Summit of Excellence - Keynote Address
Building a cohesive national army was one of the era’s defining challenges, and the solution took decades to emerge. Colonial militias, tested from King George’s War through the French and Indian War, remained localized, short-term forces without standardized training or command structure, ill-suited to sustained fighting. The Revolutionary War exposed those limits further: chronic shortages of supplies and money, a fragile transportation network, and reliance on short-term forces like the Flying Camp and Associators all strained the Continental Army even as it fought for survival. Peace brought little resolution: the new nation still needed a force it could trust in war and rely on in peace. The creation of the Levies Regiments answered that need, maintaining military readiness between wars and laying the groundwork for the formation of our regular standing army.
Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG, AGL, is a military historian and professional genealogist with over 30 years of experience. A United States Coast Guard veteran, he holds a BA in History (Civil War/19th Century) from Shepherd University and an MA in Military History from the University of Massachusetts Boston. As a forensic investigator, he is recognized as an expert witness in state courts across NY, NJ, PA, and VA. Michael is a national lecturer and published author specializing in military research, forensic methodology, and the American conflict experience.
