ALTUS -- Local residents, including Altus Mayor T.L. Gramling, turned out Saturday for the Army National Guard Community Appreciation Day at the corner of Main St. and Tamarack. The event showcased weapons, vehicles, tools and skills of the 399 soldiers from Oklahoma's 1st Battalion 171st Field Artillery.

"It's been a long time since I've worn one of these," Mayor Gramling says, trying on a communication helmet from an M270 self propelled launcher loader. The 3-man crew vehicle carries 12 rockets weighing 6,000-pounds each with a firing distance of more than 30 kilometers.

Brigade Commander Col. Rick Adams explains the Guard as a tight-knit family of soldiers composed of four batteries, three firing and one headquarters or support. The Guard tries to deploy as a battery, he explains, keeping soldiers close to those they've trained with.

"That's the beauty of the Guard," Adams says. "You get to go with your buddies."

While most of the Guard soldiers live in Altus, Blair, Lawton, Hobart and Mangum, a few commute to duty one weekend a month and two weeks each year from Texas. Lt. David Stewart is an assistant manager at Wal-Mart and father of four in Brownwood, Texas. The former enlisted Marine and Gulf War veteran took his GI Bill to Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, earning a BS degree in environmental engineering before assuming his position as platoon leader.

The Guard accepts applicants 17-36 years old with a high school diploma (or GED) and pay is commensurate with rank and time in service. Benefits include signing bonuses and college tuition options. For more information on the National Guard, call 1-800-GO-GUARD or contact Sgt. David Farrow at the Altus Armory, 580-480-3165.