CPE ST3 Staff Marks U.S. Army’s 251st Birthday, Recognizes Nation’s 250th Anniversary

Soldiers, civilians and contractors from the U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive Simulation, Training, Test and Threat (CPE ST3) gathered June 15 at the organization’s headquarters to celebrate the Army’s 251st birthday and recognize the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

The event highlighted the Army’s founding on June 14, 1775, and featured a ceremonial cake cutting led by senior and junior members of both the military and civilian workforce.

“On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia and authorized the enlistment of riflemen to fight for the colonies,” said Brig. Gen. Christine A. Beeler, capability program executive and most senior Soldier at CPE ST3. “From then, we’ve grown to an Army of over one million active-duty Soldiers, supported by more than 800,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel, including many of you.”

Beeler was joined by Lee A. James III, SES, ST3 Deputy CPE and the organization’s most senior civilian; Callum James, CPE ST3’s most junior civilian employee; and Capt. Christian Acosta, the youngest Soldier present. The group represented the full spectrum of the CPE ST3 workforce, experience, continuity, and the future.

Attendees also celebrated America’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. It was the members of the Continental Army who won the Revolutionary War and secured that independence from Great Britain.

The event concluded with the cutting of a custom-made cake decorated in Army green and red, white and blue to honor both the Army’s 251 years of service and the nation’s 250th year of independence.

“You are why the Army is awesome,” Beeler told attendees. “What we do every day here helps the Army train better. And a better trained, better equipped and a ready force helps us keep the enemy at bay. Whether you wear the uniform or serve as a civilian or contractor, your work strengthens our Army and safeguards our future.”

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, CPE ST3 is comprised of a highly skilled and diverse workforce of 980 Soldiers, Army civilians and contractors, who work with Army partners to enhance operational readiness and support the Army’s modernization efforts by fielding and sustaining the next generation of multi-domain operations testing, training and information operations capabilities.