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News from the Oklahoma National Guard

NEWS | Jan. 13, 2021

Oklahoma National Guard to support 59th Presidential Inauguration

By Anthony Jones Oklahoma National Guard

The Oklahoma National Guard has announced they will be sending approximately 400 Oklahoma National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen to our nation’s capital to support the 59th presidential inauguration.
 
The Oklahoma Guardsmen will be joining National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 43 states to augment the District of Columbia National Guard to assist law enforcement with crowd management; traffic control in and around the Capitol, National Mall and White House; as well as communications, logistical and medical support.
 
“When people see the National Guard, they know we are there to help,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson, adjutant general for Oklahoma. “The men and women of the Oklahoma National Guard who will be supporting the inauguration are the same Guardsmen who have been there time and time again for Oklahoma communities.”
 
National Guard involvement in presidential inaugurations dates back to April 30, 1789, when members of local militias, the pre-cursors to the modern National Guard, accompanied the U.S. Army and Revolutionary War veterans in escorting George Washington to New York City - the seat of government for his inauguration ceremony.
 
“The National Guard has a long and proud history of inauguration support. The forefathers of today’s National Guard were present for the inauguration of George Washington, and we have been part of every inauguration since,” said Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. “We stand ready to support this national event with our interagency partners.”
 
The Guardsmen are expected to depart Oklahoma later this week and be on-station in Washington D.C. for seven to ten days.
 
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.
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