Army's powder still dry at 238 Published June 13, 2013 By Col. Charles Coursey Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst deputy commander JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Recent tragic events in Boston, protracted political controversy and factional struggle, a national government struggling to function and remain fiscally viable, an underfunded military...? One might think this a description of contemporary America and this would be hard to refute. Yet, while this contemporary explanation is very plausible, the better description is the revolutionary crisis America faced in the 1770s. On June 14, 1775, less than two months after Lexington-Concord and "the shot heard round the world," the Army was born from crisis into a watershed moment in world history. Created by an act of the Continental Congress, the Army provided an important unifying force for the struggling Colonies. The next day, Congress selected George Washington as Commander in Chief to lead this fledgling new Army. Feeling honor bound to agree, but rightfully concerned that he would be up to the task, Washington reluctantly accepted the appointment. Within days, Washington was leading Soldiers in the field in what had now become open war with Britain. The Army immediately faced multiple existential crises. These included an undertrained, underequipped, ill-disciplined and disorganized force, internal squabbling in the ranks, no coherent strategy and a world-class British adversary. For the next eight years, Washington and the embryonic government struggled to train, equip, supply and hold together an Army while simultaneously engaged with the formidable Redcoats. The Revolutionary War, America's first as a nation, was a protracted and full-spectrum conflict. There were elements of conventional and unconventional/guerilla warfare, asymmetric warfare and even the use of weapons of mass destruction. The modest Continental Army ultimately survived, prevailed and established a rich legacy of pride and patriotism within the Army and national psyche. That we endured as a nation is also a tribute to the flexibility and adaptability of our Army leaders and Soldiers from the very beginning. While the Continentals inherited their traditions largely from the British Army, early Army conventions were also greatly influenced by our ally, the French, as well as the Prussians. An important component of the American strategy during the war was the Army demonstrating the ability to achieve at least some marginal victories that would help garner the support of a few key allies. To succeed, this strategy required Washington to maintain a delicate balance between pursuit of significant battlefield victories while simultaneously ensuring that his army was not destroyed in any decisive engagement. Consequently, early on, the Army was compelled to use diverse, unorthodox and adaptive tactics in pursuit of this strategy. As we celebrate the 238th birthday of the nation's oldest Service, all Americans can take a great sense of comfort and pride in the Army's rich legacy of values, leadership and accomplishment. From its inauspicious and humble beginnings, the Army, much as the nation, has demonstrated remarkable resiliency and ability to overcome a multitude of challenges. Leadership under Washington instilled early values in our Army and the nation. These values were based on recognition of civilian control of the Army, the obligation of officers to act as gentlemen governed by rules and the requirement for all Soldiers to obey the orders of superiors. From this early framework and contributions from Von Steuben and others, one can realize how modern Army values espoused in the acronym "LDRSHIP" were derived. Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage are the hallmark traits that all Soldiers strive for in today's Army. And these are the traits on display when, on a daily basis, Emergency Ordnance Disposal Soldiers put their lives at risk disarming IEDs in Afghanistan, when infantrymen refuse to return enemy fire because the risk of civilian casualties, when in 2013, the Army is named by Thomas Reuters as one of the world's most innovative research organizations, when the Army as part of the Department of Defense is recognized as a leader in diversity, and as Soldiers continue to reenlist in record numbers despite sustained conflict over the last 12 years. Uniforms, weapons, tactics, benefits packages and budget realities have changed many times in the past, yet Soldiers, families and civilians have retained a steadfast commitment to Army values. Today, as the Army implements another large-scale, multi-year drawdown in forces and a steadily declining budget, the Army remains as deeply committed to its core values and our national ideals as ever. Good leaders demand good values in their Soldiers. Soldiers that exhibit Army values inevitably become its future leaders. The Army has a long history of leadership as old as the nation itself. In fact, well over half of our 43 U.S. presidents have served in the Army with two, Washington and Eisenhower, achieving the rank of 5-Star General and one, Theodore Roosevelt, being awarded the Army's Medal of Honor. Our officer and non-commissioned officer corps remain the best trained, ready and capable in the world. For much of the nation's history, leadership traits and success on the battlefield were considered a fast-track onto the national political stage. This week, as we celebrate the birthday of the United States Army, we can appreciate the character and achievements of all the generations of brave Patriot Soldiers who have served and gone to war to defend the nation and keep it free. We should take time to appreciate an Army with such a magnificent lineage, the Army that lead the largest amphibious operation in history, the Army that mapped America and launched the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Army that helped defeat Nazi Germany and end the Holocaust, and we should take a great sense of pride as we wish Soldier's a Happy Army Birthday. Our Soldiers and nation should also take solace knowing they support an organization that will be prepared to act when called upon. Responding to crises is in our Army DNA. As America's force of decisive action, the Army is always ready. Perseverance, adaptability, faith in our values and our ideals, this is our Army of yesterday and today, ready to take on any challenge by keeping our powder dry. As our Army song says, this is how we "roll." "The Army Goes Rolling Along" March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory We're the Army and proud of our name We're the Army and proudly proclaim First to fight for the right, And to build the Nation's might, And The Army Goes Rolling Along Proud of all we have done, Fighting till the battle's won, And the Army Goes Rolling Along. Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey! The Army's on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!) For where e'er we go, You will always know That The Army Goes Rolling Along. Valley Forge, Custer's ranks, San Juan Hill and Patton's tanks, And the Army went rolling along Minute men, from the start, Always fighting from the heart, And the Army keeps rolling along. (refrain) Men in rags, men who froze, Still that Army met its foes, And the Army went rolling along. Faith in God, then we're right, And we'll fight with all our might, As the Army keeps rolling along. (refrain)