Another 264 Oklahoma Army Reserve soldiers mobilized

<br>TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ The U.S. Defense Department mobilized another 264 members of the Oklahoma Army Reserve, bringing to 667 the number activated. <br><br>The mobilization included six people from the

Friday, January 31st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ The U.S. Defense Department mobilized another 264 members of the Oklahoma Army Reserve, bringing to 667 the number activated.

The mobilization included six people from the 5045th Garrison Support Unit and 102 members of the 1st Brigade 75th Division Support Unit, both based Fort Sill.

Another 156 people from the Oklahoma City-based 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 290th Regiment also were activated, officials said Thursday.

Nearly 1,000 soldiers were activated or put on alert on Wednesday.

More than 3,000 members of Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy Reserve and Guard units from Oklahoma are on active duty, officials say.

Col. Pat Scully, public relations officer for the Oklahoma Military Department, said the numbers show the active Army's increasing dependence on civilian soldiers.

``The National Guard and Reserve forces, along with our active duty counterparts, belong to a total Army,'' Scully said.

With ``the dispersion of specialized units in the National Guard and Reserve forces, it creates somewhat of a dependence,'' he said.

``The active-duty forces today cannot go to war without Guard and Reserve units.''

Scully said the present mobilization is ``reminiscent of Desert Storm 12 years ago when the Oklahoma National Guard mobilized over 2,500 soldiers and sent them to the Persian Gulf.''

A going away ceremony will be held Friday evening in Ada for the Oklahoma Army Guard's 1120th Maintenance Company, which will deploy in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.

The 1120th will be augmented by the Oklahoma City-based 700th Support Squadron, bringing the total deployment to more than 300 soldiers.