Thomas H. Mancino

Thomas H. Mancino served six years in the Oklahoma National Guard before becoming a commissioned officer in 1992.^[1] He had three combat deployments: one in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2019, he was promoted to Assistant Adjutant General of Oklahoma. On November 10, 2021, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed him Adjutant General of Oklahoma.^[1] Citing his constitutional duty to follow a governor's order, Mancino quickly issued an order on behalf of Governor Stitt, rescinding a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for members of the Oklahoma National Guard.^[2][3] At the time, the order violated The Pentagon's policy on vaccination.^[4] The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 required the policy be rescinded in January 2023.^[5] After Texas sued to prevent the enforcement of the federal vaccination policy for national guardsmen, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction preventing its enforcement.^[6][7]