News from the Oklahoma National Guard

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)

OK Air Guard mourns loss of veteran pilot
March 26, 2021 — The Oklahoma National Guard has announced the loss of a great leader and pilot due to natural causes. Lt. Col. Eric Jauquet, of Claremore, Oklahoma, lost his life on March 20, at the age of 48. At the time of his passing, Jauquet served as the Commander of the 138th Operations Support Squadron for the Oklahoma Air National Guard... MORE

Lt. Col. Eric Jauquet, of Claremore, Oklahoma, lost his life on March 20, at the age of 48. At the time of his passing, Jauquet served as the Commander of the 138th Operations Support Squadron for the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

Oklahoma National Guard assists with COVID-19 vaccinations
March 17, 2021 — The Oklahoma National Guard, alongside the Oklahoma State Department of Health, continues their mission to support Oklahoma’s whole-of-government response to COVID-19 with vaccine support. As the response to COVID-19 progresses, the Oklahoma National Guard’s mission and focus changes to better serve the community... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard assist with COVID-19 vaccinations across the state. The Oklahoma National Guard continues working alongside Oklahoma State Department of Health partners throughout the state in the fight against COVID-19. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Jordan Sivayavirojna)

Guardsman awarded Oklahoma Star of Valor for saving neighbor
March 5, 2021 — An Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier was awarded the Oklahoma Star of Valor March 4 for his heroic actions in saving his neighbor's life. The state's second-highest military award was presented to Sgt. Pedro Gonzales III for stepping between his neighbor and a man who was attacking her with a knife in September... MORE

Sgt. Pedro Gonzales, a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, received the Oklahoma Star of Valor March 4, 2021, for risking his life to save the life of a neighbor who was being attacked with a knife in September 2020. Gonzales suffered serious wounds to his face and neck but has recovered.

Oklahoma National Guard partnered with OHP to assist motorists in winter weather
February 16, 2021 — The Oklahoma Army National Guard, in partnership with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, responded to severe weather conditions in Stranded Motorist Assistance Recovery Teams made up of nearly 90 Soldiers... MORE

Staff Sgt. Josh Jacox, 2120th Engineer Company, 120th Engineering Battalion, Oklahoma Army National Guard and Spc. Parker Sargent, electrician specialist, 2120th Engineer Company, 120th Engineering Battalion, Oklahoma Army National Guard, assist motorists and Oklahoma Highway during a wreck in Stroud, Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Army National Guard, in partnership with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, responded to severe weather conditions in Stranded Motorist Assistance Recovery Teams (SMART) made up of nearly 90 Soldiers. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Emily White)

Oklahoma National Guard partnering with OHP to assist motorists in winter weather
February 12, 2021 — At the request of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma National Guard is activating nearly 90 National Guard members and pre-positioning them at locations across Oklahoma in advance of a severe winter storm expected to impact the state early next week... MORE

Sgt. Joseph English, of Newalla, Oklahoma, ties a fluorescent ribbon to a wrecked car, marking it as searched and clear of passengers while he and other Soldiers patrolled a section of Interstate 35 north of Perry, Okla., Dec. 28, 2015.

English, a military policeman with the 45th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and other Soldiers from the Brigade assisted the Oklahoma Highway Patrol with motorist assistance during a severe winter storm on Dec. 27 and 28. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Anthony Jones)

Oklahoma National Guardsman donates stimulus check to local business
February 3, 2021 — Capt. Jeffrey Morefield, commander of A Battery, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, Oklahoma National Guard, deployed with his unit in support of Operation Spartan Shield in December 2019. While he was away, he watched from a secure location in the Middle East as COVID-19 spread around the world... MORE

Oklahoma Army National Guard Capt. Jeff Morefield, left, commander of Battery A, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, Oklahoma Army National Guard, donated his entire stimulus check to local business owner Jennifer Webster, right. The donation spurred a cascade of giving to local businesses within the Edmond, Oklahoma area.

Camp Gruber to conduct prescribed burns
February 3, 2021 — The Oklahoma National Guard’s Camp Gruber Training Center has announced their intention to initiate prescribed (controlled) burns this spring and summer... MORE

A safety crew participates in a prescribed burn.

Video by Sgt. Haden Tolbert

From scrap paper to state-of-the-art: Oklahoma National Guard unveils new Wellness Center

Oklahoma National Guard

Feb. 19, 2026 | 1:04

Oklahoma National Guard leadership held a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, for the Oklahoma National Guard Wellness Center, a nearly 35,000-square-foot facility at the Oklahoma City Military Complex in Oklahoma City. Amenities within the wellness center include a fully equipped workout space for resistance training and agility, indoor and outdoor meditation spaces, a chapel, conference rooms, classroom spaces, and a teaching kitchen. The facility also houses OKNG programs and services, including Behavioral Health, Chaplain, Equal Employment Opportunity, Family Programs, Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F), Integrated Primary Prevention, Resilience, Suicide Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Risk Reduction, and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response.