Nearly 500 Oklahoma National Guard troops were sent to Texas over the weekend to help with hurricane relief. For many, they had returned just weeks ago from a six-month mission in Ukraine where they had trained Ukrainian soldiers.
Lt. Col. Adam Headrick, commander of the “Tomahawk” Task Force is with the 1st Battalion of the 179th Infantry Regiment and explained many of the soldiers are from Stillwater and Sand Springs.
“They called on the infantry units to provide security and to assist families in going back into their homes and their neighborhood to make sure they were safe as they got reacquainted with their homes, which in all likelihood is severely damaged or destroyed,” he said in an interview with News 9. “We could be there a week. We could be there a month. We could be there more.”
Lt. Col. Headrick explained the Oklahoma Guard units will fall under the command of Texas.
“It will be on them to determine where to use us, how to use us and how long to use us. We know they need it and that’s what we are here for.”
The Oklahoma Guard took tactical vehicles for the hurricane mission—all-terrain vehicles. Despite the fact many of the guard members have seen duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, being called up for natural disasters is also part of their mission.
“Compassion is why a lot of us stay in because a lot of us stay in because a lot of the national guard job is to go in and help when disaster strikes. So it’s hard to separate yourself from it but you’re also there to do a job,” said Lt. Col. Headrick.