On June 14 every year we celebrate an important birthday: the U.S. Army birthday. Formed to fight the Revolutionary War, our army was properly established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, after it became clear that the volunteer troops fighting for the colonies needed a chain of command and to enlist more able bodies. At the urging of John Adams, Congress passed multiple to create and regulate an army, and the U.S. Army was born!While Memorial Day was created to recognize those who lost their lives in combat and Veterans Day honors service members from every branch of the government, the birthday of the U.S. Army is the perfect day to host a barbecue or get-together for your family members and friends currently serving in the U.S. Army. Army Fast Facts 31 of our presidents have served in the military, and 24 of them served in the Army or in state militias (what we now call the National Guard). The Army is the second-largest employer in the United States with more than one million employees. Walmart is the only larger employer with more than 2.2 million employees. The formation of our army in 1775 makes the organization older than our country. Pretty impressive!Fast forward to 2019 and the U.S. Army is now the largest branch of the armed forces. June 14 is a great opportunity to celebrate and honor our service members who continue to provide security and peace for all of us domestically and abroad.What to Do for the U.S. Army BirthdayHere’s how you can spend your June 14 to honor service members around the country:Host a Party — What’s more American than getting friends together for hot dogs and hamburgers around the pool? Get festive with red, white, and blue decorations along with plenty of black and gold for the U.S. Army. June 14 is also Flag Day — fly your star-spangled banner high! Learn about World War I — If you are on your own or otherwise don’t have the chance to host a big gathering you can still spend a quiet evening learning about one of the most crucial conflicts in history. The U.S. Army continues to focus on WWI centennial milestones as part of their official U.S. Army celebrations, and you can too from the comfort of your couch! Last year’s “They Shall Not Grow Old,” directed by Peter Jackson, features gloriously restored footage from the frontlines of World War I to deliver new insight into some of the U.S. Army’s greatest tribulations and triumphs. Gift a QALO Ring — Give your loved ones serving in the army a practical and stylish gift in the form of a durable QALO silicone ring. We partnered with the U.S Army to create one-of-a-kind functional wedding rings for men and women that proudly rep their branch of service.From all of us at QALO, happy 244th birthday to the U.S. Army! Show us how you celebrate the U.S. Army birthday using the hashtag #QALOArmyStrong.