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FACT BRIEF

Is the Oklahoma National Guard being deployed for the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse?

By Sue Bin Park
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YES

In anticipation of a significant influx of tourists for the 2024 eclipse, Oklahoma’s National Guard will be deployed to assist communities in McCurtain County. Parts of southeast Oklahoma lie in the solar eclipse’s rare path of totality, where tourists will flock to watch the moon completely block the sun.

National Guard troops are trained in a range of specialized duties such as search and rescue, industrial fires, and maintaining communications during high-traffic occasions. Support was requested by towns of fewer than 10,000 residents to handle a predicted 100,000 visitor load. The National Guard, in a press release on Mar. 18, 2024, stated the primary purpose of the deployment will be to assist and relieve potentially overtaxed local services such as fire and police.

The Oklahoma National Guard has assisted local authorities in past large gatherings, such as the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and football games.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Oklahoma National Guard Oklahoma National Guard to assist McCurtain County amid influx of eclipse tourism
The Oklahoman 2024 total solar eclipse: Where to watch it in Oklahoma and when it will happen
Newsweek Fact Check: Why National Guard's Nuclear Unit Is Poised For Solar Eclipse
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Oklahoma Watch
Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation that produces in-depth and investigative journalism as a public service for the benefit of all Oklahomans. Through investigative, fact-driven journalism, we dig deep and examine significant issues facing our state. Our work engages all Oklahomans, amplifies the discussion of important issues and leads to change. We help develop the journalists and journalism of the future.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.