By Robert Johnson
Managing editor

Today is the Army’s 237th birthday, and contrary to what some of you might think, I was not on active duty during the first birthday, but I think my first company commander was.

All jokes aside, the Army definitely has a lot to be proud of. Most of the great accomplishments of the Army are pretty easy to see, read about or experience. Feats like the Battle of Gettysburg, the invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, or Operation Desert Storm are pretty standard knowledge, but definitely something to commemorate. Even the withdrawal from Iraq last year is something that wouldn’t suffer from a little chest-thumping and high-fiving.

Other accomplishments of the Army are not so brazen, and yet some of these events are the ones that I personally think are truly remarkable.

The first I think about is the integration of the force. President Truman decreed it in May 1948, and it took some time to fully implement, but today, the Armed Forces, especially the Army, are leaders in equal opportunity. Even though women are still not allowed in all combat units and the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is slowly being accepted, the Army is a world leader in equal opportunity. Either of these may give good arguments against my claim, but I would challenge anyone to find an organization that develops and promotes its personnel as fairly as the Army.

The second impressive action of the Army is education. Soldiers at all levels are encouraged to gain a higher degree of education … and it’s been that way for many, many years. I owe my college education to the Army; my father owed his education to the Army; and my grandfather developed his skills as a carpenter with the Army in the trenches of France. And whether you are pursuing your G.E.D., J.D. or Ph.D., the Army supports its force like no other agency, corporation or organization.

The third area that I would like to highlight is the All-Volunteer Force. This is truly impressive if you think about it. Most Soldiers in the Army today have voluntarily joined the greatest fighting force in the world while that same force was engaged in multiple combat operations. Soldiers are here because they want to be here, because they have leaders that demonstrate they care about Soldiers and because the work is rewarding — both personally and in benefits. There are tons of jobs out there that pay more, hundreds of corporations that have great benefits, but the Army stands head and shoulders above the rest. We attract more candidates than other services; we provide outstanding benefits to both Soldier and Family, and the Army has a retention rate that reflects how strongly Soldiers feel about their profession. Try sending an Apple Computer executive to the desert for four out of eight years and see if they want to stick around. There would be a new phrase in Cupertino, Calif. — iDoubt it.

So Army, on this, your 237th birthday, I salute you — not for your battlefield accomplishments, but for making this the finest fighting force on the planet — and one great place to live and work.

Happy birthday.