News from the Oklahoma National Guard

From Highschool Pals to Hometown Heroes: Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers Story of Friendship
August 24, 2023 — In a heartwarming display of camaraderie, two Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers and McLoud, Oklahoma High School graduates have found themselves side by side once again, this time on a mission assisting the State of Texas with security along the US-Mexico border... MORE

Spc. Darrell Casey and Sgt. Sean Simpson, both McLoud, Oklahoma High School graduates serving as cannon crewmembers with the 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, pose for a photo together while on patrol along the US-Mexico border on Aug. 4, 2023. The two friends are part of the Oklahoma National Guard task force deployed to the border in support of the Texas Military Department's Operation Lonestar. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Reece Heck)

63rd Civil Support Team trains alongside Yukon first responders
August 22, 2023 — Members of the Oklahoma National Guard's 63rd Civil Support Team train alongside the Yukon Police Department and Yukon Fire Department during an exercise held in Yukon, Oklahoma, Tuesday, August 8, 2023... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard's 63rd Civil Support Team train alongside the Yukon Police Department and Yukon Fire Department during an exercise held in Yukon, Oklahoma, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023.

63rd Civil Support Team conducts swift water training
August 5, 2023 — Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 63rd Civil Support Team trained with Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training and Oklahoma City Fire Department on flood rescue response at Riversport Rescue Training in Oklahoma City, Aug. 2, 2023. The training focused on providing a wide range of advanced rescue techniques to reduce risk during a response... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 63rd Civil Support Team trained with Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training and Oklahoma City Fire Department on flood rescue response at Riversport Rescue Training in Oklahoma City, Aug. 2, 2023. The training focused on providing a wide range of advanced rescue techniques to reduce risk during a response. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by 1st Sgt. Mireille Merilice-Roberts)

137 SOW ANG Airmen premier at Tradewinds 2023
August 3, 2023 — Nine Airmen from the 137th Special Operations Wing participated in TRADEWINDS 23 Exercise, a multi-domain U.S. Southern Command exercise, for the first time July 15-27, 2023, in Guyana... MORE

Individual Weapons Qual tips with the Small Arms Training Team
July 27, 2023 — Sgt. Reece Heck talks with the Oklahoma Army National Guard's Small Arms Teams member Sgt. Brian Stuart about the newly updated Individual Weapons Qualification, focusing primarily on the Table VI "Qualification" portion. Stuart walks Heck through each position and includes tips and tricks for Soldiers qualifying... MORE

U.S. Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team fire their assigned weapons during a qualification event at Fort Indiantown Gap, March 9, 2023. Qualifying on assigned weapons annually helps Soldiers stay ready to defend themselves in combat. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Campbell)

OK Airmen join in multinational airborne training
July 26, 2023 — Members of the Oklahoma National Guard's 137th Special Operations Wing joined fellow U.S. military members as well as other national forces including France, Guyana and Mexico, to participate in a static line jump during TRADEWINDS23 Exercise over Air Base London, Guyana, July 18, 2023... MORE

Photo: Tactical Air Control Party specialists with the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma National Guard, conduct a static line jump during TRADEWINDS23 Exercise over Air Base London, Guyana, July 18, 2023. The different training components of the exercise are focused on increasing regional cooperation throughout the Caribbean and Caribbean Basin. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Brigette Waltermire)

OK Air Guard members support arms training with SOUTHCOM multinational partners
July 26, 2023 — Members of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force and Oklahoma Air National Guard conducted marksmanship training and close quarters battle training with multinational partners as part of TRADEWINDS23 Exercise on July 16, 2023, at Camp Stephenson, Guyana. Mexican Special Operations Forces joined U.S. joint force instructors, where they took part in rifle and pistol marksmanship training. The Mexican forces received refresher training and also increased their pistol and rifle weapons systems skills with new techniques... MORE

Photo: U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott Palelei, a tactical air control party specialist with the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, applies a tourniquet to a member of the Guyana Defense Force during tactical combat casualty training held at Camp Seweyo, Guyana, for TRADEWINDS23 Exercise July 16, 2023. TRADEWINDS is initiated and formulated as part of the Caribbean Basin Initiative, which allows participating nations to forge enduring relationships that will improve security capabilities through the exchange of knowledge and expertise. (U.S. Air National Guard photo courtesy of Senior Airman Richie Thammavongsa)

Oklahoma employers experience National Guard training
July 26, 2023 — Civilian employers of Soldiers of the 45th Field Artillery Brigade participated in an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) "boss lift" at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, June 25, 2023... MORE

Photo of: Civilian employers of Soldiers of the 45th Field Artillery Brigade firing a machine gun.

Oklahoma National Guard Soldier Harnesses Fighting Spirit
July 20, 2023 — An Oklahoma Army National Guard member, Spc. Justin Budd harnessed his fighting spirit in an unconventional way. Battling with anger issues throughout his youth, Budd found purpose in Mixed Martial Arts, enabling him to transform his life. ... MORE

Spc. Justin Budd, a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard from Tulsa, Oklahoma, harnessed his fighting spirit in an unconventional way.

137th Special Operations Wing supports Tinker Air Show
July 11, 2023 — Members of the 137th Special Operations Wing joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard Recruiting team to share the Wing's history and Oklahoma Air National Guard information with people attending the 2023 Tinker Air Show, July 1-2, 2023... MORE

The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, perform at the Tinker Air Show on July 1, 2023, at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City. The Blue Angels joined members of the joint and total force at the Tinker Air Show to showcase the diverse aspects of aviation. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Erika Chapa)

Video by Sgt. Haden Tolbert

Oklahoma National Guard, OK-TF1 and special operations partner for helocast training

Oklahoma National Guard

July 23, 2025 | 1:16

Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen with 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, partnered with Oklahoma Task Force 1 and members of the U.S. Air Force’s 9th Air Support Operations Squadron from Fort Hood, Texas, to conduct helocast training at Camp Gruber Training Center, July 23, 2025. The joint training event, part of helocast certification requirements, utilized a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to execute water insertion techniques critical for rapid infiltration operations.