Lawton, OK — Governor Kevin Stitt’s proposal to create a state militia independent from the Oklahoma National Guard is sparking debate among state lawmakers. Major General Thomas Mancino, the commander of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard, presented the idea during a Senate panel’s budget evaluation on Tuesday, requesting $2.4 million in taxpayer funding to reinstate a state militia.
The governor’s request stems from his observations of border security efforts in Texas, where the state regularly utilizes its own guard forces. Mancino explained that the governor approached him this year with the idea of establishing a similar force in Oklahoma. “Gov. Stitt came to me this year after looking at what he saw occur on the border in Texas, where they routinely use their state guard, and asked me to take a look at reinstituting that,” Mancino said.
The proposed state militia would operate separately from the Oklahoma National Guard. According to Mancino, the National Guard would remain the “regulated militia,” while the new militia would be considered a “state guard function,” outside the scope of federal oversight. This distinction is vital, as some lawmakers are raising concerns about the potential for tension between state and federal military entities.
The $2.4 million in funding would cover the initial costs of restarting the state militia, but some senators expressed strong reservations about the idea. Senator Regina Goodwin (D-Tulsa) voiced concerns that such a militia could lead to conflicts, particularly if it operates without proper regulation. “I would have more than great and grave reservations talking about 2.4 million dollars for an unregulated militia state guard,” she said, adding that Oklahoma’s lack of significant border issues makes the proposal questionable. “I’m almost appalled that it’s even in this budget.”
Goodwin further questioned the necessity of the militia, asking whether there was an imminent threat that warranted its creation. “When we talked about what they were doing in Texas, because what that resulted in was the federal government fighting against the state government,” she pointed out. Mancino responded that he was “not willing to tie this to a specific threat,” signaling that the militia’s purpose would not be directly linked to any current security issue.
Despite these concerns, other lawmakers, such as Senator Tom Woods (R-Westville), expressed support for the proposal. “I think it could be a very valuable asset for Oklahoma security moving forward,” said Woods. Proponents argue that the state militia could enhance Oklahoma’s ability to respond to various security needs, although the debate over its necessity and cost continues to divide the legislature.
As the discussion unfolds, the future of the proposed state militia remains uncertain, with lawmakers weighing the potential benefits and risks of such a significant expansion of state-level military forces. The outcome of this budget proposal could set a precedent for the role of state militias in the United States.
