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The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Tanks arrive for Army parade to celebrate 250th anniversary
And the tanks themselves - and other military vehicles - have begun arriving by train. "The Army's 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event," Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesperson for the III Armored Corps, said as one of the trains left Fort Cavazos in Texas bound for Washington, D.C. "This is a chance to see our soldiers, our leaders and the world-class force on full display in our nation's capital. We look forward to being a part of history." The day-long festival along the National Mall will feature a parade and fireworks display. The parade will include about 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, according to the Army. Trump told NBC News the cost - budgeted at $30 million and potentially rising to $45 million - is "peanuts" compared to celebrating "the greatest military in the world." Democratic lawmakers have argued Trump is wielding the military for his own political purposes. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the event is "all about his ego and making everything about him." The first tanks bound for the capital began moving May 21. A nearly mile-long train carried M1 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley vehicles, M109 Paladins and Strykers about 1,300 miles from Texas to the capital for the parade. Soldiers and their equipment will be housed in a Department of Agriculture building and a warehouse owned by the General Service Administration. Chow will consist of two MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and one hot meal per day.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Stage is set and tanks are arriving to celebrate Army's 250th anniversary on Trump's birthday
Stage is set and tanks are arriving to celebrate Army's 250th anniversary on Trump's birthday The tanks and other military vehicles traveled 1,300 miles from Texas by train for the festivities. Show Caption Hide Caption White House plans parade for Trump's bday, Army's 250th anniversary The White House is planning a massive military parade to celebrate the Army's 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. A nearly mile-long train carried M1 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley vehicles, M109 Paladins and Strykers about 1,300 miles from Texas to the capital for the parade. The parade will include about 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, according to the Army. WASHINGTON – The stage is being set – literally – for the military parade June 14 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with President Donald Trump's birthday. Construction workers are erecting a stage along Constitution Avenue near the White House. Steel plates have been embedded in the asphalt to protect roads from 140,000-pound tanks. And the tanks themselves – and other military vehicles – have begun arriving by train. "The Army's 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event," Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesperson for the III Armored Corps, said as one of the trains left Fort Cavazos in Texas bound for Washington, D.C. "This is a chance to see our soldiers, our leaders and the world-class force on full display in our nation's capital. We look forward to being a part of history." The day-long festival along the National Mall will feature a parade and fireworks display. The parade will include about 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, according to the Army. Trump told NBC News the cost – budgeted at $30 million and potentially rising to $45 million – is 'peanuts' compared to celebrating 'the greatest military in the world.' Democratic lawmakers have argued Trump is wielding the military for his own political purposes. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the event is 'all about his ego and making everything about him.' The first tanks bound for the capital began moving May 21. A nearly mile-long train carried M1 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley vehicles, M109 Paladins and Strykers about 1,300 miles from Texas to the capital for the parade. Soldiers and their equipment will be housed in a Department of Agriculture building and a warehouse owned by the General Service Administration. Chow will consist of two MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and one hot meal per day.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump's military parade includes a dog and pony show. And the dog is named Doc Holliday
When the Army celebrates its 250th birthday on June 14, a date that just so happens to be President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, the streets of Washington, D.C., will be filled with marching troops and tanks as World War II airplanes and Vietnam War-era helicopters swoop overhead. Also included in the parade will be 34 horses, two mules, one wagon and a dog. Army Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesman for the III Armored Corps, said the dog is a Blue Heeler (aka an Australian Cattle Dog) named "Doc Holliday" -- likely a nod to the famous gunslinger played by Val Kilmer in the movie "Tombstone." MORE: Army prepares tanks for DC military parade that could cost $45 million Doc joined the Army's 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment at Fort Cavazos, Texas, more than two years ago as a young puppy, Sztalkoper said. Part of the unit, which is used mostly for community events, is a wagon pulled by two mules. Doc rides in the back of the wagon. "This is nothing for him. He's used to parades," said Sztalkoper, noting that Doc has participated twice already in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. And while Doc falls "definitely in the sweet and playful category," Sztalkoper said he "knows his place very well when it's time for the parade." Doc and his unit plan to depart Texas on June 10 so they can reach Washington in time to participate in the Army parade four days later. Doc's trip to the nation's capital is part of a massive effort underway by the Army -- and Trump -- to mark the service's milestone birthday with a weeklong festival and parade that includes some 6,700 soldiers. Planning for the celebration has been under way for close to two years, according to officials. It wasn't until this year following Trump's inauguration, however, that officials began exploring options to make the event even bigger with a parade. MORE: Army to go 'bigger' to mark its 250th. Could it be the military parade Trump wants? Trump had sought a military parade in his first term, but the effort was scrapped after costs topped $90 million. The final cost of this year's event is unknown. While the Army is estimated to spend up to $45 million to deploy troops and equipment, the celebration is expected to require considerable security on par with a large-scale event like the Super Bowl or presidential inauguration. Though Army officials said there are no plans for any of the seven bands participating in the parade to sing "happy birthday" to Trump, the Golden Knights will parachute onto the White House Ellipse and offer the president a folded American flag. After the parade, Trump will also administer