If some of you don’t know, the Army is one of the major branches of the United States Armed Forces, and also is one of the country's oldest parts of the government. It’s been around for almost 250 years and has always played an important role in protecting the country. It did change over the years, but their mission is still the same.

To give a highlight to the Army, let’s take a closer look at some U.S. Army 

facts that you've probably never heard before

Let’s start with a deep dive into history, as the Army’s roots go so deep that it was around before the country even existed. Yes, these U.S. Army facts show how wild the beginnings were.

1.  The Army is older than the United States.

Yes, you read it right. The Army was formed on June 14, 1755, which is a full year before the Declaration of Independence.

2. George Washington wasn’t excited to lead.

George Washington doubted his ability to command, and he thought we weren’t a great fit for the job, and it turns out he was wrong.

3. The first submarine used in war was Army-operated.

The first submarine used in war was Army-operated, and it was the Turtle, which was used for a mission in the Revolutionary War.

4. The Army’s dress colors were chosen by George Washington.

George Washington chose traditional blue uniforms, and over 200 years later, the Army returned and chose to have that same look.

5. Guerrilla warfare began with the Army.

The hit-and-run strategy was used in swamps to outsmart British troops. Crazy, right?

6. A Gay Prussian officer trained Washington’s troops.

Baron von Steuben was the one who trained Washington’s troops, and he fled persecution for being homosexual.

7. The Air Force and the Army were once one

Yes, the Air Force used to be a part of the Army until it split off to become its own branch.

We thought the Army was doing everything in the open, but these amazing U.S. Army facts show how sneaky a military strategy is, and sometimes, shocking!

8. Chemical agents were tested on U.S. cities.

Zinc cadmium sulfide was sprayed over places like St. Louis and San Francisco to test dispersal methods back in the 1950s and 1960s. Incredibly shocking.

9. Nerve agents were dumped into the ocean by the Army.

The Army disposed of 64 million pounds of toxic weapons off the coast, not knowing where they went.

10. Psychological warfare teams called enemies "cowardly dogs."

PSYOPS soldiers used loudspeakers to insult and bait enemy fighters into losing battles, which was kind of smart.

11. The Army fires depleted uranium bullets.

The rounds were so deadly that they could pierce armor and ignite on impact, and it is highly toxic, so there could be internal damage if they are inhaled.

12. They fired 1,400 rounds at a weather balloon.

In the Battle of Los Angeles, the soldiers fired into the sky, which turned out to be just harmless balloons, because they panicked.

13. An entire island was cleared for a U.S. base.

The Army was building a base that required the people of Diego Garcia to leave their homes.

The Lewis and Clark expedition was led by Army officers, and yes, they pretty much traveled America.

The Army’s pretty evolved now, but you might be surprised by the major contributions that shaped the present day.

Cool, right? The famous sunglasses were mostly created to help the Army reduce glare and motion sickness when they are in flight.

16. Coca-Cola created a military unit to serve soda.

“Technical Observers” were sent out to build bottling plants and give troops Coke for a nickel.

17. The Army had a “Red Team” of skeptics.

They were trained to question everything so they wouldn’t make a bad decision.

18. A swastika was once part of an Army insignia.

The 45th Infantry used the symbol as a Native American good luck sign before WWII, which they later replaced with a thunderbird.

Not the bath bombs that you use for relaxation, but literally bat bombs. Bats carrying explosives were almost used in WWII, we said almost.

20. The Army created its official song last.

Other branches had theirs, but the Army didn’t pick “The Army Goes Rolling Along” until 1956—181 years after it was founded.

21. The Army uses 400 pounds of batteries for a 3-day mission.

They carry these loads of tech, and all of these need battery power so they can use them in the field.

As we all know, the Army is the largest and one of the major branches. You might be surprised, but the Army is made up of people from all walks of life, and the numbers and facts that are included here are a testament to the fact that the Army’s reach is very wide.

22. There are over 1 million people in the Army.


That includes the Regular Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve combined.

23. The Army owns more land than some states.


Are they that rich? No, they just have 24,000 square miles under their control, and it would be the 42nd largest state in the U.S.

