News from the Oklahoma National Guard

137th SOW welcomes new commander
May 13, 2021 — The Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 137th Special Operations Wing hosted a change of command ceremony at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City earlier this month... MORE

Col. Christopher D. Gries assumes command of the 137th Special Operations Wing from Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson, adjutant general for Oklahoma, at a change of command ceremony at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base (WRANGB) in Oklahoma City, May 1, 2021. Gries was formerly the 137th Operations Group commander and became the 18th wing commander at WRANGB. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew M. LaMoreaux)

Oklahoma Army National Guard aviation practices for the worst
May 12, 2021 — Fire trucks and ambulances swarmed the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s Aviation Support Facility 2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 12, 2021 - thankfully they were only there for training... MORE

Firefighters from the Tulsa, Oklahoma Fire Department and EMSA personnel extract a simulated casualty played by an Oklahoma Army National Guard Citizen-Soldier from a mock helicopter crash during pre-accident training at the Oklahoma National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility 2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 12, 2021. Pre-accident training prepares Army aviation units to respond to accidents ranging from slip and falls to mass casualty events. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

63rd Civil Support Team trains with City of Altus
May 6, 2021 — Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 63rd Civil Support Team partnered with first responders and emergency personnel from the City of Altus for a 72-hour field exercise, May 4-6... MORE

Members of the 63rd Civil Support Team, Oklahoma National Guard, partner with first responders as part of a 72-hour field exercise in Altus, Oklahoma, May 4-6, 2021.

This multi-day training event is one of several exercise scheduled around the state this year designed to test Guard members, emergency management personnel and first responders ability to quickly work to together during natural and man-made disasters. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Geoff Legler)

Chief details National Guard contributions in a year of trial
May 5, 2021 — ARLINGTON, Va. –Over the past year, National Guard members were called on time and again to help their fellow U.S. citizens. They deployed to operations around the world, National Guard Bureau Chief Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense yesterday."The year 2020 was unprecedented and historic," Hokanson said... MORE

The Louisiana National Guard's 3rd Battalion of the 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, take part in their deployment ceremony in Lafayette, La., Nov. 10, 2020. This unit joins the approximately 2,000 Louisiana guardsmen deploying to the Middle East to support U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations.

Oklahoma National Guard helps at federal vaccination clinic
April 29, 2021 — TULSA, Okla. – Nearly 30 Oklahoma National Guardsmen are supporting a community vaccination clinic as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Guard members are transporting vaccines, preparing them on-site and supporting administration from two STRIKE teams, ensuring communities with a high risk of exposure and infection are not... MORE

Oklahoma National Guard Airman 1st Class Jaquee Dixon, medical technician, 138th Fighter Wing, prepares COVID-19 vaccines at a community vaccination clinic in Tulsa April 21, 2021. The clinic runs from April 21 to June 15.

Phillips 66 honored by Department of Defense for extraordinary support
April 28, 2021 — Oklahoma Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense program, announced today Phillips 66 Executive Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Brian Mandell received the ESGR Pro Patria Award in recognition of the extraordinary support of Phillip’s 66 employees who serve in the Oklahoma Guard and Reserve... MORE

(L to R) Kerry Creager, Phillips 66 Manager Indirect Tax and Bartlesville Veterans Network Local Sponsor; Maj Larry Murray, Phillips 66 Nominator and Oklahoma Air National Guard Officer; Colonel Robin Cavanaugh, Vice Commander, 138th Fighter Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard; Brian Mandell, Phillips 66 Executive Vice President of Marketing and Commercial; Ben Hur, Phillips 66 Vice President Midstream Commercial and Business Development; Raymond Knapp, Chair, Oklahoma Committee, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (photo credit: Phillips 66, Shaan Ahmad)

45th Infantry Soldiers provide aid following multi-vehicle accident
April 28, 2021 — Soldiers from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, assisted numerous individuals who were injured in a multiple vehicle accident on Westbound Interstate 40 near State Highway 377, April 25, 2021... MORE

Oklahoma World War II and Korean War Veteran receives Thunderbird Medal
April 14, 2021 — Family, friends and fellow Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen gathered for an awards ceremony celebrating a World War II Veteran with a distinguished military service history in the 45th Infantry Division... MORE

Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson, adjutant general for Oklahoma, presents the Thunderbird Medal to Lt. Col. (Ret.) Oren L. Peters, World War II and Korean War Veteran from the renowned 45th Infantry Division, Saturday, April 10, 2021 in Edmond, Oklahoma. The Thunderbird Medal is the Oklahoma National Guard’s highest award presented to a civilian. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Geoff Legler)

345th CSSB Soldiers depart for yearlong mobilization
April 1, 2021 — More than 60 Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers said farewell to their families in a virtual send-off ceremony at the National Guard armory in Ada, Oklahoma on April 1. The Soldiers are assigned to the 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command, and are leaving for a yearlong mobilization to Fort Bliss, Texas to provide COVID-19 mitigation support for Army units deploying to and returning from overseas... MORE

A Soldier with the 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion gives a "thumbs up" gesture to cameras broadcasting a virtual send-off ceremony at the National Guard armory in Ada, Oklahoma, April 1, 2021. The Soldiers are being mobilized to Fort Bliss, Texas in order to provide COVID mitigation support to units deploying overseas. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Leanna Maschino)

Camp Gruber opens first fire station since WWII
March 26, 2021 — Camp Gruber Training Center officially opened a newly completed fire station with a ribbon cutting at the National Guard training base in Eastern Oklahoma, March 24, 2021. Fire Station Number 1 is the first fire station on Camp Gruber since the 1940s, when the base served as a major training location for Army troops headed overseas to fight in World War II, according to Lee Horst, Jr., chief of the newly formed Camp Gruber Fire Department... MORE

Fire trucks assigned to the newly opened Fire Station Number 1 sit parked outside the station prior to a ribbon cutting at Camp Gruber Training Center, March 24, 2021. (Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

Video by Spc. Cambrie Cannon, Sgt. Haden Tolbert

Oklahoma Guardsmen face-off against drones in survivability exercise

Oklahoma National Guard

June 12, 2025 | 1:34

Soldiers assigned to the 45th Infantry Brigade took part in the first of a series of counter-unmanned aircraft exercises at Camp Gruber Training Center on June 12 and 13. This exercise focused on Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th IBCT being forced to avoid, react to, and counter reconnaissance drones and first-person view drones deployed to harass them as they battled opposing force role players.