COMANCHE COUNTY ( KFDX/KJTL )—Serving in the United States military as a member of a Native American tribe is a different experience from serving as a non-native veteran.
Kristopher Killsfirst, with the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, served many years in the U.S. Army and explained what differentiated the experience.
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“I am a member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma first, and then I’m a U.S. citizen,” Killsfirst said. “When we go to war, native veterans are one of the truly the only ones that goes and fights under two flags.”
Upon returning home, veterans from the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma become members of the Blackfeet Society. This group holds not only societal significance within the Apache, but also spiritual significance.
Darrin Cisco, a cultural specialist with the Apache, traces the traditions tied to military service back beyond recorded history.
“Whenever somebody is getting ready to be sent off to war or even to train overseas, there’s a certain ceremony done for them. There’s a certain ceremony done for them when they come home,” Cisco said. “That part hasn’t changed. We still do those things to this day.”