24. The Army has the most military bases worldwide.


Yes, they are the largest, so they have about 750 U.S. military bases in over 80 countries.

25. A third of the Union Army were immigrants.

Immigrants and Black soldiers made up a huge portion of the troops 

These 25 U.S. Army facts let us realize that we most likely have little knowledge about the 

, and it somehow reminds us that even the most serious branch can have a little crazy twist along the way.

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On Monday May 5th, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed Senior Pentagon leadership to cut a number of four-star generals and admirals. Hegseth ordered that there be at least a 20% cut across the military, according to a memo that was signed earlier this month. Now, it has been revealed that Hegseth's cuts will impact more than 120 high-ranking officer jobs, including nine top general positions. Keep reading to learn more about what the memo contained, and the latest details related to the continued Hegseth military cuts.

Released Memo Directs Pentagon to Cut Top Leadership Positions

 that was released on Monday, May 5th, gives the Pentagon directions to cut a number of general officers in the Nation Guard by 20%.

The memo also directed additional cuts to the total number of general and flag officers across the military by 10%.

The additional 10% cuts affects any one-star or above or officer of equivalent Navy rank. The Pete Hegseth military cuts were first 

It is predicted that the cuts are going to affect dozens of active duty officers across all branches of the military, as well as those who are in joint command jobs. The cuts will also impact positions overseeing Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. 

The proposed changes will eliminate 33 senior positions in the National Guard.

Recent Memos Call for Significant Changes in the Military

In the May 5th memo, Hegseth wrote that the cuts are a "critical" step forward, as they are a step towards, “removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.”

Currently, the Pentagon is facing increasing pressure to reduce spending as part of the border policy changes implemented by Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

In late April, Defense Secretary Hegseth released an 

, calling for the creation of a “leaner, more lethal force.” Included in this transformation is the merging and/or closing of headquarters, getting rid of outdated vehicles, and cutting close to a thousand headquarters staff in the Pentagon.

In addition to the memo released in early May, Hegseth released another memorandum on April 24th, that could change how the U.S. military decides who is medically fit to serve. This memo raised concerns about the number of waivers being granted.

How Many General Officers Are in the Military?

As it stands now, there are 500+ general officers in the military. Around 44 of those are four-star general or flag officers.

Congress stipulates the max number of high-ranking general officers that are allowed in the services. This includes: 

The Army currently has the largest number of general officers. The number of general officer positions in the military is set by law.

Combined, all branches can't have more that 27 four-star generals, 153 three-star generals, 239 two-star generals, and 210 one-star generals.

Trump & Hegseth Military Cuts Continue to Impact Military Officer Positions

On May 5th, the released memo directed the active duty military to shed 20% of its four-star general officers. Now, as Hegseth military cuts continue, many are worried about the impact they will have on the force, potentially creating a more polarizing environment.

The most recent round of cuts have come after more than half-dozen top general officers, and several

 high-ranking female officers, were fired

 by the Trump Administration earlier this year. During the initial rounds of firing, Hegseth explained that they were, “a reflection of the president wanting the right people around him to execute the national security approach we want to take.”

In the memo, Hegseth explained that the firings would help, "Remove redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.” He said the aim was to free the military from, “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”

How Will the Cuts Impact Military Services?

Hegseth's cuts are expected to impact all branches in some manner. The Army is allowed to have a maximum of 219 high-ranking general officers. Thus, this branch is predicted to experience the highest number of cuts. Army leaders have developed various plans to merge headquarters units and staff. As a result, 40 general officer positions could be cut.

The Marine Corps and the Space Force only have two four-star generals, and thus will likely see less of an impact directly. 

When asked about how the cuts will impact the Marine Corps Lt. Col. Josh Benson, a Marine spokesman said, "The Marine Corps, with our general officers, like our civilians and senior executives, is by far the leanest service."

He continued explaining, "Due to the already lean nature of the general officers in the Marine Corps, any cuts to Marine general officers will have an outsized impact to the Corps relative to other services."

