DURANT, Okla. — Students, Soldiers and Oklahoma military and education leaders gathered on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University on March 11, 2026, to uncase the guidon and officially inaugurate the university’s Guard Officer Leadership Development (GOLD) program.
The guidon will be prominently displayed on campus, serving as a symbol for the program’s participants to rally around. It also represents the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s commitment to the student Soldiers of SEOSU as they complete their education and leadership training.
“In the military, ceremonies like this carry deep meaning,” said Lt. Col. Richelle Treece, commander of 2nd Battalion, 189th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Oklahoma Army National Guard. “When we uncase the guidon of a unit or program, it signifies that the mission has officially begun. Today, we are not simply opening a program – we are beginning a partnership that will shape the future of Soldiers, students, and the communities we serve.”
The GOLD program allows student Soldiers to work toward their degree while training to become officers in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, drilling on campus with Guard cadre while continuing their studies. During the summer of their junior year they attend accelerated Officer Candidate School, return to campus as commissioned lieutenants to finish their degree, and later attend the Basic Officer Leader Course before reporting to their unit.
“Soldiers in the GOLD Program will not have to choose between service and education or squeeze it into the margins of their lives,” Treece said. “They will live it together, right here on this campus.”
The program allows students and Soldiers regular interactions with Oklahoma National Guard cadre and service members, strengthening ties between OKNG and the communities they serve.
“Our students and cadre are involved in campus activities, helping students understand what supporting a community truly looks like,” said Maj. Christopher Buck, personnel officer, 90th Troop Command, OKARNG. “Having programs like this on state university campuses gives students and faculty an up-close look at what Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers and leaders look like.”
National Guard Soldiers don’t just serve their communities — they are part of them. Programs like GOLD strengthen that connection while preparing the next generation of leaders.
“By placing the GOLD Program on this campus, students who may one day become engineers, teachers, business leaders, or healthcare professionals will have the opportunity to interact with today’s Soldiers,” Treece said. “They will see that when they watch the military on the news, they are not seeing an institution alone, they are seeing people. And that understanding strengthens both the military and the civilian workforce.”
While the ceremony was rooted in military tradition, leaders said the program represents a long-term investment in Oklahoma’s future.
“Today we uncased the guidon, but more importantly, we began a mission,” Treece said. “One built on education, service and community.”