Oklahoma Guard deploying to Washington beginning Tuesday Dec 2nd

Oklahoma Guard deploying to Washington beginning Tuesday Dec 2nd

By Kayla Hawley – Gaylord News

WASHINGTON — The Oklahoma National Guard is preparing to send approximately 160 guardsmen to Washington D.C. this week to “supplement the DC National Guard” for a 90-day deployment.

This influx of troops comes less than a week after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot on November 26th while on duty in Washington.

In a message posted on Instagram and Facebook, the guard said they had gathered earlier Monday at the Armed Forces center in Mustang for a ceremony honoring the members of Task Force Thunder that will deploy to Washington beginning Tuesday.

Requests for volunteers for the mission were posted as early as Oct. 31, according to some guard members.

“Our Guardsmen routinely answer the call to serve and support their community, state and nation,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma. “As with many state-side support missions, this mission is voluntary, and I am so proud of each and every one of our Guardsmen as they continue to step forward.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt authorized Oklahoma Guardsmen to volunteer for the mission, which is scheduled for approximately 90 days.

The mission falls under the direction of Joint Task Force D.C.but the troops technically remain under the command and control of Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, while federal funds pay for the duty.

However, the size of the deployed force has been reduced from original estimates due to fiscal adjustments. Since the initial call for volunteers went out, budget cuts have been implemented, meaning only about half of those originally scheduled to go are heading to the capital, with some remaining in Oklahoma on standby.

Requests for comment sent to both the Oklahoma National Guard and Governor Kevin Stitt’s office since November 12, have gone unanswered regarding the confirmation, details, and budget of the deployment.

Since June, National Guard troops from 10 states have been mobilized to patrol such cities as Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Memphis and Washington, D.C.

President Trump ordered in June the deployment of California’s National Guard to Los Angeles without the request of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the first such instance since 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent federal troops to Alabama to protect Civil Rights marchers despite the objection of Gov. George Wallace. Trump also deployed troops against the wishes of the governors of Illinois and Oregon.

The Oklahoma guard members are going to be joined by members of the Arkansas National Guard which also is beginning its deployment on Tuesday.

Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford the National Guard members are not law enforcement officers.

“Short-term to help local police is not uncommon,” Lankford said. “But it is short term, they’re not local law enforcement. You need local law enforcement to take the lead.”

Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For more stories by Gaylord News go to GaylordNews.net.

Caption: Oklahoma National Guard gather at farewell ceremony in Mustang, OK on Dec. 1.  Photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert / Oklahoma National Guard