As military cuts continue, all eyes will be watching closely to see what steps are taken next, and the impact the Hegseth military cuts will have on the US military as a whole.

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Defense Secretary Hegseth has issued an order preventing U.S. military academies from considering race, gender, or ethnicity during their admissions process. This marks the end of affirmative action in relation to the higher education admissions process. The change is part of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate DEI initiatives across the military. The focus on merit-only military academy admissions signals a departure from the previous administration’s policies that allowed for the consideration of demographic factors.

Hegseth’s Memo Details a Shift to Merit-Based Admissions

, Secretary Hegseth's office released a policy that directs U.S. military academies to stop using race, gender, and ethnicity as factors in their admissions processes. In the memo, Hegseth directed schools to consider the applicant holistically, including: athletic ability, past military experience, etc.

He emphasized that this approach, “...ensures only the most qualified candidates are admitted, trained, and ultimately commissioned to lead the finest fighting force in history. Selecting anyone but the best erodes lethality, our warfighting readiness, and undercuts the culture of excellence in our Armed Forces.”

He went on to say, “Going forward, MSAs shall rank-order candidates by merit-based scores within each nomination category as described in 10 U.S.C. §§ 7442, 7443, 8454, 8456, 9442, and 9443. It is the Department' s expectation that the highest-ranking candidates within each nomination category should receive appointments.”

The academies have been given a timeline to comply with Hegseth’s order. It is expected to be fully implemented by the 2026 admissions cycle.

Affirmative Action, Removing DEI Initiatives & a Supreme Court Precedent

The new memo released by Hegseth has come nearly two years after the Supreme Court significantly altered the landscape of college admissions.

In 2023, the Supreme Court got rid of affirmative action policies at most colleges. However, 

permitted an exception for military schools, arguing that they held “potentially distinct interests” in continuing the practice.

Following the ruling, several groups initiated legal challenges against military academies. While some lower courts had initially upheld the academies' race-conscious policies, Hegseth's new directive now mandates a change from within the Pentagon.

Hegseth Continues to Target Areas of the Military That Take DEI Into Account

During his time in office, Hegseth has targeted areas of the military that take race and gender into account.

DEI content being included in military libraries

, as well as DEI curriculums being used at military academies. Hegseth has also moved to ban race and sex consideration in relation to military promotions.

When asked about the most recent anti-DEI action Hegseth replied, " The U.S. Service Academies and other defense academic institutions shall teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history.”

What Impact Will This Order Have on Military Academy Admissions?

 is expected to have a significant impact on the admissions process for military academies. Those who support affirmative action have argued that diversity among officers is vital for overall effectiveness.

However, there are concerns that a merit-based system could lead to a decrease in minority representation at academic institutions. There are also concerns that less leadership diversity could negatively impact recruitment efforts.

On the other hand, Hegseth believes that the new policy will strengthen the military by ensuring that only the most qualified candidates are selected. He went on record saying that the Trump administration maintains their commitment to having the highest standards of excellence and readiness in the U.S. military.

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There is yet another TRICARE deadline extension for those in the West Region. A contract change that brought in TriWest to handle enrollees within the area has brought about confusion, delays, and plenty of frustration among the military community. Hopefully, this new extension will help those still not set up get everything in line, but if recent history is any indication, keep an eye out for updates.

TRICARE Deadline Extended for TriWest Enrollees Throughout June

 to TriWest has not been smooth. Yet another TRICARE deadline is being extended as a result to help enrollees get their accounts in order.

There have been multiple extensions, with the original deadline being December 31, 2024, and an additional deadline being March 31, 2025, and then April 30, 2025.

Now, patients who use TRICARE Prime in the West Region will not need preauthorization for specialty care from their contract manager until June 30th.

Patients continue to voice frustrations with moving contractors as well as the healthcare they are receiving, with this being the fourth deadline alteration so far.

By June 30th, patients in the TRICARE West Region will need to update their payment information with TriWest.

The deadline for TRICARE Prime patients to receive specialty care, without prior TriWest approval, has also been extended to June 30th due to referral portal issues. 

