# Military birthday parades **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 5, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905 "2025-05-05T14:02:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/21 "2025-05-06T13:36:58Z")
I hate to do this to the military, but I think that all of DC should just take the day off and stay home. This is gonna screw up traffic everywhere I’m sure. Again, it sucks for the military, but I don’t want to see one person watching that self gratification. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/22 "2025-05-06T13:51:12Z")
I had to march in some little parade, and so had to dig out my dress uniform and all the participation medals that stuck to it. I couldn’t find my stupid name tag, so I borrowed somebody else’s, and By God it was spotted, and I was given grief for it. And I’m thinking “wtf difference does it make?”. I was a bad fit for military. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/23 "2025-05-07T20:45:02Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > The parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, is always in June, and thus has no correlation with when the king or queen was actually born. And there are no tanks.. Mark Felton pointed out on youtube that the British have more horses than tanks, which I think is pretty cool. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4TmtkjcY9A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4TmtkjcY9A) ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/24 "2025-05-07T22:00:31Z")
It’s only cool if you don’t consider it’s because the UK’s inventory of tanks has shrunk to miniscule levels, there are only 219 Challenger tanks left in inventory. Even worse is that until very recently, they planned on reducing the number down to 148 **even after Russia invaded Ukraine**. Oh, and production ended in 2002. > **[UK has ‘no intention’ of reversing tank fleet cuts](https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-has-no-intention-of-reversing-tank-fleet-cuts/)** > > The increasing deployments of British tanks to the European continent due to Russian aggression has "not affected" the decision to reduce the British Challenger tank fleet from 227 to 148. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/25 "2025-05-09T19:32:50Z")
The Russians have been losing tanks to Radio Shack drones. That may have something to do with it. I’ve thought the UK contribution to NATO was mostly naval. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/26 "2025-05-09T20:28:53Z")
Drone warfare is certainly something that is causing militaries to rethink strategies. I don’t think it means the tank is dead. I’ve watched a lot of combat footage from the war and it seems like the idea of combined arms attacks. Mostly it’s military vehicles with little or no support that are routinely being taken out. That’s bound to happen even without drones. Now modern armies are being equipped with anti-drone weapons. A civilian drone that is not hardened against signal attack is getting less and less effective against a well equipped modern military. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/27 "2025-05-09T20:52:51Z")
I’m thinking something like a twelve gauge phalanx. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/28 "2025-05-09T21:05:01Z")
There were some on display at the Pope’s funeral. When I was in Iraq there wasn’t a concern about drones but we did have the Duke System which jammed signals to IEDs. > **[‘Drone-killing’ soldiers join medieval Swiss Guard to patrol Pope’s funeral](https://www.yahoo.com/news/drone-killing-soldiers-join-medieval-130452748.html)** > > Special forces on guard to prevent an aerial attack at the Vatican where world leaders will gather for open air ceremony ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/29 "2025-05-14T22:55:15Z")
On a related note, I did read that the June 14 American parade was scheduled by the Army years ahead of time, to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, and the date was coincidental. Anyone know more? ---
**Author:** ![Plutonium\_Chef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/plutonium_chef/32/11211_2.png) [@Plutonium\_Chef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plutonium_Chef)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/30 "2025-05-14T23:49:21Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > On a related note, I did read that the June 14 American parade was scheduled by the Army years ahead of time, to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, and the date was coincidental. Anyone know more? