Oklahoma National Guard seeks $85.5 million bond for deferred maintenance, outlines youth and state-guard plans

Adjutant General Thomas Mancino told the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee that the Oklahoma Military Department (OMD) is asking the Legislature to consider an $85,500,000 Thunderbird Capital Campaign bond to address deferred maintenance and accelerate infrastructure work at armories and state facilities.

Mancino said the bond would fund long-standing renovation needs and add capabilities the department lacks, including a permanent SCIF (sensitive compartmented information facility) to allow classified work in state facilities. "I would like to take that money, a large portion of that money, dollars 5 to 6,000,000 and put it towards a, towards a bond," Mancino told the committee, adding he is not asking for new annual appropriation but wants to accelerate deferred projects.

The request comes as the department reports a roughly $22 million baseline annual state budget and an active construction slate funded in part by ARPA. Mancino said ARPA-supported projects are progressing and most should complete in fiscal 2026. He highlighted a $6 million one-time appropriation in FY 23-24 that did not become part of the base.

Why it matters: Mancino said deferred maintenance and aging armories are the largest near-term risks to readiness and to the Guard's ability to serve the state in emergencies. He also warned that a federal requirement to reinstate a 25% state match on some projects (previously waived in his tenure) may require future state contributions when federal construction dollars are offered.

Recruiting, retention and youth programs Mancino outlined recruitment and training results, saying the Oklahoma Guard has improved recruiting performance. "Thanks to this body, we are number 1 in recruiting in the entire nation," he said, noting at one point "3 out of every 10 individuals" joining military service chose the Oklahoma Army National Guard. Mancino credited education and retention incentives supported by the Legislature, and he said retention remains a challenge at key career inflection points.

He also described youth and workforce programs supported by the Legislature and federal matches: the Thunderbird Youth Challenge (a residential follow-on program for at-risk youth), a workforce-oriented cohort that began with 35 participants, and related job-placement partnerships for trades such as HVAC and welding. Mancino said the state provided about $1,000,000 in infrastructure funding and federal matching funds of roughly $4.5 million for that program.

Oklahoma State Guard proposal Mancino told legislators the governor has authorized steps to reestablish an Oklahoma State Guard, an entity he described as a purely state force governed by state statute and intended to supplement state service capacity. "This entity would be purely state," he said, emphasizing that it would not be a federal militia and that, unlike the National Guard, it would not have a statutory path for federal activation.

He said planners envision a limited initial size of roughly 50 to 90 personnel focused on specialties such as chaplaincy, cyber, and medical support, and primarily recruiting ex-law enforcement, first responders and former military. Mancino said the force would be controlled through the existing chain of command (the adjutant general to the governor) and would be intended to provide capability if the National Guard is mobilized elsewhere.

Questions and next steps Committee members pressed Mancino on whether the state guard would operate only within Oklahoma; he replied the intent is for in-state use while acknowledging legal complexities. Mancino also asked the Legislature to consider the bond vehicle and noted that the department is not asking for additional recurring operating funds but seeks a mechanism to accelerate capital work.

Clarifying details provided to the committee included the department's workforce (about 8,600 Guard members supported by approximately 443 employees in OMD), program dollar figures for youth programming and a description of how federal grant appendices fund many state employee positions.

The subcommittee did not take a formal vote during the presentation. Mancino said he would return with more details if the Legislature wishes to consider the bond or statutory changes relating to the state guard.