Senior Army leaders held a ceremony June 8 commemorating the Army’s 239th birthday, June 14.Under Secretary of the Army Brad R. Carson was the guest speaker at the event held in the Roosevelt Hall Rotunda, at the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, in Washington, D.C.Carson commented how soldiers today continue their service to our nation at the same level of selfless dedication once provided by soldiers from the "Greatest Generation" during World War II."Our beginnings [on June 14,] 1775 may have been humble, but even then and certainly ever since, our Army has influenced the nation and the world," said Carson.Adding, "We have come from a small national force consisting of state militias with citizen-soldiers, to a force grown to 89 divisions in 1944, which liberated the nations of Europe then living under Nazi tyranny; to the all-volunteer force that has adapted to the changing face of warfare, and has fought our nation’s longest war, during the past 13 years."Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), provided ceremonial support during the ceremony with performances by the Fife and Drum Corps and the U.S. Army Drill Team soloists.The U.S. Army Military District of Washington also provided ceremonial support for other Army birthday celebrations that included performances at Bryant Park and Times Square in New York City, June 12-13; the Philadelphia Stripes and Stars Celebration, June 14; and a special performance of the Military District of Washington’s Twilight Tattoo, at Summerall Field on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., June 18.