Cotton County Resident Robert Hedges Promoted Lieutenant Colonel (LTC)

During a ceremony at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Mustang, OK. Rober Hedges was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Oklahoma National Guard. Hedges has more than 26 years of service in the Oklahoma National Guard. He has made his home in the Cotton County area since graduating from Cameron University in 1989. He enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard at Elk City in 1987 as a Private First Class (PFC) and completed Basic training and Advanced Individual Training as a Cannon Crewmember (13B) at Fort Sill, OK in December of that year. Hedges was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery in 1989 after completing Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps at Cameron University.

Hedges has served in many capacities through the years to include 8” Howitzer Platoon Leader and Fire Direction Officer, Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Battery Commander of Bravo Battery 1st Battalion 171st Field Artillery (MLRS) in Clinton and Elk City, Battalion and Brigade S-1, Battalion Maintenance Officer, and Assistant Brigade Operations Officer, to name a few. He has been mobilized for deployment on 2 separate occasions since 9-11: Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served in Kuwait. Hedges retired in 2010 and took a seven-year break before returning to service in the military in 2017.

Some of Hedges’ awards include the Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Oklahoma Guardsman Medal, Overseas Training Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), and the Air Assault Qualification Badge. Hedges’ military education includes Basic and Advanced Individual Training, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff Officer Course (Common Core), and the U.S. Army Air Assault School.

Hedges is also a 23-year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and is currently assigned to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike detachment (I-44). Hedges has 5 children and 6 grandchildren and is the son of Bob and Sue Hedges of Seiling, OK, and June Hedges of Walters, OK. Hedges is also the grandson of the late Carl and Margaret Bridgers of Walters.