News from the Oklahoma National Guard

Students and community leaders attend 137th SOW’s Student Flight Fest
March 29, 2024 — Students, educators and community leaders from across the state attended the 137th Special Operations Wing 2024 Student Flight Fest Invitational on March 28, 2024, at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma. The invitational allowed for attendees to diversify their understanding of what opportunities the Oklahoma Air National Guard has to offer and engage with Guardsmen who can provide a different perspective into the 137th SOW mission... MORE

An attendee listens intently as an MC-12W pilot with the 185th Special Operations Squadron, Oklahoma Air National Guard, explains the capabilities of the aircraft during the 137th Special Operations Wing 2024 Student Flight Fest Invitational event held at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, March 28, 2024. The invitational allowed for students, educators and other visitors from across the state to broaden their understanding of what the OKANG has to offer through aircraft displays, interactive stations, and discussions with Airmen and Soldiers from diverse career fields.

Oklahoma National Guard to assist McCurtain County amid influx of eclipse tourism
March 18, 2024 — At the request of McCurtain County Emergency Management, the Oklahoma National Guard plans to have members of the 63rd Civil Support Team available to assist local government agencies during the time surrounding the April 8, 2024 eclipse... MORE

Future of drone defense takes flight at inaugural Oklahoma National Guard Counter-UAS Symposium
March 14, 2024 — The quote "This isn't a new weapon, it's a new world,” from the film “Oppenheimer”, set the tone for the inaugural Oklahoma National Guard Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium at Oklahoma State University’s Hamm Institute for American Energy in Oklahoma City, March 12-13, 2024... MORE

Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma, speaks during the inaugural Oklahoma National Guard Counter-Unmaned Aircraft Systems Symposium in Oklahoma City, March 12, 2024. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Reece Heck)

Oklahoma National Guard Counter-UAS School trains with industry
March 13, 2024 — The Oklahoma National Guard, in collaboration with various industry partners from across the state, conducted a test of the cutting-edge capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at Camp Gruber Training Center, Feb. 22, 2024... MORE

The Oklahoma National Guard, in collaboration with various industry partners from across the state, conducted a test of the cutting-edge capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at Camp Gruber Training Center, Feb. 22, 2024. The budding program addresses the National Guard’s need to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield technologies, including the integration of artificial intelligence, countering the unmanned systems threat, and countless other emerging technologies. This initiative aims to equip and train the OKNG alongside civilian aerospace industry experts and local partners to enhance mission readiness in aviation and aerospace technologies of the future. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Cpl. Danielle Rayon)

Oklahoma Guardsman receives Star of Valor for heroic actions
March 7, 2024 — Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier Spc. Alexander Weimer was awarded the Oklahoma Star of Valor for his courageous actions at the scene of a head-on collision on April 21, 2023 that claimed the life of one motorist and left several others injured and trapped in their vehicles... MORE

Spc. Alexander Weimer, assigned to Bravo Company, 545th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard, speaks with Col. Andrew Ballenger, commander of the 45th IBCT at his Oklahoma Star of Valor Ceremony at the Muskogee Armed Forces Reserve Center, Muskogee, Oklahoma, March 3, 2024. Weimer was recognized for his bravery and compassion while assisting civilians involved in a vehicular collision while on his way to drill. (Oklahoma Army National Guard by Cpl. Danielle Rayon)

Task Force Tomahawk welcomed home from Horn of Africa
March 2, 2024 — The more than 800 Oklahoma Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers of Task Force Tomahawk are safely back in Oklahoma following a nine-month deployment to the Horn of Africa, with the final group of Guardsmen arriving at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base on March 2... MORE

A member of Task Force Tomahawk reunites with their family during a welcome home ceremony at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City, Feb. 23, 2024. Task Force Tomahawk returned from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, where the Citizen-Soldiers provided security at multiple sites across the Horn of Africa as well as manned the East African Response Force. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

Oklahoma National Guard publishes 2023 Governor's Report
February 23, 2024 — The Oklahoma National Guard has published the 2023 Governor's Report... MORE

Task Force Tomahawk returns to US after deployment to Horn of Africa
February 20, 2024 — The more than 1,000 Oklahoma, Nebraska and Indiana National Guard Citizen-Soldiers of Task Force Tomahawk are safely back on American soil after their nine-month deployment to the Horn of Africa... MORE

Lt. Col. Brent Weece, commander, Task Force Tomahawk, (right) shakes hands with Lt. Col. Micheal Scanlon, state operations officer, Oklahoma Army National Guard at Fort Bliss, Texas, Feb. 18, 2024, after Weece returns from a nine-month deployment to the Horn of Africa. Task Force Tomahawk is made up of units of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team - primarily of the 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment as well as companies from the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment (Airborne). TF Tomahawk was responsible for security at multiple locations across several countries in the Horn of Africa as well as manning the East African Response Force. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

Oklahoma Guard conducts annual Mechanic of the Year competition
February 15, 2024 — Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen gathered to test their mechanical skills at the third annual Mechanic of the Year competition held at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 7, 2024... MORE

(From left to right) Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen Sgt. Kyle Ehrenberg, a rocket system crewmember assigned to the 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Field Artillery Brigade, Spc. Jasser Reyes, a wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to the 120th Forward Support Company, 45th FAB, and Staff Sgt. Brandon Burns, a motor transport operator assigned to the 120th FSC, 45th FAB, read instructions together during the Mechanic of the Year competition held at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 7, 2024. The Guardsmen gathered to put their mechanic skills to the test in the third annual competition, working in four-man teams to beat out the competition while also getting to network amongst fellow competitors. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Cpl. Danielle Rayon)

National Guard Bureau Leaders Say Taking Care of Guardsmen Key to Meeting Mission at Home, Abroad
February 9, 2024 — Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said that as the global security landscape has become increasingly complex, the National Guard continues to fill its role as an indispensable warfighting force while at the same time responding in times of crisis at home... MORE

Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, meets with Arkansas Guardsmen assigned to Task Force Bowie, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, on rotation overseeing training with the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 21, 2023.

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