News from the Oklahoma National Guard

Oklahoma National Guard Oklahoma National Guardsmen take part in a historic exercise
August 6, 2025 — Oklahoma National Guardsmen took part in a historic exercise as they showcased the precision firepower of the U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) for the first time on Malaysian soil, July 17-29, 2025. Oklahoma Guardsmen from 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Field Artillery Brigade, participated in the 25th iteration of Exercise Keris Strike, a trilateral exercise focused on bringing together military forces from the United States, Malaysia, and Australia... MORE

A High Mobility Artillery Rocket System operated by members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment fires a rocket during Exercise Keris Strike, on July 30, 2025. (Photo provided by US Embassy Kuala Lumpur)

Cyber officers join OKNG through direct commissioning program
July 31, 2025 — Capt. Derek Teague and Capt. George Bouziden earned their commissions as Cyber Corps officers through a U.S. Army Talent Innovation Division program designed to identify and bring in highly skilled civilian information technology professionals to strengthen the Army’s cyber capabilities... MORE

(left to right) Capt. George Bouziden and Capt. Derek Teague take the Oath of Commissioned Officers during their direct commissioning ceremony at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Norman, Oklahoma, July 30, 2025. The two officers received their commission through a U.S. Army Talent Innovation Division program designed to identify and bring in highly skilled civilian information technology professionals to strengthen the Army’s cyber capabilities. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

137th SOW Airmen and families join together for a Yellow Ribbon event
July 2, 2025 — Families and Airmen assigned to the 137th Special Operations Wing gathered for a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 14, 2025, for support in transitioning into civilian life after deployment. The event was designed to equip post-deployment Airmen and families with the resources, connections and knowledge necessary to navigate reintegrating back into civilian life successfully. These programs aim to assist service members and their dependents that face the challenges of deployment by providing a network of support... MORE

An attendee touches a 988 helpline card.

Oklahoma Army National Guard couple train to improve cyber capabilities together
June 25, 2025 — Red, white, and blue. These colors together symbolize the flag of the United States, but in the largest and longest running cyber exercise, they represent the teams of Cyber Shield 2025 working together to test the nation’s cyber defenses from May 30, 2025 to June 13, 2025. Among the 900 participants is a young couple from the Oklahoma Army National Guard, both working in the cyber field and this time, on separate teams... MORE

Staff Sgt. Diana Hutcherson, an information technology specialist with the Oklahoma Defensive Cyber Operations Element pose for a photo with her husband Spc. William Hutcherson, an electromagnetic warfare specialist, with the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during exercise Cyber Shield 2025 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 2, 2025. Diana and William enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard at different times, but they have both chosen careers aligning with information technology and cyber warfare. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jasmine McCarthy)

Oklahoma Guardsmen face-off against drones in survivability exercise
June 18, 2025 — 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... MORE

Sgt. Corey Fountain, a tactical unmanned aircraft system repairer assigned to Detachment 1, Delta Company, 545th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, prepares a small first-person view drone to be launched during a UAS exercise at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, on June 12, 2025. The exercise, hosted by the 45th IBCT and featured numerous UAS and counter-UAS systems, focused on preparing infantry Soldiers to react to UAS threats. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

Oklahoma Guardsmen forge combat-ready leaders in Light Leaders Course
June 17, 2025 — Thunderbirds from the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participated in the Light Leaders Course from June 3-11, 2025, at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, pushing through an intensive leadership development program designed to sharpen small unit tactics and develop agile, adaptable and deployment-ready combat leaders... MORE

Sgt. Daniel Leikin, a ranger instructor assigned to the Army National Guard Warrior Training Battalion, evaluates Soldiers conducting planning during Light Leaders Course on June 8, 2025 at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma. Light Leaders Course is an intensive, leadership development program designed to sharpen small unit tactics and develop agile, adaptable and deployment-ready combat leaders. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Spc. Cambrie Cannon)

903rd QM wins 2nd Annual OKGuard Culinary Excellence Competition
June 10, 2025 — CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. — Culinary specialists from the 903rd Quartermaster Company, 345th Combat Sustainment Battalion, 90th Troop Command won the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s Annual Culinary Excellence Competition for the second year in a row on June 7, 2025.Four teams from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 90th Troop Command... MORE

An Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier assigned to the 903rd Quartermaster Company, 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command prepares food during the second annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, June 7, 2025. Four teams from 90th Troop Command and the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team competed in the competition with a team from the 903rd winning for the second year consecutively. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Spc. Brooklyn Clark)

WRANGB hosts arrival ceremony for OA-1K Skyraider II
June 8, 2025 — The 137th Special Operations Wing held a welcome ceremony for the arrival of OA-1K Skyraider II aircraft to Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, June 7, 2025, Oklahoma City. The Skyraider II is a cost-effective, versatile aircraft that will provide essential support for operations outlined in the 2025 Interim National Defense Strategy. WRANGB now serves as the home for the Skyraider II’s formal training unit under the 492nd Special Operations Wing... MORE

A group of Airmen stand in formation in front of an American flag and two aircraft

Oklahoma National Guard lays ground work to honor WWII sacrifice, victory
June 5, 2025 — Eight decades after the 45th Infantry Division marked its final day of combat during World War II, the Oklahoma National Guard has returned to Italy to begin preserving the history of the Thunderbirds who gave the last full measure of devotion in the fight for freedom... MORE

Lt. Col. Luke Kimbrel, commander of the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Greg Kratochwill, command chief warrant officer for the Oklahoma National Guard, survey a hillside near Oliveto, Italy, on May 6, 2025, where in 1943 2nd Lt. Ernest Childers led an assault against German troops that would result in him being presented with the Medal of Honor for his valorous actions. The hill, now called Heroes’ Hill by locals, is one the many sites Oklahoma National Guard leadership is evaluating for possible monuments and memorials commemorating the 45th Infantry Division’s World War II service. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

Dachau concentration camp unveils plaque honoring liberators of the 45th Infantry Division
May 29, 2025 — Members of the Oklahoma National Guard and the 45th Infantry Division Association unveiled a new memorial plaque at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site on April 29, honoring the Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division who liberated the camp 80 years ago. ... MORE

A plaque commemorating the Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division who helped liberate the Dachau Concentration Camp on April 29, 1945, and honoring the memory of Holocaust victims, is displayed at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Germany. Unveiled on the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, the April 29, 2025 ceremony included members of the Oklahoma National Guard, 45th Infantry Division Association, a Holocaust survivor, a 20th Armored Division veteran, and representatives from the Bavarian Memorial Foundation and the Comité International de Dachau. (Oklahoma National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

Video by Airman Kaedin Teel

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260501-Z-ND196-1001 - 137 SOW and 210 EIS integrate for Exercise Thunderwolf

137th Special Operations Wing

May 1, 2026 | 2:29

Airmen assigned to the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron, Minnesota Air National Guard, integrated with Airmen assigned to the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma ANG, for a joint readiness exercise designed to validate the ability of engineering installation Airmen to rapidly deploy, establish and sustain critical electronic information systems and communications infrastructure at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, April 27 - 30, 2026. Each unit integrated their technical expertise in a simulated deployed environment to enhance rapid-response capabilities and ensure that command and control networks are operational anytime, anywhere. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Airman 1st Class Kaedin Teel) This video contains music licensed through the Pixabay Audio Library.