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/31 "2025-05-15T00:14:33Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > On a related note, I did read that the June 14 American parade was scheduled by the Army years ahead of time, to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, and the date was coincidental. Nah, [I think not:](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/army-confirms-military-parade-for-its-250th-anniversary-will-be-held-on-trumps-birthday) > [@](#): > > The Army on Friday [May 2] confirmed there will be a military parade on President Donald Trump’s birthday in June, as part of the celebrations around the service’s 250th birthday. […] Until recently, the Army’s birthday festival plans did not include a massive parade, which officials say will cost tens of millions of dollars. > > But Trump has long wanted a military parade, and discussions with the Pentagon about having one in conjunction with the birthday festival began less than two months ago. […] > > When asked about the parade Thursday, the White House did not respond, and Army officials said no decision had been made. While officials said there has now been a formal decision to proceed with the parade, there is still no specific cost estimate. […] > > The Army birthday festival has been planned for more than a year and is slated to include displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, musical performances and a fitness competition on the National Mall. […] > > During his first term, Trump proposed having a parade after seeing one in France on Bastille Day in 2017. Trump said that after watching the two-hour procession along the famed Champs-Elysees he wanted an even grander one on Pennsylvania Avenue. > > That plan was ultimately dumped due to the huge costs — with one estimate of a $92 million price tag — and other logistical issues. Among those were objections from city officials who said including tanks and other heavy armored vehicles would tear up the roads. > > Trump said in a social media post in 2018 that he was canceling the event over the costs and accused local politicians of price gouging. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/32 "2025-05-15T02:34:18Z")
Oh, Donnie Two Dolls talked about a military parade the first time around, and it didn’t happen for a multitude of reasons. I’m talking about the June 14th parade being planned ahead of time, regardless of who was in the White House, because 6/14 is Flag Day. (At least his mom didn’t have to be heavily pregnant all summer, I guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/33 "2025-05-15T16:16:49Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’m talking about the June 14th parade being planned ahead of time, regardless of who was in the White House, because 6/14 is Flag Day. I understood that that was what you were talking about, and the cite I just quoted makes it very clear that no, the upcoming June 14 military parade was not planned in advance as part of the expected US Army 250th anniversary events. > [@](#): > > Until recently, the Army’s birthday festival plans did not include a massive parade, which officials say will cost tens of millions of dollars. > > But Trump has long wanted a military parade, and discussions with the Pentagon about having one in conjunction with the birthday festival began less than two months ago. […] > > The Army birthday festival has been planned for more than a year and is slated to include displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, musical performances and a fitness competition on the National Mall. […] In other words, you are incorrect about the projected 6/14/25 military parade “being planned ahead of time, regardless of who was in the White House”. The 6/14/25 Army-birthday celebration plans did not include an expensive military parade, until the newly re-elected President Trump started making noises about wanting one. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/34 "2025-05-15T18:17:21Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > a fitness competition on the National Mall. Would it not be in the spirit of the thing for the Commander in Chief to have a go? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/35 "2025-05-15T20:14:54Z")
Yeah, I remember as a child having to go through the annual [President’s Physical Fitness Test](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Fitness_Test) in school and thinking it somewhat unfair that they didn’t actually test the President. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/36 "2025-06-01T04:14:59Z")
Update: Want to sign up for tickets? Here’s a link. I just ordered two of them, and no, I didn’t use my real name either. I signed up with the names “Eightysix Fortyseven” and “Trump Sucks.” > **[250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade and Celebration](https://events.america250.org/events/250th-anniversary-of-the-us-army-grand-military-parade-and-celebration)** > > Sign up for a ticket TODAY! ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/37 "2025-06-01T06:45:05Z")
Let us know (if you can) how they respond… ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/38 "2025-06-09T22:06:07Z")
Those military transports to El Salvador do not have wi-fi. Kinda noisy too. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/39 "2025-06-11T19:44:16Z")
And if you’d prefer to watch something else instead of the parade, the Vatican has you covered. > **[Pope to give a virtual address in Chicago at the same time as Trump’s...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/pope-leo-address-chicago-trump-parade-b2768103.html)** > > Tickets for the event, which is to be held at the Rate Field stadium, home of the Chicago White Sox (the pontiff’s favorite team), are being sold online at $5 each ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905/40 "2025-06-11T19:49:37Z")
Even the pope can’t save the White Sox. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-birthday-parades/1017905.md?page=3)