US Army: Innovating Since 1775

I thought entering one’s forties was a big deal, but I think the Army has got me beat this year. Turning 250 years old is something that should invoke a great deal of reflection, appreciation, and honor. As time progresses forward, the ability to remain useful and relevant seems to peter out as faster and faster with the age of technology. Innovation pushes us to rethink the status quo and resources get harder to come by. 

When I was a commander, I took my company on a staff ride to visit the site of “the shot heard around the world.” When standing in the vicinity at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, you really have to use your imagination. Sure, there are stone walls dividing up plots of land, open fields, and old homes, but other than that, you might ask yourself, “That’s it?” That’s it, indeed. With little more than the “weapons” farmers, artisans, and regular townsmen had at the ready, our founders of liberty used their will and imagination for a better tomorrow to propel their conviction into action. Standing on the grassy fields, walking the same trails that our original patriots walked and listening to their stories garnered deep appreciation for their tenacity to handle the unknowing future. 

With each subsequent battle and conflict since the American Revolution, our military has become wiser from direct experience and more creative out of necessity. When I visit the Army Medical Department Museum in San Antonio, Texas, I’m reminded of the innovative products born out of war. From the horse-drawn ambulance to multiple vaccines to improved amputation kits, the Army has leveraged technology at every obstacle and requirement to succeed.

So what is the Army trying to succeed at? Good question.

I vividly remember asking myself that question when I was in basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. Each drill sergeant proudly wore the “This We’ll Defend” badge on their chest. Day in and day out, the mission the Army needs to accomplish can surely shift with the winds. The Army has had many enemies. Japan and Germany used to be enemies, but are now allies. Our founding fathers used to curse the British. Circumstances can change, but the American ideals of freedom and choice do not. They are things the Army defends regardless of the enemy’s label, origin, or background. “This we’ll defend” is the reminder to every soldier that the American way of life is the thing worth defending…. worth dying for.

The picture and the details of the “enemy” may change just like one’s age, but the Army stands ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the near, far, virtual and physical adversaries which threaten our freedoms no matter its vintage. Our military is charged with not only handling the enemy at the moment, but it must continually anticipate the future challenges. It’s not easy. The fact that our Army has been able to morph and reinvent itself through these past 250 years is something to take pride and pause in. Thank you to all the soldiers of the past, present, and future for defending “this” each day.

Happy Birthday, Army!