Oklahoma Military Department Seeks Funding for State Militia Initiative

Oklahoma City: The Oklahoma Military Department is looking for $2.4 million to kick off a state militia. This idea came from Governor Kevin Stitt after he noticed what was happening at the Texas border.

Maj. General Thomas Mancino, who leads the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard, mentioned that Stitt asked him to explore the possibility of bringing back a state guard. While the law allows for a state guard, it hasn’t been funded yet.

Mancino explained to a Senate panel that there are two types of militias recognized by the Constitution. One is the regulated militia, which is the National Guard, and the other is an unregulated militia. He clarified that the proposed militia would function as a state guard, not like the militias often seen in the news.

This new group would operate separately from the National Guard. However, Senator Regina Goodwin from Tulsa expressed serious concerns about the idea, calling it “highly controversial.” She worried about potential conflicts with federal military units and pointed out that Oklahoma doesn’t face any border issues.

Stitt has been critical of the Biden administration and previously spent over $544,000 to send National Guard members to Texas for border security. The National Guard can be called into federal service by the president or state service by the governor, while the proposed state guard would be under the governor’s control.

Senator Tom Woods, a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, believes this state guard could be a valuable resource for Oklahomans. He feels that the federal government often overreaches and having a state guard would be beneficial.

Goodwin questioned what specific threats the state guard would address. Mancino responded that he didn’t want to link it to a threat but saw it as an opportunity. He mentioned that if a large number of National Guard members were deployed, the state would still have a force ready for disaster response.

Additionally, the state guard could assist with drone operations in ways that federal law might restrict. Mancino noted that other states, like California, have similar programs, and he expects to hire around 250 personnel, requiring training and equipment.

He hasn’t yet presented a formal plan to lawmakers or Stitt, and some members of the proposed guard could be active duty retirees. A spokeswoman for Stitt did not provide any comments on the matter.