Colonel Michael Solovey has painted a depiction of soldiers from the Revolutionary War through current times in watercolors, in part to commemorate the Army's 250th birthday. Solovey currently serves as the assistant chief of staff at U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM).
Solovey began working on his watercolor print in 2024 after consulting with Army historians. The catalyst for the print coming about has a lot to do with Solovey's multi-decade relationship with Gen. John W. Aarsen, who is the director of the 82nd Airborne War Memorial Museum on Fort Bragg.
"I have known Col. Solovey since he was a first lieutenant," Aarsen said, going back to their deployment to Bosnia in 1998. "He and I discussed the Army Artist Program at the time, and I worked with his unit to get him a special assignment to produce soldier art from the deployment for the 1st AD," Aarsen explained.
"When I first saw Col. Solovey’s piece, 'This We’ll Defend,' I thought about a book project CMH was updating for the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army," said Cheryl Bratten, who is the director of the Center for Military History (CMH) Historical Programs Directorate. "I thought it would be a good cover image for Centuries of Service. The five soldiers represent the history of the Army. Seeing the backs of the soldiers, to me, conveys [to] today’s soldiers [to] continue the legacy."
Solovey's work also demonstrates that one can be a successful soldier while also pursuing their passions. “The intent is to ‘give back’ and share my best work with the community,” said Solovey, who presented a signed and numbered lithograph of his commemorative watercolor to INSCOM.