Some of the 660 American flags on display are seen on the church lawn of St. Peter's Reformed Church, Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, in Zelienople, Pa. A church spokesperson said they put the flags and a banner up on Thursday for the Labor Day weekend to illustrate the number of veterans that commit suicide a year. The church web site indicates they hold monthly meetings for an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention support group.
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
Some of the 660 American flags on display are seen on the church lawn of St. Peter's Reformed Church, Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, in Zelienople, Pa. A church spokesperson said they put the flags and a banner up on Thursday for the Labor Day weekend to illustrate the number of veterans that commit suicide a year. The church web site indicates they hold monthly meetings for an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention support group.
Aired; April 8th, 2025.
As the United States Army prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2025, the Army Heritage Center Foundation is leading the charge in preserving and sharing the stories that have shaped the Army—and, by extension, the nation—for two and a half centuries.
“It’s such a huge milestone,” said Asia Tabb in a recent conversation with Julie Germany, President of the Army Heritage Center Foundation. “What does that anniversary mean to you and the Army Heritage Foundation?”
Germany’s response was passionate and heartfelt.
“The Army Heritage Center Foundation’s mission is twofold,” she explained. “The first part is to support the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, an incredible museum, archive, and library in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, that’s open to the public and was recently voted one of the top museums in the nation by Newsweek. But the other part of our mission is a lot more intimate—telling the story of America’s soldiers, one soldier at a time, throughout the last two and a half centuries of American history.”
For Germany and her colleagues, Army history is American history. “We’re situated in a pretty unique position in central Pennsylvania that not only birthed a nation, but was also involved in the birth of the Army.”
To mark the Army’s 250th birthday on June 14, the Foundation is hosting a special Army Birthday Dinner—an annual event that this year will carry extra meaning. “You only turn 250 once,” Germany said with a smile.
Rather than focusing on the number, the event will spotlight personal stories from across Army history. “Throughout the dinner, we will be profiling four local heroes,” she said. “One of them, Brigadier General William Thompson, was the first Colonel in the United States Army. He was a Carlisle, Pennsylvania boy. He’s buried in the old cemetery in Carlisle, right next to the Molly Pitcher monument.”
Other featured stories will include soldiers from World War II, the Korean War, and the Global War on Terror—covering a full arc of Army history through local lives and legacies.
The Foundation’s approach to commemorating the Army’s 250th is deeply rooted in individual experience. “Telling the soldier story one soldier at a time is the way to do it,” said Germany. “It’s almost like putting one step forward.”
The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC), which the Foundation supports, houses five miles—yes, miles—of archival material. “If you’re a runner like me, you kind of have a feeling for what a mile feels like on your body,” Germany said. “Imagine five miles, and you’re just walking past things like journal entries, personal notes—all these incredible items of soldiers who have served throughout American history.”
One particularly moving example is a World War II-era POW’s collection. “One of my favorite items is a cookbook authored by George Galleon, a prisoner of war in a Japanese POW camp. The cookbook is filled with recipes he collected from fellow prisoners—foods they missed from home. It’s beautiful, celebratory. But his journal entries are stark—he logged exactly what he ate each day: rice, broth, vegetables. You can see the contrast. It’s a portrait of life under unimaginable conditions.”
Both Galleon’s journal and his cookbook will be featured in a special 250th exhibit opening June 14.
Behind the scenes, the Foundation is also working to engage deeply with the community. “Part of that comes from our partners,” said Germany. “I’ve tasked my colleagues with engaging as much as possible—not just for the Army 250th, but also America’s 250th in 2026.”
That means collaborating with local groups like the Cumberland County Historical Society and participating in county-level planning committees to find and share more personal soldier stories. “We’re working to make sure these stories reflect both Army and American history.”
The Foundation also serves as a resource for veterans and their families. “Often we’ll hear from people who say, ‘I have my parent’s or grandparent’s boxes of Army papers—what do I do with them?’” Germany explained. The Foundation helps assess and preserve these materials, sometimes adding them to the permanent collection at USAHEC.