the constitutional oath to 250 Army enlistees. "It is a lot of money, but I think that amount of money is dwarfed by 250 years of service and sacrifice that American soldiers have given this country," Army spokesman Steve Warren said. "We're looking at this as an opportunity to really strengthen the connection between America and her Army," he added. "So, yeah, it's a lot of money, but it pales in comparison to what we're selling." The event isn't the first military parade in Washington, though it is likely to be the biggest. The U.S. military under President George H.W. Bush held a victory parade in June 1991 following the Persian Gulf War. MORE: Video June 8, 1991: The men and women of Operation Desert Storm parade through Washington, DC Army officials said the parade is designed to tell the history of the Army, starting with troops wearing Revolutionary War garb. As the parade enters the World War II era, troops will march alongside period jeeps and an M4 Sherman tank while a B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft, Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport plane and four North American P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers buzz overhead. More recent conflicts will be represented with Army UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Also included in the parade are 28 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker vehicles and six Paladin self-propelled howitzers. The Army on Wednesday began loading the tanks on to rail cars from its base in Fort Cavazos to make the trek to Washington, D.C. in coming weeks. The tanks will be shipped to Jessup, Maryland, before being loaded onto trucks and driven to a staging area in Washington near the Lincoln Memorial. Trump's military parade includes a dog and pony show. And the dog is named Doc Holliday originally appeared on
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
Trump's military parade is a dog and pony show. And the dog is named Doc Holliday
When the Army celebrates its 250th birthday on June 14, a date that just so happens to be President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, the streets of Washington, D.C., will be filled with marching troops and tanks as World War II airplanes and Vietnam War-era helicopters swoop overhead. Also included in the parade will be 34 horses, two mules, one wagon and a dog. Army Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesman for the III Armored Corps, said the dog is a Blue Heeler (aka an Australian Cattle Dog) named "Doc Holliday" -- likely a nod to the famous Civil War-era gunslinger played by Val Kilmer in the movie "Tombstone." Doc joined the Army's 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment at Fort Cavazos, Texas, more than two years ago as a young puppy, Sztalkoper said. Part of the unit, which is used mostly for community events, is a wagon pulled by two mules. Doc rides in the back of the wagon. "This is nothing for him. He's used to parades," said Sztalkoper, noting that Doc has participated twice already in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. And while Doc falls "definitely in the sweet and playful category," Sztalkoper said he "knows his place very well when it's time for the parade." Doc and his unit plan to depart Texas on June 10 so they can reach Washington in time to participate in the Army parade four days later. Doc's trip to the nation's capital is part of a massive effort underway by the Army -- and Trump -- to mark the service's milestone birthday with a weeklong festival and parade that includes some 6,700 soldiers. Planning for the celebration has been under way for close to two years, according to officials. It wasn't until this year following Trump's inauguration, however, that officials began exploring options to make the event even bigger with a parade. Trump had sought a military parade in his first term, but the effort was scrapped after costs topped $90 million. The final cost of this year's event is unknown. While the Army is estimated to spend up to $45 million to deploy troops and equipment, the celebration is expected to require considerable security on par with a large-scale event like the Super Bowl or presidential inauguration. Though Army officials said there are no plans for any of the seven bands participating in the parade to sing "happy birthday" to Trump, the Golden Knights will parachute onto the White House Ellipse and offer the president a folded American flag. After the parade, Trump will also administer the constitutional oath to 250 Army enlistees. "It is a lot of money, but I think that amount of money is dwarfed by 250 years of service and sacrifice that American soldiers have given this country," Army spokesman Steve Warren said. "We're looking at this as an opportunity to really strengthen the connection between America and her Army," he added. "So, yeah, it's a lot of money, but it pales in comparison to what we're selling." The event isn't the first military parade in Washington, though it is likely to be the biggest. The U.S. military under President George H.W. Bush held a victory parade in June 1991 following the Persian Gulf War. Army officials said the parade is designed to tell the history of the Army, starting with troops wearing Revolutionary War garb. As the parade enters the World War II era, troops will march alongside period jeeps and an M4 Sherman tank while a B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft, Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport plane and four North American P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers buzz overhead. More recent conflicts will be represented with Army UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Also included in the parade are 28 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker vehicles and four M-109 Paladin self-propelled howitzers. The Army on Wednesday began loading the tanks on to rail cars from its base in Fort Cavazos to make the trek to Washington, D.C. later this month. The tanks will be shipped to Jessup, Maryland, before being loaded onto trucks and driven to a staging area in Washington near the Lincoln Memorial.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
III Corps loads up for Army's 250th birthday celebration
Fort Cavazos, Tx (FOX 44) – The III Armored Corps is conducting rail loading operations in preparation for the Army's 250th birthday celebration in Washington, D.C. At Fort Cavazos' railyard, M1 Abrams, Paladins, Bradleys, and Strykers from the 1st Cavalry Division received a fresh coat of paint, underwent validation, and were carefully loaded and secured onto railcars for transport to the nation's capital. The Army is celebrating its 250th birthday on June 14 with multiple events. The national level celebration will include a day-long festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a parade and a spectacular fireworks display. The festival will feature displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, activities for kids, musical performances and a fitness competition. Parade planning is actively underway, and planners anticipate approximately 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 Soldiers to highlight the Army's 250 years of service to the nation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
