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4mo ago

Army Finalizes Preparations for 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington

D.C. streets have been shielded with steel plates to protect infrastructure as forces move into federal buildings ahead of the June 14 celebration

This 2019 photo shows two M1-A1 Abrams tanks and other military vehicles sit on guarded rail cars at a rail yard in Washington, DC.
A US Army Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle is parked in a field to assist in a joint US and Iraqi Army search operation for hidden weapon caches in Sinjar, Ninawa Province, Iraq, on May 31, 2006.
Soldiers stand beside their camouflaged M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles at the Shell Point training area in Fort Hood, Texas, in 1986.

Overview

  • The parade on June 14 will feature about 7,000 troops, 130 vehicles and over 50 aircraft tracing Constitution Avenue NW in a roughly 90-minute procession.
  • Officials estimate the event will cost between $25 million and $45 million, drawing criticism from Senate Republicans including Roger Wicker and Susan Collins.
  • The Army Corps of Engineers has laid one-inch-thick steel plates at key intersections and outfitted vehicles with new track pads to minimize damage to city streets.
  • An estimated 5,000 to 9,000 service members will be housed in downtown federal office buildings, with the USDA’s South Building accommodating troops on cots.
  • Reagan National Airport plans to suspend arrivals and departures for several hours to allow military flyovers and a fireworks display over the National Mall.