The Army’s main birthday event will be a celebration in the nation’s capital on June 14. But smaller celebrations and related activities were held across the country in the weeks leading up to the official birthday, and some festivities will even take place after. 

Soldiers, vehicles and equipment are arriving to the nation’s capital this week to prepare for the Army’s 250th Birthday Parade in Washington.

Hegseth maintained the call-up of 4,000 National Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines was “lawful and constitutional” and said the same process could be employed in other cities.

The combined force of nearly 5,000 National Guard soldiers and Marines deployed to Los Angeles to help contain immigration protests have expanded their mission to protect federal agents as they conduct raids and arrests throughout the city, military officials say.

After bringing back the name Fort Bragg to the post in North Carolina, President Donald Trump visited the base and announced seven other southern Army installations would return to their old names that were changed in 2023 because they honored Confederate generals.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military would stay involved for 60 days at a cost of $134 million.

The Defense Department doubled the number of National Guard troops to deploy to Los Angeles to help protect federal facilities and personnel as the city grapples with ongoing protests against immigration raids and arrests.

Veterans and their supporters gathered on the National Mall in Washington for the Unite for Veterans rally, a day-long event billed as a grassroots movement to activate vets across the country to come together and oppose the Trump administration’s initiatives that include layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and cuts to veterans services.

Four World War II veterans attended the celebration. Each veteran’s time of service was read during the ceremony and the crowd applauded for their efforts. Navy Secretary John Phelan attended the ceremony and took time to speak with each of the veterans before and after the event.  

On the hallowed ground above Omaha Beach, more than two dozen American World War II veterans joined Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top officials Friday to commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day, the Allied assault that helped turn the tide of World War II.