Oklahoma military units called up for war on terrorism

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ More Oklahoma military units have been called up to participate in America's war on terrorism. <br><br>The Army Reserve's 5045th Garrison Support Unit, Detachment 2, based

Friday, December 28th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ More Oklahoma military units have been called up to participate in America's war on terrorism.

The Army Reserve's 5045th Garrison Support Unit, Detachment 2, based in Lawton, and a small Oklahoma Air National Guard unit have been deployed as part of an overseas support operation.

The activations bring to more than 800 the number of Oklahomans deployed. They come from 14 units of the Air and Army National Guard and the Army and Air Force reserves.

Eight members of the 5045th were activated to help support homeland defense operations. The unit has been assigned to Fort Sill in Lawton to help the base in daily operations, said Chuck Pritchard, spokesman for the regional Army Reserve division in Arkansas.

The Oklahoma Air National Guard contingent was deployed as part of the Tanker Airlift Control Element that supports Air Mobility Command missions where little or no operational support exists.

The Tanker Airlift Control Element can provide command and control, communications, aircrew management, security, maintenance, finance and intelligence support.

The deployed airmen are members of the 137th Air Control Flight, said Lt. Lee Ann Mohajerin, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

Maj. Rich Curry, spokesman for the Air Force Reserve at Tinker Air Force Base, said that in addition to the activated units, more than 60 individual Navy reservists have been called up.

The Oklahoma units have performed many military duties, from guarding airports to taking injured soldiers from Afghanistan.

The 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from the Will Rogers Air National Guard Base helped evacuate three Marines last week who were wounded in a land mine explosion near Kandahar in Afghanistan.

The 45th Infantry Brigade and 45th Field Artillery Brigade are providing security at five Oklahoma airports.

The 507th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit at Tinker, operates the KC-135 Stratotankers that provide aerial refueling in the overseas military campaign.

Tinker's 513th Air Control Group, another Air Force Reserve unit, helps operate the Airborne Warning and Control Systems planes. The AWACS aircraft provide surveillance and command control for the bombing campaign.

Other Oklahoma units have been activated to provide security at military installations in the United States.