According to the division chief for health plan design at the Defense Health Agency, "This waiver extension will ensure that West Region beneficiaries can continue getting specialty care without interruption to their care."

Despite receiving a 9-year, $65 billion contract, TriWest has proven to fumble the beginning of the transfer, as displeasure has been voiced since December 2022 from many of the 4.5 million beneficiaries the company is now responsible for.

Reaching out for clarity has been a problem among enrollees, and even healthcare providers are finding the change difficult.

Reports have come in of primary care providers still being unaware of changes until the end of March, despite being almost four months into the transition.

The result? Patients have been left to apply to join TriWest's network, healthcare professionals are left in a difficult spot, and everyone suffers in confusion.

Because some healthcare providers were in Health Net’s network but haven’t enrolled with TriWest yet, patients stuck in limbo can use a point-of-service waiver so that they can see their doctor in the meantime.

However, if you do use the point-of-service waiver, copayments are still your responsibility, and it’s advised that anyone using this method asks non-network providers if they have authorization from TRICARE.

According to an official statement, “This means they're licensed by a state, accredited by a national organization, or meet other standards of the medical community (and) certified to provide benefits under TRICARE."

The TRICARE deadline extension may not require authorization from TriWest for those enrolled in Prime but referrals from primary care physicians are still a requirement.

TRICARE requires a referral dated between January 1 and June 30 and a waiver approval letter, which you can find by 

The specialty care waiver excludes inpatient care, autism services, lab-developed tests, and Extended Care Health Option services.

Premium-based plan enrollees, including TRICARE Young Adult, Reserve Select, and Retired Reserve, have until June 30 to update payment info with TriWest or face disenrollment retroactive to January 1. However, these requirements do not apply to TRICARE for Life.

Latest TRICARE Deadline Extension Casts Another Spotlight on Frustrations

The repeated TRICARE deadline extensions may be working to help the military community, but at the end of the day, they’re also highlighting the many blights brought about by the system.

Transferring millions of beneficiaries to TriWest was never going to be an easy task; however, it’s also clear that the military community deserves better.

The lack of communication for families is bad enough, but with newer reports of confusion from providers, it’s curious to see just how far the lack of transparency goes.

Regardless, if you haven’t already taken advantage of the previous efforts, the June 30 TRICARE deadline extension is available. 

Defense Health Agency Extends Deadline for Patients to Receive Care from Non-Network Provider

In addition to the latest approved deadline extension, the Defense Health Agency has extended the deadline for patients to update their payment information to TriWest. The deadline has also been extended for patients to receive care from a non-network provider without incurring point-of-service fees. 

In alignment with direction from the Defense Health Agency, patients must still go to their primary care manager to receive a referral for specialty care. This is true even if their primary care provider is not in TriWest's network. 

The Department of Defense has also released a statement saying that it has extended the point-of-service fee waiver for non-network providers until September 30th. 

The waiver does not apply to the following services:

Services under TRICARE's Autism Care Demonstration

Services under the Extended Care Health Option program

It also does not apply to beneficiaries whose primary-care managers are located at military treatment facilities in:

Army Health Clinic Presidio of Monterey; Naval Health Clinic Lemoore; Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton; Naval Hospital 

; Peterson Space Force Base; and Schriever Space Force Base

 Madigan Army Medical Center, Naval Hospital Bremerton; and Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor

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There’s new data for sexual assault in the military, and it has dropped by 4% from fiscal 2023 to 2024, which shows a big improvement with the 

Defense Department's efforts to protect military members

However, it’s important to note that there are still many sexual assault victims who are scared to file a formal complaint against the assailant, as some are in high ranks or with power, which people in the government shouldn’t tolerate.

Reports of Sexual Assault in the Military

There was a statistic released on Thursday, and the department officials have received 8,196 sexual assault reports in 2024, originally 8,515 in 2023, which involved service members.

In 2024, a total of 6,973 reports involving troops being assaulted by their fellow military service members, wherein the total went down by about 4% lower than in 2023 and nearly 5.5% lower than in 2022, as the largest decrease was in the Army, which is a one-year drop of about 13%.

