressive growth over the following 40 years led to the Air Force’s conception on Sept. 18, 1947.
“Of course the Army never lets us forget that we were born out of the Army Air Corps,” said Brig. Gen. John Quintas, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing commander. “I've got a brother still serving in the Army and he won't let me forget that either. But I'm proud of our roots in the Army. I'm also proud of what the Air Force has become, since it became a separate force. We are fueled by innovation, and always have been. We've created a distinct culture for the unique challenges of leading and winning in the Air, Space and Cyber domains."
Quintas also shared the same sentiments as Solis in regard to what it meant having everyone come together for the birthday.
"We are a joint team, engaged in this current fight shoulder-to-shoulder,” said Quintas. “It is a valuable experience for all Airmen to share in the Army's birthday celebration; and here at the 380th, the Army went all out! It was a fun couple of days, filled with events that brought the entire community together. I am proud to be serving deployed with such an outstanding group of men and women who make up the world's greatest Army."
The day’s events ended with a ceremony, which included a cake cutting, recognition of the first place teams in each sport and the military branch who took the top overall spot.
The top overall team, who received the Army Birthday Cup, was none other than the Army.
It was a spirited scene over the two day contest and Solis pointed out the underlying reason they chose to celebrate in this manner.
“Our Army's mission is to fight and win our Nation's wars,” said Solis. “We embed competitions [like this one] into anything we can so that we can instill and maintain that winning warrior spirit.”