News from the Oklahoma National Guard

South African native earns US naturalization before military deployment
April 12, 2023 — A South African native currently serving in the Oklahoma Army National Guard is preparing to deploy overseas while also studying for his naturalization test... MORE

Private 1st. Class Dewald Ekron, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 179 Infantry Regiment, Oklahoma National Guard, stands before conducting actions on the objective during pre-moblization training at Ft. Riley, Kan., 25 March 2023. Ekron, a South Africa native, moved to the United States in 2017 to pursue farming. More than 1,000 Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen, including a company each from Nebraska and Indiana, will deploy overseas as Task Force Tomahawk in support of operations within U.S. Africa Command’s area of responsibility. While there, they will provide security support at five installations across multiple East African countries. (Oklahoma National Guard by Sgt. 1st Class Mireille Merilice-Roberts)

Oklahoma's Task Force Tomahawk prepares for Africa deployment
April 12, 2023 — More than 1,000 Citizen-Soldiers with Task Force Tomahawk recently completed more than a month of training at Fort Riley, Kansas in preparation for an overseas deployment to Africa... MORE

Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, fire an AT4, a shoulder fired, recoilless anti-tank weapon, at Fort Riley, Kan., March 26, 2023. 45th IBCT Soldiers conducted pre-mobilization training in preparation for their upcoming deployment as Task Force Tomahawk supporting operations across three East African countries. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Spc. Danielle Rayon)

Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers compete at the 2023 Bataan Memorial Death March
April 7, 2023 — Oklahoma Army National Guard Col. Brian Coleman and Maj. Jeffrey Kragh competed in the recent Bataan Memorial Death March, March 19, 2023... MORE

zCol. Brian Coleman, Oklahoma Army National Guard, competes in the military light division at the 2023 Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, March 19, 2023. Coleman competed in the military light division, which is 26.2 miles in a full military uniform and finished 7th overall with a time of 5:59:51. (U.S. National Guard photo by Sgt. Gauret Stearns)

Siblings create total force success stories
February 24, 2023 — Two siblings share their stories of success within the Air National Guard and United States Air Force and the family bonds that got them where they are today... MORE

Top Air Force honors for Tulsa Civil Engineers
February 21, 2023 — The 138th Civil Engineer Squadron at Tulsa Air National Guard Base has won the 2022 Colonel Fredrick J. Reimer Award and received runner-up for the Major General Robert H. Curtin Award... MORE

137th SOW, OKC first responders conduct tornado response exercise
February 21, 2023 — Airmen with the 137th Special Operations Wing and Oklahoma City first responders from Oklahoma City Fire Department and Oklahoma Emergency Medical Services Authority trained alongside each other during a major accident response exercise at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City, Feb. 8, 2023... MORE

two people watch as firefighters examine crashed cars during training exercise

Oklahoma National Guard breaks ground on new joint operations center
February 17, 2023 — Leaders from the Oklahoma National Guard, State of Oklahoma and the Chandler community broke ground on a new joint operations center for the Oklahoma National Guard in Chandler, Oklahoma, today... MORE

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (center), Representative Kevin Wallace (third from left), Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino (second from left) and other state leaders break ground for the Oklahoma National Guard Joint Operations Center in Chandler, Oklahoma, Feb. 17, 2023. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

Oklahoma Guard hosts second annual Mechanic of the Year competition
February 15, 2023 — Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen gathered to put their mechanic skills to the test at the second annual Mechanic of the Year competition held at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2023... MORE

Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen gathered to put their mechanic skills to the test at the second annual Mechanic of the Year competition held at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2023. Eight four-man teams represented their respective maintenance shops from around the state to show off their skills and prove who is the best mechanic, while also getting to network amongst fellow competitors. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Reece Heck)

Oklahoma Guard team takes first place in environmental awards
February 8, 2023 — The Oklahoma National Guard’s Cultural Resources Management Team took home first place in the Army National Guard Environmental Security Awards for 2022 in a ceremony held at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, Jan. 24. ... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard Cultural Resources Management Team accept their 1st Place award in a ceremony held at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, Jan. 24.

137th SOW hosts the ANG command chief
February 8, 2023 — U.S. Air National Guard Command Chief Master Sgt. Maurice L. Williams visited the 137th Special Operations Wing (SOW) at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City, Feb. 5, 2023. He has been traveling to wings to ensure changes to the strategic outlook of the guard are being communicated to the lowest level. This marked his 60th base visit... MORE

Chief Master Sgt speaks to airmen at an enlisted all call, people sitting in room while man is speaking

Video by Sgt. Haden Tolbert

Oklahoma Army National Guard hosts Best Warrior

Oklahoma National Guard

Nov. 9, 2024 | 1:30

Sixteen Soldiers from the Oklahoma Army National Guard competed in the 2025 OKARNG Best Warrior Competition at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, Nov. 6-8, 2024.

At the conclusion of the competition, Spc. Juan Lopez, a resident of Stillwater, Oklahoma assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as a signal operations support specialist, won the title of Soldier of the Year, while Sgt. James Bording, a resident of Claremore, Oklahoma assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th IBCT as an infantryman, was awarded the title of Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. (Oklahoma National Guard Video by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

CG:
00:23:15
Command Sgt. Maj. John Hernandez
Command Sgt. Maj. for Oklahoma

00:38:14
Spc. Juan Lopez
2025 Soldier of the Year

00:46:23
Sgt. James Bording
2025 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year