An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | March 12, 2025

Oklahoma Army National Guard Enhances Artillery Readiness

By Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones, Oklahoma National Guard

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers demonstrated their ability to rapidly mass troops and equipment during live-fire artillery training at Fort Sill March 7-9.

The Soldiers, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, convoyed from armories across Oklahoma to Fort Sill March 7 and began two days of live-fire exercises.

Lt. Col. Brent Hill, commander of the 1-160th, emphasized that global conflicts highlight the critical role of artillery in modern warfare. He stressed that training to deploy rapidly, set up howitzers and fire effectively is key to saving lives in large-scale combat against peer and near-peer adversaries.

“The faster we can be at calculating data from the hill, to the gunline, to out the tube matters,” Hill said. “That means we are more lethal, more precise and more accurate for those personnel down range who need [fire support].”

To speed up their ability to fire on target, battalion leaders coordinated with the OKARNG’s Bravo Company, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, to deploy forward observers via CH-47 Chinook before the main body arrived at Fort Sill.

For Sgt. Nathan Treadway, a joint fire support specialist assigned to the 1-160th, the air insertion was his first time in a CH-47.

“The focus of the training was to get us used to flying into our area of operations,” Treadway said. “Maybe it’s a heavy contact area where we’re taking fire and we need to get in and [the helicopters] need to quickly get out. Being brand new to that, learning to embark and disembark the Chinook and learning how to pull security was important.”

Hill plans to integrate air movements into future training exercises to enhance rapid emplacement and firing, ensuring his Soldiers are prepared for future combat challenges.

“The 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a light infantry brigade combat team and we’re a light field artillery unit,” Hill said. “One of our goals and [mission essential] tasks is to conduct air assault operations, including sling loading our howitzers, equipment, personnel and gear we need to move forward on the battlefield to put ourselves into position to take out targets.”

 

 

Related Articles
Oklahoma National Guard leaders and Italian representatives unveil a plaque at the former headquarters of the 45th Infantry Division during WWII in Venafro, Italy, Sept. 8, 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)
Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection for Oklahoma Guard
By Sgt. Danielle Rayon, | Sept. 29, 2025
ITALY – 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...

A U.S. Soldier with the Oklahoma Army National Guard launches a drone during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 at Camp Gruber Training Center, Okla., Sept. 13, 2025. The training aimed to build Guard members’ ability to operate in a battlespace increasingly shaped by unmanned systems.
Oklahoma Guard Sharpens Drone Warfare Tactics During Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0
By Master Sgt. Amber Monio, | Sept. 18, 2025
CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. — Drones buzzed overhead as Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers and Airmen maneuvered strategically through a wooded area. They advanced slowly toward their objective – a series of enemy...

Unmanned aircraft systems fly overhead during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 at Camp Gruber Training Center near Braggs, Oklahoma, on September 13, 2025. The exercise tested concepts for countering an evolving threat environment and drew visitors from across the state and world, including industry leaders, National Guard representatives, active-duty forces, and emergency management officials. Training included a Chinook infill, tactical movement through wooded terrain and clearance of an enemy trench system under simulated multi-domain threats, highlighting the integration of emerging technologies to enhance lethality, improve survivability, and sustain readiness for future conflicts.
Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 Tests Oklahoma Guard's Unmanned Aerial System Capabilities
By Maj. Kayla Christopher, | Sept. 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...