07/04/2026
To the BDE of the Ohio Military Reserve
Today, we stand on the precipice of a milestone that few nations in human history ever reach. Two hundred and fifty years. A quarter of a millennium of an idea—the bold, beautiful, and enduring experiment called the United States of America.
When you look out across our communities today, you see families gathering, flags flying, and preparations for a celebration of freedom. But as we look forward to the fireworks and the festivities, it is our duty to look backward, into the fog of 1776, and remember exactly how this freedom was forged.
It did not begin with a massive, professional, standing army. It began with everyday citizens. It began with the Militia.
Think back to those early days—farmers, blacksmiths, merchants, and laborers. Men and women who had everything to lose yet chose to stand. They were ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, bound by a shared belief that liberty was worth defending. When the alarm sounded, they grabbed their muskets, stepped off their doorsteps, and stepped into history. They were the original shield of their communities.
As our nation grew, so did the nature of our defense. Over the decades, that localized citizen-militia evolved. It adapted to the times, transforming into the highly organized, professional National Guard we know today. But the original spirit of the local, state-focused volunteer didn't disappear. It found a permanent home in our State Defense Forces and State Guards. In Ohio that started with the Ohio Home Guard, the Ohio State Guard, The Ohio Defense Corps, then the Ohio Military Reserve.
To those of you serving in the Ohio Military Reserve today: you are the direct inheritors of the Minuteman tradition. When disaster strikes your home —whether it’s a hurricane, a flood, or a state emergency—you answer the call. You serve proudly, often without the spotlight, motivated purely by love for your neighbors and loyalty to your state. You are the modern manifestation of that 250-year-old promise: that citizens will always stand ready to protect their own.
As we celebrate this historic Semi-quincentennial, I urge every one of you to enjoy this holiday to the absolute fullest. Fire up the grills, laugh with your families, and take in the joy of the day. But let us do so with a profound sense of gratitude and safety.
Freedom is a gift, but it was paid for in a currency we must never forget: the lives of those who came before us. Every right we exercise today—to speak freely, to gather openly, to live in peace—was bought by someone who laid down their life on the altar of liberty.
So today, let’s look out for one another. Let’s stay safe, celebrate responsibly, and carry ourselves with the dignity that this 250-year legacy demands.
Let us honor the past by protecting our present. Happy 250th Birthday, America. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States.
- COL (OH) Brian Reeder
- CSM (OH) Cliff Rittenhouse
