The extraordinary musicians of the U.S. Army sang about a nation undivided during the Washington, D.C., celebration of the Army’s 250th anniversary on Saturday. The parade, fireworks, and music represented a unifying moment for those who attended in person and the many television viewers across the country.
But at the same time, thousands of “No Kings” protesters were busy rejecting unity at planned counter-demonstrations around the U.S. in an attempt to siphon attention away from the Army. They billed the Army’s parade as an expensive birthday party for President Donald Trump, who shares the same June 14 birthday with the Army. They said it was self-indulgent spending of millions of dollars “for Trump’s birthday party.”
If they had watched the parade they would have seen the value of the event and that it was totally focused on the Army. Here are five reasons the parade was money well spent.
1. The parade was a living history lesson. Because the Army was formed before the United States, the story of our nation cannot be told without understanding the Army’s role.
Experiencing the movement and sound of the Old Guard fife and drum corps in person teaches more than a book could.
2. The military needs an apology and healing after the Biden administration made it go woke and forced COVID shots on the troops. The military put its focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI), taking focus off combat readiness.
When Biden mandated the untested COVID shot for service members, forcing them to take the shot or lose their jobs, many refused and had their careers trashed. It caused discord in the troops, the loss of skilled members, and impacted recruitment. Saturday’s parade offered a fresh sense of pride in the Army and, by extension, all branches. It was a way to honor service members and show them in the positive light they deserve.
3. Military recruitment was down under Biden, but the Army hit its recruiting goals four months early this year. The parade showed how the Army has made a difference throughout history, and it showcased the awesome equipment recruits are trained to use, such as cannons, tanks, drones, and robotic dogs.
Trump often speaks about his concern for putting warfighters in harm’s way. And in a short speech Saturday, Vice President JD Vance spoke directly to Army soldiers, underscoring a promise not to use the military flippantly.
“The way we honor and respect you is, number one, we never ask you to go to war unless you absolutely have to, and number two, when we do ask you to go to war, we give you the weapons and support needed to kick the hell out of the enemy and come back home safely,” Vance said.
4. The parade was a show of strength to the world. Under Biden, the U.S. appeared weak on the world stage, as The Federalist’s Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway reported. Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, in fact most countries, probably had military-related watchers paying close attention to the equipment on display and the reaction of the crowd.
Ours was a warmer, more friendly display than some of the parades seen in other countries. There was no creepy goose stepping, matching facial expressions, or shouting. But it showed our strong past and innovative future.
5. It was entertaining and relatable with no swearing and no gratuitous sex, just patriotism. Almost everyone knows someone connected to the Army, and it was good to hear stories of historical events loved ones may have been involved in.
There were enough fireworks to light heavenly birthday candles for every soldier who didn’t come home. The music, in sync with the fireworks, was emotional, offering moments of national pride, reminders of life and death sacrifice, and pledges of unity.
It was one of those shared national moments folks talk about the next day.
What would it cost to buy a theater ticket for every person who viewed it? Who knows.
But it was certainly money better spent than “$20 million for a ‘Sesame Street’ show in Iraq, $25 million to promote ‘green transportation’ in Georgia, $8 million to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid ‘binary gendered language,” and other useless spending under Biden, as Tristan Justice previously reported for The Federalist.
It is too bad the protesters can’t stop fighting Trump long enough to appreciate the Army that preserves their freedom to protest.
Beth Brelje is an elections correspondent for The Federalist. She is an award-winning investigative journalist with decades of media experience.