The majority of the reports of sexual assault in the military came from young women, and there is just over 1% of all men who served in the military who had been sexually assaulted by their peers.

Director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, Dr. Nathan Galbreath, said in a statement that officials are being encouraged by the continued rates of reporting.

“The warfighter ethos values respect for one’s comrades in arms, and sexual assault and sexual harassment are antithetical to that ethos,” he said. “Preventing these crimes is essential to maintaining a unified mission-ready military.”

Officials say that they are feeling hopeful because lots of service members are still coming forward to report military sexual assault, which is brave of them. While the goal is to stop these incidents from happening at all, they believe it’s a good sign that service members feel more comfortable speaking up. It shows that awareness efforts might be working, even as the military continues to focus on preventing every case of sexual assault.

It’s true that there’s a decrease in sexual assault in the military, as according to the data from AP, the decrease was a 13% drop in the Army, and this is the largest military branch.

However, in the Navy, the number has increased to 4.3%. The 

, and the Marine Corps has a less than 1% increase in data.

With the 8,195 recent total of military sexual assaults, about 512 military service members reported an assault that happened before they entered the military. Along with that, 641 civilians said that they were assaulted by a member of the military.

The government is highly encouraging service members to come forward and speak up and get any support that they might need.

Additionally, the complaints for sexual assault in the military went from 2,980 in 2023 to 3,014 in 2024. Most complaints were filed by female military service members, and the most accused were male.

While the report shows a decreased number, we never know what might happen, as it can still increase. The signs of sexual assault can be different depending on the person and their situation, but to help out service members, we need to look out for each other. 

These are some general indicators you can look out for:

Avoiding people or places for no clear reason

Not taking care of themselves like they used to

Hurting themselves or talking about ending their life

They have trouble sleeping, experience nightmares, or are not able to sleep at all

Experiencing sudden mood swings; they feel really down, or they might be anxious all the time

Acting differently than usual or pulling away from others

The truth is, people who have harmful intentions will do what they want, and we can never anticipate that. But what we can do is to protect ourselves from these people.

The military provides regular training on sexual assault and harassment because it helps service members know what to look for, how to step in safely, and how to report it if something happens to them.

This training is a big help to service members because they will be more aware that this is really happening. So, everyone should be open to this topic, as we all know that victims of sexual assault are afraid to speak up, but if we have a training for them, they know they have support if they report a situation.

Additionally, commanders' reports on sexual assault and harassment risks should also be conducted regularly because these reports can help leaders see these kinds of situations early, and we can prevent them from happening to other people in the military.

We can see that the recent drop in reported sexual assault cases in the military is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of work to do because every case matters, and even one is too many. 

Military service members should have sexual assault training, continued support from the government, and open conversations about it, or even therapy, because these are all important to create a safe environment.

Being a victim of sexual assault is no joke, because what comes with it is trauma. Even though sexual assault in the military may be decreasing, the effort to 

stop sexual assault for good should still be improved moving forward

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The Trump administration has continued to cut costs, eliminating two very popular educational programs for troops in the process. In recent months, the Trump administration has come on record explaining how the administration is aiming to reduce spending. As a result, there has been much change impacting the military and those who serve. Now, executives from companies that aim to help troops with tuition costs and provide preparation services have revealed that they have had their contracts cut by DOGE and the last funding bill. Learn more about this significant change in the world of education.

DOGE & Congressional Funding Bills Cut Tuition Assistance Programs for Troops

The Trump administration, as of late, has been focused on achieving greater efficiency within the Pentagon's budget. This goal has led to the review of contracts related to educational programs for troops. The aim of this re-evaluation was to ensure that the funds allocated for these programs were used in a way that maximized their benefit to the military community and to national security.

In light of recent program cuts, companies that provided services such as tuition assistance counseling and test preparation were affected.

One of the companies impacted by the cuts was Vantage Point Consulting, which is a small Veteran-owned business that ran the 

. The program was aimed at helping troops learn how to strategically use their tuition assistance benefits.

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