News from the Oklahoma National Guard

Memorial Ceremonies in France Honor 45th Infantry Division
December 8, 2025 — In the hills of northeastern France, far from home but not from history, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard stood shoulder to shoulder with French citizens to honor the legacy of the 45th Infantry Division, their predecessors who helped liberate the region during World War II... MORE

(From right) Lt. Col. Neal Harvey, Brig. Gen. Brad Carter, assistant adjutant general-Army for Oklahoma, and Lt. Col. Caleb Emde prepare to lay a wreath during a ceremony honoring the 45th Infantry Division Soldiers laid to rest at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Epinal, France, Sept. 24, 2025. The delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in northeastern France against German forces during World War II. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. John Stoner)

OKGuard leader retires after 34 impactful years
December 4, 2025 — Friends, family and leaders from across the Oklahoma National Guard filled the room at the Oklahoma City Military Complex, Oct. 30, 2025, to celebrate the remarkable career of Col. Floyd Kevin Roland, whose legacy of mentorship, innovation and service helped shape generations of Citizen-Soldiers... MORE

Col. Kevin Roland receives the Legion of Merit from Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma, during his retirement ceremony at the Oklahoma City Military Complex in Oklahoma City, Oct. 30, 2025. Roland served 34 years in the military, starting in the Marine Corps before joining the Oklahoma Army National Guard, where he served in numerous impactful roles. Though retired from military service, Roland will continue to serve in a civilian role as the State Youth Programs Director, where he will oversee Thunderbird Challenge Program, Sooner Job Challenge and STARBASE Oklahoma. (Oklahoma National Guard Photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

Oklahoma National Guard departs for D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission
December 1, 2025 — Friends, family and Oklahoma National Guard leaders gathered Monday at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Mustang, Oklahoma for a ceremony held for members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s Task Force Thunder... MORE

Friends, family and Oklahoma National Guard leaders gathered for a farewell ceremony held in Mustang, Oklahoma, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, for nearly 160 Oklahoma Guardsmen for their upcoming mission to Washington, D.C. in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt authorized Oklahoma Guardsmen as part of Task Force Thunder to volunteer for the mission, which is scheduled to last approximately 90 days. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

Oklahoma National Guard opens new Joint Operations Center
November 20, 2025 — Leaders with the Oklahoma National Guard held a ceremony for the opening of the new Oklahoma National Guard Joint Operations Center, Thursday, in Chandler, Oklahoma... MORE

Leaders with the Oklahoma National Guard held a ceremony for the opening of the new Oklahoma National Guard Joint Operations Center, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Chandler, Oklahoma. The facility, named after the late Benjamin T. Walkingstick will serve as a collaborative mission command facility dedicated to supporting emergency response efforts across the state. It will be utilized by the Oklahoma National Guard Joint Force Headquarters during domestic responses such as fires, floods, tornadoes and more. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

OKGuard military police unit deploys overseas to Middle East
October 21, 2025 — Friends, family and Oklahoma National Guard leaders gathered Tuesday at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Mustang, Oklahoma for a farewell ceremony held for members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 745th Military Police Detachment, 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command... MORE

Soldiers with Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 745th Military Police Detachment, 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command file into their seats during a farewell ceremony held for them at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Mustang, Oklahoma, Oct. 21, 2025. Friends, family and Oklahoma National Guard leaders gathered to see the nearly 50 Soldiers as they deploy to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield, a U.S. military operation in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations aimed at building partner capacity and enhancing security in the Middle East. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection
September 26, 2025 — Standing among rows of white marble headstones at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard bent to place sand from the beaches of Anzio into the carved names of Thunderbirds who never returned home. For today’s Citizen-Soldiers, the gesture was a bridge across generations, connecting their service to the sacrifice of those who fought for freedom more than 80 years ago... MORE

Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans and Italian representatives break ground at a future memorial site to honor the 45th Infantry Division in Paestum, Italy, Sept. 9, 2025. A delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in Italy against German forces during World War II, continuing the development of the Thunderbird Trail. The initiative is aimed at preserving the Division's role in World War II through a memorial trail tracing its footsteps through Italy, France and Germany, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Danielle Rayon)

Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 Tests Oklahoma Guard's Unmanned Aerial System Capabilities
September 15, 2025 — CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. - Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Soldiers put their tactics, techniques and procedures to the test Sept. 13 during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0, the capstone event in a succession of counter-unmanned aircraft exercises held this year at Camp Gruber Training Center.The exercise tested concepts... MORE

Unmanned aircraft systems fly overhead during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 at Camp Gruber Training Center near Braggs, Oklahoma, on September 13, 2025.

137th SOW operates alongside 35th FW at Misawa Air Base
September 6, 2025 — Components of the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, integrated with the 35th Fighter Wing to complete annual training at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Aug. 12-18, 2025... MORE

Two uniformed men with decorated patches on their sleeves point at a map.

Oklahoma National Guard strengthen ties through Saudi Arabia partnership
August 26, 2025 — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia formally joined the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program, establishing a new partnership with the Oklahoma National Guard and expanding its strategic ties with the United States during a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025... MORE

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, joins Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of general staff, Saudi Arabian Armed Forces; Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, Oklahoma’s adjutant general; Army Brig. Gen. Lawrence Muennich, Indiana’s adjutant general, and senior enlisted leaders for a ceremony to formalize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s entry into the 115-nation Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025. Under the SPP, Indiana and Oklahoma National Guardsmen will train with Saudi Arabian Armed Forces counterparts to build collective readiness to enhance regional stability and advance global security. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Zach Sheely)

Wildfire response during training proves OKGuard ready to fight fires
August 21, 2025 — Twelve Oklahoma National Guardsmen training in Arizona proved the OKNG’s wildland firefighting program is ready to respond to wildfires when they were called to battle a real-world fire caused by lightning at Camp Navajo, near Flagstaff on Aug. 15... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s wildland firefighting program work to prevent the spread of a fire at Camp Navajo, Arizona, August 16, 2025. The Guardsmen were training at Camp Navajo when a real-world fire broke out and they began supporting the Camp Navajo Fire Department and other agencies in containing the fire. (Photo provided by Brian Weatherford)

Video by Pfc. Haden Tolbert

Oklahoma National Guard aviation assists in combating wildfires

145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

July 19, 2022 | 1:50

Aircraft from the Army Aviation Support Facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma assist Oklahoma Forestry Service in fighting a wildfire in Blaine County, Oklahoma, July, 2022. The Oklahoma National Guard supported the Oklahoma Forestry Services by providing areal firefighting using a UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH-72 Lakota. (National Guard video by Pfc. Haden Tolbert)

CG Information

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ryan Johnson (00:16- 00:21)
Pilot, UHM-60 Black Hawk

Brian Ryles (00:26 - 00:30)
Forest Ranger, Oklahoma Forestry Service